PBS Presents The Future of Alzheimer's with David Hyde Pierce and Encore Broadcast of THE FORGETTING: A Portrait of Alzheimer's
28 Juli 2008 - 9:31PM
PR Newswire (US)
Alzheimer's Special Made Possible by Major Funding from MetLife
Foundation and PBS NEW YORK, July 28 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- PBS
will present a special evening of programming focused on
Alzheimer's disease on Sunday, August 3 starting at 9 p.m. ET
(check local listings). The programming starts with a national
encore broadcast of the Emmy-Award-winning THE FORGETTING: A
Portrait of Alzheimer's, followed by a new half-hour discussion,
The Future of Alzheimer's, moderated by actor and Alzheimer's
champion David Hyde Pierce, which features a panel of medical
experts and scientists discussing the latest developments in
Alzheimer's. Together, the programs approach the subject of
Alzheimer's in a unique manner, balancing the scientific quest to
eradicate Alzheimer's disease with heartfelt, first-hand stories of
families whose lives have been ravaged by it. Produced by Twin
Cities Public Television, and made possible by public television
viewers and PBS, along with major funding from MetLife Foundation,
both will be available in Spanish through the SAP channel. "The
Forgetting can make a real difference in the lives of millions of
people across the country, by providing valuable insights into the
nature of Alzheimer's," said Rob Henrikson, MetLife president,
chairman, and CEO. "This program tackles the Alzheimer's crisis in
a powerful, moving way, and MetLife is proud to support this
important program." The number of people living with Alzheimer's is
quickly rising, and is expected to increase dramatically as the
Baby Boom generation ages. Over five million people in the U.S.
have been diagnosed with Alzheimer's, including one in eight
persons over age 65, meaning that 19 million Americans have a
family member with the disease. The impact on families can be
devastating -- physically, emotionally, and financially -- as
caring for persons with Alzheimer's disease and other dementias is
more demanding and time-consuming than other caregiving, and takes
a heavier toll on work and family life. The financial impact of
caring for someone with Alzheimer's is often huge: nursing homes
average $42,000 a year, and can run $70,000 or more in some areas,
but more than 7 out of 10 people with Alzheimer's disease live at
home, where family and friends provide most of the care, thereby
adversely affecting their earning capacity. Enhancing the
documentary is a comprehensive interactive website that is designed
to serve as a center for resources, support and materials for
Alzheimer's patients, their families and caregivers. For more
information, visit http://www.pbs.org/theforgetting/ after July 29.
MetLife Foundation has supported Alzheimer's disease research and
outreach activities for more than 20 years. The Foundation has
awarded over $11 million in grants through its Awards for Medical
Research in Alzheimer's Disease program, and has also provided
support to the Alzheimer's Association for initiatives including
caregiving videos, resources for the Hispanic community and the
Safe Return identification program. For information about MetLife
Foundation, please visit http://www.metlife.org/. THE FORGETTING:
Portrait of Alzheimer's and THE FUTURE OF ALZHEIMER'S with David
Hyde Pierce are produced by Twin Cities Public Television. The
executive producer is Naomi S. Boak. The producer and director of
THE FORGETTING is Elizabeth Arledge. The producers of THE FUTURE OF
ALZHEIMER'S with David Hyde Pierce are Ron Fried and Lorraine
Kreahling. The documentary is based on the book, The Forgetting:
Alzheimer's: Portrait of an Epidemic by David Shenk. The editor is
Doug Quade, with cinematography by Erich Roland. Original music is
by Mason Daring. Gerald Richman is executive in charge. Contact:
Debra Caruso DJC Communications (212) 907-0051 David Hammarstrom
MetLife Foundation (401) 827-2273 Erin Martin Kane Twin Cities
Public Television (508) 309-3530 DATASOURCE: MetLife Foundation
CONTACT: Debra Caruso, DJC Communications, +1-212-907-0051, ; or
David Hammarstrom, MetLife Foundation, +1-401-827-2273, ; or Erin
Martin Kane, Twin Cities Public Television, +1-508-309-3530, Web
site: http://www.metlife.com/ http://www.pbs.org/theforgetting
Copyright