By Molly Balison and Jodi Peterson-Stigers
For every person aging with dignity, recovering from illness, or living with a disability, there is often a caregiver unseen but essential, quietly holding it all together. Often unpaid and under-supported, caregivers navigate profound responsibility, emotional weight, and financial strain.
On Tuesday, August 26, this hidden world will come into the light during a special community screening of the PBS documentary Caregiving at The Flicks in Boise, hosted by Idaho Public Television. The event promises not only to elevate the voices of caregivers but to spark important conversations about the future of care in Idaho and across the country.
Directed by Bradley Cooper and narrated by Uzo Aduba, Caregiving weaves together powerful stories of Americans who dedicate their lives to caring for others. Cooper’s involvement in the project stems from his personal experience caring for his father during his terminal illness, an act he describes as both transformative and traumatic. His documentary captures the heartbreak, humanity, and resilience of caregivers who shoulder unimaginable burdens with love and grace.
But this isn’t just a film about emotion. It’s a wake-up call.
According to PHI National, the U.S. will need to fill nearly 7.9 million direct care jobs by 2031 to meet demand, yet caregivers remain chronically underpaid, undervalued, and overworked. The median income for a direct-care worker is just $22,000 a year, with high turnover rates and few benefits. And for unpaid caregivers, typically family members, the strain is even greater. It’s estimated that unpaid care contributes more than $600 billion in labor each year to the U.S. economy, yet receives little policy support in return.
While caregiving is often thought of in terms of family, it also takes place in shelters and service organizations. At Interfaith Sanctuary, Boise’s emergency shelter for people experiencing homelessness, caregiving looks like case managers,staff, and volunteers supporting hundreds of guests navigating mental illness, chronic health conditions, and trauma.
For guest and Word on the Street contributor Julie Loomis, the care she received at Interfaith was life-saving.
“Interfaith Sanctuary saved my life,” she shared. “With my mental and physical ailments, I thought, ‘This is the end of me.’ But they gave me hope for the future. They helped me through my mental illness with Project Well Being. There was no judgment, only acceptance. We are people who deserve a second chance. Interfaith Sanctuary will do that.”
Her story echoes the documentary’s message: that care, in all its forms, deserves our recognition, investment, and support.
The screening will begin with networking and resource tables on The Flicks patio at 6:30 p.m., offering guests the chance to connect with local caregiver support services. The film starts at 7:00 p.m., followed by a live panel discussion moderated by Marcia Franklin of Idaho Public Television including panelists; Sheila Weaver, Idaho Caregiver Alliance; Jodi Peterson-Stigers, Executive Director, Interfaith Sanctuary; Sarah Gornik, caregiver, Program Coordinator/Parent Education Coordinator, Idaho Parents Unlimited/Statewide Parent Training and Information Center/Family to Family Health Information Center/Idaho Family Voices/PUL Arts
Each panelist brings a unique perspective, personal, professional, and policy-oriented about the caregiving landscape in Idaho. Together, they’ll explore how caregiving shows up in families, institutions, and shelters, and what it means to truly support those who give so much of themselves to others.
Sarah Gornik’s experience as a caregiver for her son has shaped her the trajectory of her life, career, and perspective. “I want people to understand the need for qualified caregivers and recognize that this is a lucrative and valuable profession,” she said. “We have a major caregiving shortage in Idaho and across the nation and wages are not sustainable for those who are in the profession. Many who are must work more than one full time job just to make ends meet in our state. Myself included, as a single, co-parent, 4th generation Idahoan living in a state I do not want to leave but may soon not have a choice.”
After the discussion, attendees are invited to stay and continue the conversation on The Flicks’ patio for an opportunity to connect, decompress, and build community with fellow caregivers and allies.caregivers, and those who will need caregiving.”
It’s a quote that underscores a universal truth: from birth to death, care touches all our lives.
This event is more than a film screening, it’s an invitation to be part of something bigger. Whether you’re a caregiver now, have been one, or will one day need care yourself, this is a conversation we all belong in.
This event is free and open to the public, but seating is limited. Tickets and info at www.idahoptv.org/events
We hope to see you there!