Senior Issues on the Silver Screen

It’s that time again, and the news sources are all aglow with coverage… no, not the inauguration—the Oscars! This isn’t something we’d normally talk about on an estate planning blog, but one of the top contenders this year is ‘The Curious Case of Benjamin Button’ (receiving 13 nominations in all); a movie about a man who is born old and ages backwards. Although bringing attention to the treatment and concerns of the elderly may not one of the direct purposes of the movie, it has at least been an indirect result.

Jane Gross of The New Old Age Blog was the first to suggest that ‘Benjamin Button’ might have a special significance for those of us with an interest in elder law and senior affairs. Her very moving review of the movie details it from a caretaker’s point of view; commenting on the familiar pattern of the hospital gown, the issue of euthanasia, and the quality of elder care and nursing homes. For one person, at least, the movie hit home in a very personal way, and judging from the comments on the post Gross wasn’t the only one so touched.

If you’ve seen the movie, and were similarly affected, we’d love to hear your comments. Did ‘The Curious Case of Benjamin Button’ give you food for thought?