Meet Susie Singer Carter

 

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Susie Singer Carter. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Susie, really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?

I am a proud mother, daughter, filmmaker, and Caregiver/Alzheimer’s advocate.

My goal as a filmmaker has always been to transcend mere storytelling. Through my lens, I weave narratives that challenge stereotypes, celebrate diversity, and foster empathy. Each frame is a testament to the richness of human experience, highlighting the strength and resilience of individuals often marginalized by society’s narrow standards.

My characters defy expectations by embodying the full spectrum of age and ability. They’re not defined by limitations but empowered by their unique perspectives and stories. Whether it’s a coming-of-age tale of a teenager with a disability finding their voice, like the character Dylan that I wrote in the feature film BRATZ, who learned to be a badass DJ despite being deaf, or a joyous look at the abilities still available to a person living with Alzheimer’s.

After caregiving for mother who lived with Alzheimer’s for 16 years, my purpose became crystal clear. I’m on a mission to dismantle ageism and ableism from the collective consciousness. My quest was the catalyst for my Oscar qualified film, My Mom and The Girl, starring Valerie Harper who beautifully portrayed my mother. Despite battling cancer, Valerie felt compelled to do the film and I am forever grateful as it was her last performance. Stories like these serve as a mirror by reflecting the beauty and complexity of the human condition, hope, and love.

My passion drives me to collaborate with actors, like Valerie, writers, and crew members who share my commitment to inclusivity and authenticity. Together, we create cinematic masterpieces that resonate deeply with audiences, sparking conversations and igniting change. With every project, I inch closer to my vision of a world where age and ability are celebrated, not stigmatized—a world where everyone’s story is seen, heard, and valued.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

For the past two years, I have been working on a documentary that I wrote and directed called No Country for Old People. The film pulls the curtain back on the nursing home/long-term care industry to reveal a systemic crisis that has been enabled by the nation’s pervasive ageism and ableism. The nursing home industry’s decades-long business model is ruled by a profit over people business model where neglect, pain and suffering have sadly become the industry standard of care. No Country for Old People is a cautionary tale and a powerful call to action for a #PeopleOverProfitMovement.

The film chronicles the last harrowing 6 months of my mother’s life in a 5-star nursing home in Los Angeles in 2022 and features over 70 testimonials from caregivers, residents, and frontline providers, as well as interviews from the most respected experts on Medicare, Medicaid, Hospice, Federal Policy, The Lobby, Elder Abuse Law, and Long Term Care (the latter provided by our fiscal sponsor, the National Consumer Voice for Quality Long Term Care), as a means to address these four questions:

What happens?
How does it happen?
Why does it happen?
How do we fix it?

My co-producer, Rick Mountcastle, is the recently retired U.S.Attorney who Federally prosecuted Purdue Pharma and the Sackler Family for marketing Oxycontin (as portrayed by Peter Sarsgaard in the Hulu miniseries “DOPESICK”). Rick also spent over 20 years prosecuting healthcare companies and executives who capitalized on vulnerable patients for profit, but never saw any significant change. Rick brings his passion and expertise to change a system that allows such exploitation to this project.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

As a filmmaker, I think the three most powerful tools in your arsenal are passion, vision, and resilience. When you love what you do, it isn’t work… it is purpose. When you have a strong vision, you can collaborate without losing your purpose. That is key. Your vision is the reason you are hired. Resilience is essential. A few examples would be: viewing challenges as opportunities to learn, focusing on the things you can control instead of dwelling on what you cannot change, and expressing feelings in appropriate ways. The latter can be difficult until you separate who you are from what you do.

One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?

My current project, No Country for Old People, is more than a movie…it’s a movement. Our goal is to educate the public and activate a collective conscious shift that results in real change. We want to transform cultural norms and narratives about aging, disability, and care by creating a powerful coalition across the millions of us who are touched or will be touched by long-term care. This movement unites individuals from all walks of life, rallying together to advocate for Long-Term Residents, Caregivers’ rights and Frontline Providers.

You can take a stand for change by participating in the People Over People Movement. Join us as we march towards a future where people are valued, respected, and provided with the resources they need to thrive. Your participation can make a significant impact, amplifying our collective voice and paving the way for positive transformation. You can sign up on our website http://nocountryforoldpeople.com.

You can also support #NoCountryforOldPeople by helping us to complete post production with your tax deductible contribution through National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care. http://act.theconsumervoice.org/documentary
More Empathy. Less Greed. More Respect.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Donald Priess

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