America ReFramed

Care

By Deirdre Fishel. A co-production of Mind's Eye Productions and Independent Television Service.

The United States is struggling to care for its elders. 90% of Americans want to age at home, but many of them have to rely on paid care workers because their families can’t provide the support they need. Told through the stories of both care workers and their clients, CARE illuminates the many challenges and deep attachments that can be formed between the elderly and the home care workers they depend on - and exposes the cracks in a system that is poorly serving both.

The film introduces viewers to Vilma, an undocumented immigrant who is the lifeline for a 92-year-old living alone. Another care worker, Laurie, has grown deeply attached to a client who waits for a lung transplant. And we meet another family in crisis: Toni’s husband’s illness requires 24/7 care and is overwhelming his family. She asks their caregiver, anxiously, “You’re not going to quit, are you?”

FILMMAKER EVENT: THE FUTURE OF CARE AND CARE WORK: THE REVOLUTIONARY POSSIBILITIES
Following the encore broadcast of the documentary CARE was a timely panel conversation about the future of care and care work in America. The event featured an introduction from the filmmakers – Deirdre Fishel and Tony Heriza – and a discussion with America’s leading voices in the fight for a new care infrastructure: Ai-jen Poo, co-founder of the National Domestic Workers Alliance; Robert Espinoza, Vice President of Policy of PHI National and Sarita Gupta, Director Future of Work at the Ford Foundation. Watch the recording of the event.