Louie Louie: A Portrait in Parkinson’s
A story of a man's courageous determination to retain his independence while fighting Parkinsons disease. And a loving family's efforts to weather crisis after crisis as they watch the one they love robbed of his ability to care for himself.
One family’s very personal story of their father’s 33-year battle with Parkinson’s disease, and their long struggle to at first come to terms with him and then with one another.
It’s a story of a man’s courageous and stubborn determination to retain his independence even to the very end, and a loving family’s efforts to weather crisis after crisis as they watch the one they love slowly robbed of his ability to care for himself by this debilitating disease.
Time: 29 minutes
Target audience for the film:
- For everyone who has a close family member who needs caregiving.
- Schools and professionals : Nurses, home care professionals, social workers, psychologists, gerontologists.
Discussion guide
Louie, Louie, a portrait of a man living with Parkinson’s disease, provides an extremely insightful look into the physical and psychosocial challenges of this illness and the human will to survive. The story of Louis Salzman honors both the uniqueness and determination of a man living with Parkinson’s disease while he reshapes his life and relationships with his family.
For health care professionals, a dialogue of the movie can evoke an awakening of what is really significant to those living with chronic illnesses and how people live what is important to them. A scholarly dialogue of this film can assist health care professionals; nursing students, medical students, social workers and others to enhance their understanding of our responsibility to preserve the dignity of the person no matter what the diagnosis.
In addition, Louis’ story augments our knowledge of the coping skills individuals develop in the face of catastrophic events. Finally, the movie is an obvious portrayal that individuals do not live infirmity in isolation but share both the opportunities and constraints in their journey with those close to them. Hopefully, the following suggested discussion questions will serve as a guide to stimulate dialogue regarding the human aspect of living with a chronic illness and related disability.
– Dr. Dolores Huffman, R.N., PhD
Associate Professor of Nursing Purdue University - Calumet
