Bradley Cooper’s ‘Caregiving’ documentary on PBS this June
2-hour documentary chronicles daily experiences of 6 caregivers in US
“Caregiving,” a two-hour documentary film centered on the daily experiences of six family and professional caregivers in the U.S. will premiere on PBS and its media outlets in June.
Executive produced by Bradley Cooper, the documentary is inspired by his own experience caring for his father, who was diagnosed with lung cancer.
The documentary shares the stories of full-time caregivers, including Zulma, a home health aide for Sherril, who has multiple sclerosis.
Award-winning actress Uzo Aduba narrates the film, bringing her own experience as a caregiver for her mother. The documentary is produced by Cooper’s company, Lea Pictures, and public media station WETA Washington, D.C., in partnership with Ark Media.
‘The caregiving experience I had with my father inspired this documentary’
“The caregiving experience I had with my father inspired this documentary,” Cooper, who’s also an actor and director, said in a press release. “During his battle with lung cancer, I came face to face with the overwhelming realities of taking care of a loved one.”
The film also features Matthew, a young father who became caregiver to his wife and son after his wife’s cancer and stroke; Jacob, a 14-year-old who helps his dad care for his mom; and Tracy, a young woman adjusting to caring for her father, who has dementia.
“Making this film has been an inspiring and humbling experience,” said Chris Durrance, the film’s director and senior producer. “Over the past twelve months, the production team and I have traveled throughout the country, spending time with family and professional caregivers of all ages and backgrounds.”
“Caregiving” is part of Well Beings, a campaign launched by WETA in 2020 to address critical health needs through media, events, and outreach. The film will be available to stream on PBS.org and the PBS App starting May 27, and it will premiere on PBS and its YouTube channel on June 24.
The “Caregiving” project also includes 18 short films exploring caregiving experiences, programs, and perspectives at individual, family, and community levels. They have been released since October, and will continue through May, on the Well Beings website and YouTube channel.
Along with five million paid caregivers in the U.S., an estimated 53 million to 105.6 million adults provide unpaid care for family members and friends who are no longer able to care for themselves due to disease or aging. In addition, about 5.4 million children and adolescents in the U.S. are caregivers.
Share experiences using #ShareYourCaregivingStory on social media
Because everyone’s story is unique, Cooper invites all caregivers to join him in sharing experiences using #ShareYourCaregivingStory on social media or through Well Beings.
“We have come to appreciate that every family has a care story and we hope that this film inspires viewers to share their own, building new communities of care that will bring us all closer together,” Durrance said.
For Cooper, “caregivers are heroic people. Their ability to focus and give all of themselves is something I stand in awe of. I came to appreciate how we need to care for caregivers better. It is my hope that Caregiving will provide affirmation and support for those who do this profoundly meaningful and increasingly vital work.”
The film also looks at how the U.S. care system has evolved, highlighting its challenges and the impact of economic crises and war. It traces the roots of social support to Frances Perkins, the U.S. secretary of labor from 1933 to 1945, and the Social Security Act, while revealing current gaps in ongoing reforms.
The film also features experts who provide historical context and critical insight, including Alison Gopnik, PhD, a professor at the University of California, Berkeley; Paul Irving, a senior advisor at the Milken Institute; Premilla Nadasen, PhD, a professor at Barnard College; Ai-jen Poo, executive director of Caring Across Generations; and Steve Schwab, CEO of the Elizabeth Dole Foundation.
“We have witnessed the isolation so many caregivers feel and the struggles they face navigating complex systems of state and federal support,” Durrance said. But “we have also seen the joy and rewards that come with the unique connection that caregivers experience.”
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