E242 Solo Ager Movie: “I Care a Lot”

<p>The Netflix movie, “<a href= "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D40uHmTSPew">I Care a Lot</a>,” shows a nightmare scenario for Solo Agers. It is a dramatization of what could potentially happen to our Solo Ager friends.</p> <p>Below we’ll separate 7 myths from reality in this movie. <strong>Spoiler alert!</strong> If you want to watch the movie first, then save this blog to read after you’ve seen the movie. We’ll be discussing mostly just the first 30 minutes of the movie (the set-up) but we will touch on parts later in the movie.</p> <p>The sole job of the main character, Marla, is to act as a guardian for people who are incapacitated. Elderly Ms. Peterson is deemed to be incompetent, and Marla is appointed to take over her affairs. Marla represents what a bad guardian can look like. Ms. Peterson’s situation shows how brutal it can feel if you are a vulnerable Solo Ager.</p> <h2>1. “Pain in the rear” patients get nudged into system</h2> <p><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-27553" src= "https://anthonyspark.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Pain-in-the-rear-patients-gets-nudged-into-system-300x120.jpg" alt="“Pain in the” rear patients gets nudged into system" width= "300" height="120" /></p> <p>In one scene, Marla talks to the doctor about how Ms. Peterson is a pain in the rear. Marla prefers for Ms. Peterson to get nudged into the system and out of her hands.</p> <p>I would say that yes, this is real. It may not happen as maliciously or overtly as the movie, but doctors, nursing homes, social workers, and courts/guardians are human. We don’t like dealing with people who are a pain.</p> <p>What happens when the doctor, social worker, etc., thinks a patient is a pain? They are more prone to medicate the problem or pass the patient onto the next facility or next guardian.</p> <h2>2. Solo Agers targeted</h2> <p><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-27554" src= "https://anthonyspark.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Solo-Agers-targeted-300x300.jpg" alt="Solo Agers targeted" width="300" height="300" /></p