Season 3 Opener Highlights Navajo Traditions, Family Care at Red Rocks Center

A Season 3 opener of the documentary series People Worth Caring About put Navajo cultural traditions and family-centered caregiving in the spotlight at Red Rocks Care Center, and the episode has already generated a visible uptick in community referrals and support.

Filmmaker Peter Murphy Lewis created the eight-part season to highlight the essential work of caregivers, with presentation by the New Mexico Health Care Association. Episode 1, filmed on site and around Gallup, follows admissions director Michelle, activities coordinator Tony, and physical therapist Jewel as they weave Diné language and traditions into daily routines at Red Rocks, Gallup’s largest long-term care facility. Established in 1979, Red Rocks has 102 beds and provides skilled nursing services alongside cultural activities. The facility primarily serves Navajo clients and staff and also includes Hispanics, Zunis, and other pueblos, with approximately 80% of residents identifying as Navajo.

Michelle, who became admissions director in 2018, described how working at Red Rocks has deepened her cultural and linguistic fluency. “It’s definitely brought a broader sense of connecting with my heritage,” she said. “And throughout the years, little by little, I caught on and I’m still learning to this day.” The episode shows how staff members use Navajo for medical explanations and everyday care, helping make clinical information more accessible and preserving language ties between generations.

Activity leader Tony brings language and cultural programming into engagement activities, and staff and residents say his presence shapes daily life at the facility. “I look forward to coming here and spending time with [the patients] because they are our grandparents,” she said. “This is where they belong.” Filipino physical therapist Jewel uses Navajo endearments alongside her own language, drawing parallels between Filipino and Navajo family values. “I feel that I owe it to their families to take care and protect their elderly in the manner that I would provide for my own family back home, too,” Jewel said.

Since the episode premiered on Jan. 16, Red Rocks has reported a notable increase in client referrals from Navajo and other Native communities and stronger community support over the holidays. Residents showed pride and joy when they were featured in the film, and younger Navajo staff members are expanding their language beyond medical terms, creating a generational learning environment that reinforces a family-first model of care.

The episode has also reached younger audiences online through shared clips, and the full series is available to stream from the NMHCA website and other streaming platforms. For McKinley County, the film underscores how culturally grounded care strengthens trust, lifts visibility for local providers, and may encourage more families to consider long-term care close to home as facilities continue to center language and tradition in daily practice.