- Absent Mind explores the elusive line between normal cognitive aging and Dementia. Myrtle lives with her son, John, and daughter-in-law, Kimberly and is growing more and more absent-minded by the day. As Myrtle's actions become more inexplicable, John and Kim struggle to diagnose the severity of her condition. They wonder if Myrtle is merely retaliating against their voiced suspicions or if she is not aware of her behavior. Myrtle's final act could be the clincher.—Emilie Khair
- Myrtle lives with her son, John, and daughter-in-law, Kimberly, because she has fallen behind on her mortgage payments and has lost her home. Their relationship is generally loving, although Myrtle harbors a little resentment over having to leave her home. She bakes cookies and does the grocery shopping but begins to feel like she is constantly under a microscope--that Jon and Kimberly watch her closely for any sign of dementia. Myrtle DOES forget things but like she says, "When I burned cookies in my thirties, nobody ever accused me of losing my mind." John rationalizes his mother's behavior and suggests that the incessant marketing of assisted living is brainwashing them into believing all seniors need care.
Time passes and Myrtle's behavior becomes more bizarre. She pretends to read when, in fact, she has no idea what book she is holding. She watches the TV screen without actually turning it on and accuses them of selling her fur coat even when they assure her that she has never actually owned a fur coat. She pretends to do these things on purpose to see what she can get away with but grows confused by her own actions. John and Kimberly consult with an aging advisor and bring home a checklist to recognize the signs and stages of Alzheimers/dementia. Myrtle's memory deteriorates to the point where she cannot find the bathroom. John and Kimberly watch as she urinates in the hallway. The final scene is one of Myrtle, now in an assisted living facility, again not finding the bathroom. There is a picture on the shelf in her room of a younger Myrtle wrapped in a fur coat.
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