Caregivers Steal the Spotlight in Thought-Provoking Documentary

By R. Gabriel Villalobos

When documentary filmmaker Peter Murphy Lewis arrived in Carlsbad to film episodes of his docuseries People Worth Caring About, he expected another day on the job. What he found instead were stories so powerful they reshaped his understanding of long-term care entirely.

“I’ve filmed 27 episodes across four states, but the two in Carlsbad rewrote the script,” Lewis said, reflecting on his time at Lakeview Christian Home and CARC, Inc. “These aren’t just facilities—they’re families.”

An Unlikely Path to Caregiving Stories

Lewis’ journey began 10 years ago in Chile, where he hosted a Dirty Jobs-style show celebrating blue-collar workers. But it was a 2022 keynote speech in Nebraska that sparked his U.S. caregiving project.

“I realized if we showed the passion of caregivers through the same lens we use for ‘cool’ jobs, we could change perceptions,” he explained.

The Nebraska-based pilot in 2024 exceeded expectations, leading to seasons in Ohio and New Mexico, with Carlsbad’s facilities standing out during May 2025 filming. “New Mexico’s diversity—rural, urban, Indigenous, bilingual communities—made it unique,” Lewis noted. “But Carlsbad’s warmth was something special.”

Lakeview Christian Home: Where First Impressions Lie

From the outside, Lakeview’s converted hospital building seems unremarkable. But Lewis discovered what locals already know: appearances deceive.

“Within an hour of bowling with residents and meeting Jodi—a caregiver with 51 years of service—I realized this place defies stereotypes,” Lewis said. The intergenerational bonds stunned him: CEO Jodi’s mother lives there, new caregivers train alongside veterans, and short-term rehab patients often leave as advocates.

One moment crystallized the experience. “A resident whispered to me, ‘This is my home,’ while gripping her caregiver’s hand,” Lewis recalled. “That’s when I understood: Lakeview’s magic isn’t in the walls. It’s in the people who’ve turned it into a community.

“Families see this love every day,” Harris said. “Now the world will too.”

CARC, Inc.: Redefining Independence

At CARC’s sprawling 40-acre campus, Lewis found another revelation. Adults with disabilities tend pecan orchards, operate a nursery, and even supply flowers to local businesses—all while living in cozy, 1970s-style cottages.

“I’ve never seen anything like it in the U.S.,” Lewis admitted. His favorite moment came when a nonverbal resident in a wheelchair handed him a handwritten joke after minutes of laborious writing. “His timing was perfect. That joy—that pride—is something CARC cultivates.”

Executive Director Mark Schinnerer credits their model to Carlsbad’s ethos. “We’re not a facility; we’re a hometown,” he said in the documentary. “Every client contributes, and that changes everything.”

The Bigger Picture: A National Conversation

Lewis’ project arrives amid a critical shortage of caregivers nationwide. With 1.2 million more workers needed by 2030, changing perceptions is urgent.

“Sixty percent of Americans view long-term care negatively, but half have never set foot in a facility,” Lewis said, citing industry data. His approach—showing unfiltered moments like food spills during meals alongside tearful reunions—aims to bridge that gap. “Real life isn’t polished. When we show both struggles and triumphs, people believe it.”

The strategy works. After Nebraska’s season aired on Roku and Samsung TV this spring, applications at featured facilities spiked 30%. New Mexico’s season, shot in Netflix-ready 4K, could reach even further when it premieres August 22 at Albuquerque’s Eldercare Innovation Summit.

Why Carlsbad Matters

For Lewis, Carlsbad’s stories exemplify the series’ mission. “Most documentaries focus on urban centers,” he said. “But places like Lakeview and CARC prove rural communities are writing the playbook on compassionate care.”

As editing wraps, one memory lingers: the laughter of CARC clients planting flowers for local businesses. “Those flowers bloom all over town now,” Lewis mused. “Pretty fitting metaphor for what these caregivers do—plant seeds of change where you least expect them.”