Take Me Home
7/15/2024 | 15m 58sVideo has Closed Captions
A adult with a cognitive disability calls on the help of her sister.
Anna is an adult with a cognitive disability living with her mother in Midland Florida. When her mother is unresponsive, she calls her sister for help, but without the language to be believed, Anna is brushed aside. Emily returns home and is immediately engulfed in a futile struggle for medical information, while Anna’s world is deconstructed.
Presented by The Center for Asian American Media
Take Me Home
7/15/2024 | 15m 58sVideo has Closed Captions
Anna is an adult with a cognitive disability living with her mother in Midland Florida. When her mother is unresponsive, she calls her sister for help, but without the language to be believed, Anna is brushed aside. Emily returns home and is immediately engulfed in a futile struggle for medical information, while Anna’s world is deconstructed.
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Providing Support for PBS.org
Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorship(gentle guitar music) (cars whirring) (vocalist humming) (phone ringing) (water splashing) Anna: Gross.
Ah!
Pick up your phone, Em.
(water bubbling) Oh!
(phone ringing) It's Emily, leave a message (indistinct)- (sighs) Emily, pick up your... Mm.
(microwave beeping) (microwave whirring) Whoa!
Whoa!
That's definitely not good.
(microwave buzzing) (Anna panting) Ow!
Mm!
(phone ringing) Shoot!
Emily: Hey, Anna.
Yeah?
Hey, what is it, Anna?
I'm at work.
You know, remember, I work?
Yeah, I know, um, oh boy.
(mumbles) What?
She has a, a problem.
Is that what mom said?
Yeah.
You should tell her to call me.
You know, you're not her messenger.
Um, um, she's- Okay, Anna, like, I know, you know I love you.
Okay.
But I work during the days and in New York, okay?
So you can't just call anytime.
And I, and like, I, I don't wanna lose my job, right?
Okay?
Yeah, I know.
So just make sure that it's important when you call me, okay, Anna?
I have to go, okay?
Okay, bye.
Love you, bye.
Love you too.
(scoffs) Whatever, Em.
(gentle guitar music) (phone ringing) What is it, Anna?
I'm scared.
Why?
Please come home because- Anna, I'm at, I'm in New York.
My mom is not moving.
What?
Mom's not moving?
Yes.
Is she taking a nap?
Mom is not moving.
She's not awake.
How long has she been sleeping, Anna?
Um, 20, 20 years, I mean- What?
Do you mean hours?
I know something's wrong.
Anna, Anna, let me talk to Mom.
I'm really scared.
Mom!
Mom, Mom!
Mom!
(gentle guitar music) (vocalist humming) ♪ To take me home ♪ (gentle guitar music) Hey!
(gentle guitar music) (car whirring) (gentle guitar music) Health administrator: Since I've been assigned to her case, she's technically ward of the state until you finish the guardianship paperwork.
Can Anna live on her own?
Can she make her own decisions?
We like to have people self-direct.
Um, do you know what Anna wants to do with her future?
We are here to help.
I know that this is a lot to handle right now.
You know, she never let me know that it got this bad.
(microwave buzzing) **** Emily, don't say that.
I assume she has disability or- Just don't.
Or social security?
Okay?
(gentle guitar music) (water splashing) Do you know where the drawer is that your mom keeps your important paperwork?
Um, I think so, but I don't know about that.
I need to ask my mom about it.
(gentle guitar music) But she's having a, like, a regular problem, you know?
And she, she cannot move, or if she moved, my sister, Emily, like, doing it for me, and I really like her to do it.
You know, stuff like that.
I don't know about it.
(gentle guitar music) I took one tablet, um, about every- Thank you for your patience.
All our representatives are with other customers.
Oh, oops.
It's fine.
Okay.
It's junk, anyway.
All right.
Okay, so you take this?
Yes.
This one?
Yeah, I take this one too.
You take that at one too?
Yeah.
This one?
This, you take this much every single day?
Yeah.
Are you sure?
Yes.
There, Anna, you're not sure.
This, these two are the exact same thing, and this one's expired.
Half of these are expired, Anna.
There's no way that you take all of these.
Medical representative: Thank you for holding.
Yes, hello, hello?
Can I get your social security number, please?
Wait, um, I'm calling on behalf of my sister.
Okay, is she over the age of 18?
Yes, yes, she is, but I just- I'm sorry, I'm unable to release any of her personal information.
I just need to know the medication that she's taking 'cause right now I've got it all, but I just don't know which ones she's currently on.
Don't you have legal power of attorney to make medical decisions for her?
I know, you've already said that.
I know about the paperwork that I have to fill.
I, I'm sorry that, you know, due to HIPAA violations, I, you know, unless you have, have that notarized- I'm sorry, wait, hold on, sorry.
What?
I have it.
What do you have?
That's really pretty.
That's cool, you can keep that.
Okay.
Excuse me, ma'am?
Yeah, I'm here, I'm here.
I wish there was more I could do.
I told, I told you, Anna- I'm sorry.
Is that, do you wanna keep that?
Yeah.
Okay, you can keep that.
Okay.
I'm still here, I'm still here, so- Um, that, that is the process.
I understand, but that's gonna take a week.
Yeah, until that is taken care of- There's, there's no one I can call?
Then there's really not much else- Right, yeah, yeah.
I'll be able to help you with.
You can't do anything else.
That's great, okay.
Well, thank you very much for nothing, good bye.
Are, are you okay?
Does it look like I'm okay?
No.
Yeah.
(gentle guitar music) ♪ If I could hold her... time... ♪ (gentle guitar music) Mm, I'm okay.
(gentle guitar music) (box thuds) (gentle guitar music) Anna, what are you doing?
I'm taking them, taking, I'm taking all of these.
Why?
Because they are my stuff.
I'm keeping all of them.
It's trash, come here.
Work with me here, Anna.
One thing, just pick one thing that you can keep, okay?
Wait, Anna!
Everything's mine.
Anna, come on, I'll let you- Everything's important!
These are my stuff.
I wanna get Mom's stuff.
Anna, you have to get rid of some of it, come on.
Where's Mom's stuff?
What?
Anna!
This is my mom's stuff!
She doesn't need it.
Let go!
Anna, I'm getting rid of it, Anna.
No!
Get out of here.
I don't like you.
You don't mean that.
Yes, I mean that.
Get your own house!
Let go!
I'm sick of you!
Fine!
(feet stomping) (door slams) (hand knocking) Em?
Em?
Are you mad at me?
Are you mad at me, Em?
You're my big sister, Em.
Here, for you.
This is Mom's.
This is being Mom's.
I know, but she liked to share.
I know.
Now you and mom can be the same.
How long will we be sisters for?
Hm, forever.
How about Mom?
Just be careful, Mom.
Don't put soap in my eyes, Mom.
Mom: I'm trying, I'm trying, I'm trying.
Keep your eyes closed.
Okay.
(gentle guitar music) (water splashing) (feet stomping) (paper rustling) My, um, bag and my pouch.
I got them and here's... my mom gave me.
(paper rustling) Where did you get this?
In my, um... um...
It's been in here?
Yeah.
This whole time?
Yes.
(Emily laughs) I'm gonna show you.
I mean, I did show you.
You did.
Yeah.
You did show me.
Yeah.
(gentle guitar music) Yes, Mom.
(gentle guitar music) I love you, Mom.
(gentle guitar music) Thanks for doing my hair, Mom.
(gentle guitar music) (children laughing) I'm scared, I'm scared.
It's okay, okay.
I want to be here with you for a while.
Is that okay?
Yeah.
Mm-hm.
Yeah.
I'm gonna get my own place.
(neighbors chattering faintly) (vocalist humming) (gentle guitar music) ♪ If I could... ♪ (vocalist humming) (gentle guitar music) (vocalist humming) (fireworks popping) (vocalist humming) (gentle guitar music) (vocalist humming) ♪ Home far away ♪ (vocalist humming) (gentle music) ♪ Take me home ♪
Presented by The Center for Asian American Media