“IRIS”



Many of us will have to care for a loved one during an illness. The frustrations we face, the challenges we endure, the hardships we overcome, are all part of a movie called “Iris.” I recommend you don’t miss this very moving film.

Iris Murdoch was a writer and a lover of all that life had to offer. Unfortunately she was diagnosed with the dementia disease, Alzheimer’s. Today, the facts of life state that too many grandparents and parents will suffer through this illness and therefore this subject is as timely and important as ever.

The suffering faced by a caring husband and friends who try to keep Iris moving forward as her illness progresses, are evident in every scene. We all have witnessed how once vibrant lives can move on a downward spiral of family depression and frustration.

As the lives of the non- afflicted cope, and as the lives of the Alzheimer’s afflicted continue to be reduced, the closeness of the caregiver and family member can be so moving to observe. In the film, one watches in awe as John Bayley, husband of Iris for 43 years, dotes over her every move and valiantly works to honor and protect her days and nights as her Alzheimer’s takes on a stronger role. Dame Judi Dench as Iris and Jim Broadbent as her husband John, are Oscar-deserving not only for their outstanding performances but for the way they accurately portray a caregiving husband and suffering wife. Hopefully, the film succeeds in opening the audience’s eyes for family members who are tempted to drop out and walk away from their loved ones’ caregiving roles.

We strive to hold onto the quality of life that proceeds the decline of an active lifestyle. But as “Iris” shows us, when the ride downhill begins, it’s important to hang on, and when necessary, turn to the help of others who can make things a little more comforting.