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My father had Alzheimer’s!
As it came on, I was in denial. I refused to recognize the changes and left my mother to deal with the burden and danger that my Dad added to her life.
Why do we fear Alzheimer’s?
There isn’t any excuse for me but looking back I think a contributing factor is the misinformation about what we call Alzheimer’s. I’d never paid much attention to dementia or senility. My grandparents were all lucid to the end so I never expected my father to drift away. When I was finally forced to admit that his judgment was impaired, I tried to understand what was going on and deal with the reality that it mights be something I would face myself. It wasn’t pleasant.
What we call Alzheimer’s is nothing but a boogy-man.
The reality is that there is no way to diagnose what we call Alzheimer’s. It may be possible to identify changes in the brain after death to confirm one of the characteristics associated with Alzheimer’s. We associate certain behaviors with Alzheimer’s but without rigor. Other than that calling the loss of brain function Alzheimer’s serves no useful purpose. You can’t diagnose it and you can’t treat it. So how does it differ from the senility we have always associated with aging and what do we gain by calling senility Alzheimer’s other than to make aging even scarier than it already is? The answer is, of course, nothing.
So what can we do about having a healthier attitude about brain aging?
Other than planning my life to allow my family to intercede if my judgment and reason fails, what else can I do to encourage a healthier attitude towards aging? I think a first step is to stop using the term since it has no scientific meaning and promotes panic. Brain aging is something to finesse just like the deterioration of the body. I like to think that like engaging a personal trainer to help me maintain my body’s strength and balance, keeping my mind engaged intellectually and socially may delay mental decline. I don’t know if it will make a difference but it makes me feel better. There is some benefit in that.
A fresh perspective is emerging about Alzheimer’s.
I recently discovered that some of the medical practitioners are beginning to resist the Alzheimer’s story that we have been fed for so long. As part of this attempt to redefine Alzheimer’s, I found this series of videos attacking the Three Myths of Alzheimer’s I recommend that everyone watch those videos and see another perspective on the condition we have been labeling as Alzheimer’s. Knowledge is a better tool to cope with problems than fear and better information about what happens as the brain ages can help form a better response when you experience it in life. Knowledge beats fear every time.
If you have dealt with the senility, I would love to hear your thinking about what we are calling Alzheimer’s. Is the term useful in dealing with the consequences of brain aging?
Both my mother and father were (vaguely) diagnosed with AD. My brothers and I had some challenging times, for sure (both parents are at rest now).
Whatever the diagnosis or terminology, it is still a sad and exhausting condition for all. I too resisted using/accepting the term Alzeimer’s, and in the long run, whatever we called it didn’t really matter.
That experience, for sure, increased my motivation to be in a use-it-don’t-lose-it lifestyle. For a while, i was pretty driven, but have since relaxed and faced my (heredity-based) fears (at least I think I have). We’ll see…….
Banjo Steve,
I don’t think they know whether there is any genetic predisposition to dementia but that may just be ignorance parading as wishful thinking.
Good post on a truly frightening subject.
Hansi’s last Blog Post ..Reptile Dysfunction Redux
Hansi,
It’s just another piece of the aging process. It you can’t control it then why worry. You will just ruin the present.
A much loved uncle of mine suffered from Alzheimers and it was sad to see someone you loved slowly deteriate to the point of not knowing his own family.
A truly awful way to go whatever you want to call it.
Bill
A-U-L, UK
Bill,
It is very sad to watch and devastating to families. And it is just another example of how little we understand aging and health.
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