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U.N. Screening of Caregiving: Generations Highlights Carter Family’s Activism
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Josh Carter, the grandson of former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, is featured in Caregiving: Generations, discussing the deep personal connection his family has to caregiving (film updated with new statistics on 1/9/2025)
By Wes Kilgore, Well Beings
“There are only four kinds of people in the world. Those who have been caregivers, those who currently are caregivers, those who will be caregivers and those who will need caregiving. That’s all of us.”
– Rosalynn Carter
Well Beings premiered Caregiving: Generations — an original digital short film that’s part of a larger project featuring the upcoming two-hour documentary Caregiving (set to premiere on PBS in Spring 2025) — at the 34th United Nations International Day of Older Persons on October 7, 2024. The event, themed “Ageing with Dignity: The Importance of Strengthening Care and Support Systems for Older Persons Worldwide,” provided a fitting platform to showcase the film, which delves into the challenges faced by caregivers across generations.
Tom Chiodo, Executive Producer of Special Projects at WETA Washington, D.C., the creators of Well Beings, introduced the film, highlighting the importance of addressing caregiving within the broader context of supporting older persons and reinforcing the need for stronger systems of care. The screening served as a focal point for discussions on aging, dignity, and the unseen labor of caregiving, underscoring the event’s message of inclusivity and support for those involved in caring for the elderly.
In Caregiving: Generations, Josh Carter, the fourth grandchild of United States President Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter and spokesman for the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers, opened up about the emotional and practical challenges of caregiving. Reflecting on his first caregiving experience, Josh recalled caring for his maternal grandmother, Dorothy Davis, who suffered a stroke when he was just starting high school. “Caregiving became a full-time responsibility for the whole family. The toll it took on us was real,” he told PEOPLE, noting how difficult and isolating the experience can be.
Years later, Josh faced another caregiving challenge when his youngest son, Jonathan, was diagnosed with a rare intestinal disorder as an infant. “Every single day was consumed with Jonathan’s care,” Josh shared, acknowledging the impact it had on his older son, Charlie. “Charlie’s going through what I went through… learning that caregiving is a necessary part of a loving family.”
Josh also reflected on his grandmother Rosalynn’s decades-long advocacy for caregivers, which he had not fully appreciated until dealing with his own caregiving crises. Rosalynn’s legacy, including the founding of the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers, continues to shine a light on the often-invisible struggles of caregivers.
Learn more about Caregiving, premiering on PBS and wellbeings.org in 2025.
Caregiving is a production of Lea Pictures and WETA Washington, D.C., in association with Ark media. Chris Durrance serves as Director for Ark media. Barak Goodman is Series Producer, Chris Durrance is Senior Producer and Ruth Fertig is Producer for Ark media. Executive Producers for Lea Pictures are Bradley Cooper and Weston Middleton. Executive Producers for WETA are John F. Wilson and Tom Chiodo. Producer for WETA is Kate Kelly. Production is managed for WETA by Jim Corbley.
Support for Caregiving Provided By
Outreach and Engagement Partners for Caregiving
Support Provided By
Support for Caregiving is made possible by Otsuka America Pharmaceutical Inc.; OneAmerica Financial Foundation; Comfort Keepers; CareScout Holdings, Inc.; Cherish Health Inc. dba Cherish; Care.com; Evelyn Y. Davis Foundation; Richard King Mellon Foundation; The Arthur Vining Davis Foundations; Ford Foundation; Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation; NextFifty Initiative (Next50); National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI); PATH Foundation; Care for All with Respect and Equity (CARE) Fund; The John A. Hartford Foundation; and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
Outreach and Engagement Partners
National outreach and engagement partners for Caregiving include Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers; Grantmakers In Aging; Milken Institute | Future of Aging; Global Coalition on Aging; Elizabeth Dole Foundation; National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation; National Minority Health Association; Fred Rogers Productions; Caregiver Action Network; The Coalition to Transform Advanced Care; American Association of Caregiving Youth; Caring Across Generations; SHRM and SHRM Foundation; National Alliance for Caregiving; Lutheran Services in America; Center to Advance Palliative Care; PEOPLE; and Forbes.com.
Caregiving is a Production Of
Lea Pictures and WETA Washington, D.C., in association with Ark Media. For Ark Media, Chris Durrance serves as Director and Senior Producer; Barak Goodman is Series Producer; and Ruth Fertig is Producer. Executive Producers for Lea Pictures are Bradley Cooper and Weston Middleton. Executive Producers for WETA are John F. Wilson and Tom Chiodo. Producer for WETA is Kate Kelly. Production is managed for WETA by Jim Corbley. Consulting Producer is Paul Irving.
