Long Goodbye, The (ATOM Study Guide)

Every week 1300 more Australians are diagnosed with dementia and the numbers continue to escalate in line with our ageing population. There are currently 245 000 Australians living with dementia and it's estimated that there will be over 1.13 million by 2050. Raised in the unparalleled optimism and prosperity of the '50s and '60s, the baby boomers are accustomed to controlling their own destiny. As the dementia epidemic looms it is unknown whether science will save them this time.

The Long Goodbye follows the journeys of three families living with dementia as they struggle to maintain the identity and dignity of those they love. Filmed over a three-year period, the documentary celebrates the capacity of the human spirit to search for meaning and hope when the end is known and inescapable.

Curriculum Relevance

The Long Goodbye would be an excellent film to show to middle, senior and tertiary students across a number of subject areas including Health and Personal Development, Community Services Studies including Studies of Ageing and Family Studies. For students interested in working in Geriatric Services and undertaking certificates in Personal Care and/or Aged Care, this film has much to offer and explore through discussion of some of the issues raised.

For Media and Film Studies students this is a fine example of a sensitively made documentary that shows people at their most vulnerable while retaining a respectful distance and respect for their dignity and need for privacy. While these are stories of individual families, there are some factors common to all people living with, understanding and learning to cope with, the challenges and sense of loss engendered by this illness in all these situations. The film raises the issue of how as a society and as individuals and family members we can best serve and care for an ageing population. What is the most appropriate form of care for both individuals with forms of dementia and for those who love them? How do we know when we can no longer manage the family member at home?