Directed by Sarah Polley and starring Julie Christy and Gordan Pinset the 2006 Canadian independent film drama “Away from Her” centres around a married couple living through the terrible sadness of the Husband trying to survive when his wife succumbs to Alzheimer’s. The retired couple featured in this tragic film are Grant and Fiona and as her memory fades and the Alzheimer’s takes hold Fiona checks herself into a Nursing Home, similar to a Care Home Taunton or other Residential facility.
The facility that Fiona moves to has a no visitor policy for the first thirty days and after a lot of persuading Grant agrees to abide by the rule and only goes to visit his wife after the agreed time. Unfortunately, and tragically Fiona has already forgotten him and has become attached to a mute male patient in a wheelchair called Aubrey. Grant continues to visit his wife in the Home hoping she will remember him but when Aubrey’s wife removes him from the Home Fiona becomes deeply depressed. Grant longs to see his deteriorating wife be happy again and he goes to visit Marian, Aubrey’s wife to persuade her to allow her husband to go back to the home.
When Aubrey returns to the Care Home and Grant is about to take Fiona into see him, she temporarily remembers her husband, the love they shared, the married life they had enjoyed and they enjoy one last fond embrace.