A few weeks ago, I got to live the dream.  I was invited by a fellow geriatrician to a screening of one of my favorite movies ever.  We even got to meet the cast!

That’s right–we saw Napoleon Dynamite!  

Besides being a hysterical movie, Napoleon Dynamite has some cool lessons about aging.  I will enlighten you on 3 of those lessons here.  

What?  How am I going to turn a discussion about Napoleon Dynamite into a geriatrics post?  WATCH ME!

I’m going to assume many of you have seen the movie–but for those of you who haven’t here is a quick run down.  

Napoleon Dynamite is in high school in a small town in Idaho.  He lives with his 32 year old brother named Kip and his grandmother.  He is insanely and endearingly awkward.  He makes friends with the new kid at school–Pedro, and has a crush on an awkward girl–Deb, who tries to sell him boondoggle keychains while raising money for college.  His grandmother suffers an injury, and asks her son, “Uncle Rico” to come and look after Napoleon and Kip. Uncle Rico is obsessed with “the ’82,” and trying to take State in Football.  Kip is an internet geek, who meets and falls in love with LaFawnDuh online–eventually marrying her.  Napoleon, Pedro, and Deb become friends while Pedro runs for school president.  Napoleon draws ligers, is pretty good with a bowstaff, and dances Pedro into the presidency.  There is more to it–or not really.  If you haven’t seen it, you need to.   

Geriatrics lesson #1 from Napoleon Dynamite:  Older people still have lives.  Those lives may surprise you.  Napoleon’s grandmother goes 4-wheeling in the sand dunes with her boyfriend, and injures herself.  Just because someone is older–don’t count them out for anything.  

Geriatrics lesson #2 from Napoleon Dynamite:  Caregivers generally fall into that role because nobody else will do it.  Uncle Rico doesn’t have to care for the injured older adult.  He has to care for a 32 year old man-boy, and a high-school kid.  He is not happy to be in the role, but steps up anyway.

Geriatrics lesson #3 from Napoleon Dynamite:  Caregivers may not be any more competent or cognitively intact than the person they are caring for.  Again–see Uncle Rico.  He is so obsessed with “the ’82” he has Kip buy him a time machine online.  He truly believes it will work, but the only thing the time machine does is electrocute his private parts.  Napoleon finds it and does the same.  He gets Kip into a pyramid scheme, and knocks Napoleon off his bike with a steak.  

Here’s an extra one for you

Geriatrics lesson #4 from Napoleon Dynamite:  DANCE!!!

Reminds me of another famous dancer…

Keep moving and dancing, y’all!  Until next time from your favorite Fat Geriatrician!