Director Harry Macqueen’s sophomore film, Supernova (2020), joins the ranks of Away From Her (2007), The Savages (2007), and Still Alice (2015)—films that depict individuals with dementia struggling to maintain their independence and the mental toll the illness takes on not only the patient but also their kin. What makes Supernova distinct from its predecessors, however, is its focus on a gay couple. Tuskar (Stanley Tucci), a man living with early-onset dementia, and his husband, Sam (Colin Firth), struggle to navigate the uncertain terrain that accompanies caring for a loved one with dementia. While on a road trip to revisit their memories together, Tusker tells Sam, “You’re not supposed to [...]

We have had to change the way we do practically everything from attending care conferences, to client meetings, to marketing, and as 2020 comes to a close, I find myself reflecting on the past year working in long-term care planning with both sadness and happiness. The sadness, of course comes from the all of the chaos that the Covid-19 pandemic has caused. Never in my life would I have imagined such a crisis could occur. In March, I remember thinking “This cannot be that bad, right?”, but with each day that passed it became increasingly clear that nothing could be [...]

By Jerold E. Rothkoff Recently, my daughter, age 22, witnessed me writing thank you notes that I usually write on an average weekend. She innocently asked why I write the thank you notes. I have been handwriting thank you notes for over 15 years to clients, their caregiver loved ones, referral sources, and professional friends. I probably write between 8-12 thank you notes each week. I explained to my daughter the importance of showing gratitude. People value being thought of, and a handwritten thank you note shows their gesture was important to you. I admit during the past several months [...]