Location
Harkins 305
Event Website
http://www.providence.edu/hpm/Pages/Conference.aspx
Start Date
12-4-2014 9:30 AM
End Date
12-4-2014 10:50 AM
Description
My paper examines and critiques the portrayal of Alzheimer¹s disease in the popular film, The Notebook. Based off of a Nicholas Sparks novel, The Notebook uses Alzheimer¹s disease as a vehicle to relay a love story, but in doing so, presents a distorted picture of Alzheimer¹s disease to its audience. My paper compares the responsibilities of family caregivers of Alzheimer¹s patients in today¹s world with the unrealistic family caregiver, Noah, depicted on screen. My paper also explores and exposes inconsistencies between the attractive nursing home experience presented on screen and the less than ideal treatment patients experience in long term care facilities in America today. In addition, my paper uses several other films to examine and compare the emotional distress Alzheimer¹s disease patients and their families face when confronted with the condition: further underlining the idealized familial encounter with the disease depicted in The Notebook. My paper also examines the glamorized representation of Alzheimer¹s disease symptoms in the film. The misrepresentation and glamorization of Alzheimer¹s disease in The Notebook elicit serious implications in today¹s society. My paper describes how Alzheimer¹s awareness groups and other organizations utilize The Notebook as an educational tool to raise awareness for the condition, despite its imperfections. For better or worse, in today¹s society, people absorb a myriad of information from film and pop culture, leaving filmmakers with the difficult task of balancing entertainment and medicine in their films. Ultimately, my paper highlights this imbalance in The Notebook and describes its resulting accidental Alzheimer¹s awareness campaign.
The Notebook: An Accidental Alzheimer's Awareness Campaign
Harkins 305
My paper examines and critiques the portrayal of Alzheimer¹s disease in the popular film, The Notebook. Based off of a Nicholas Sparks novel, The Notebook uses Alzheimer¹s disease as a vehicle to relay a love story, but in doing so, presents a distorted picture of Alzheimer¹s disease to its audience. My paper compares the responsibilities of family caregivers of Alzheimer¹s patients in today¹s world with the unrealistic family caregiver, Noah, depicted on screen. My paper also explores and exposes inconsistencies between the attractive nursing home experience presented on screen and the less than ideal treatment patients experience in long term care facilities in America today. In addition, my paper uses several other films to examine and compare the emotional distress Alzheimer¹s disease patients and their families face when confronted with the condition: further underlining the idealized familial encounter with the disease depicted in The Notebook. My paper also examines the glamorized representation of Alzheimer¹s disease symptoms in the film. The misrepresentation and glamorization of Alzheimer¹s disease in The Notebook elicit serious implications in today¹s society. My paper describes how Alzheimer¹s awareness groups and other organizations utilize The Notebook as an educational tool to raise awareness for the condition, despite its imperfections. For better or worse, in today¹s society, people absorb a myriad of information from film and pop culture, leaving filmmakers with the difficult task of balancing entertainment and medicine in their films. Ultimately, my paper highlights this imbalance in The Notebook and describes its resulting accidental Alzheimer¹s awareness campaign.
https://digitalcommons.providence.edu/auchs/2014/panela1/3
