Thank you so much for the video, I found it very moving. "I'm still here but I'm gone" ... What a moment, having Alzheimer's and at that point still able to get his emotions into that song.
That is a glorious video, and is compiled of clips from the biopic of Glen Campbell called "I'll Be Me", which is an absolutely shattering documentary of his final musical tour after his Alzheimer's diagnosis. It came out only two years after my father's death from Lewy Body Dementia, that cleft chin and smile and tenor reminded me of my dad so much I don't know how much of it I watched that wasn't hazed by tears. Glen was epically brave through it all, and we can only hope to follow that example if any of us have to travel that road.
I worked in geriatric nursing and saw how hard it is for those close to the patient to watch the personality changes that dementia brings. Heart wrenching. It must have been a rough time for you losing your father like this.
From the studies I've seen there are a couple of things that can decrease a person's risk of dementia:
1. Regular exercise, which almost everyone on this site already does.
2. Learn something new. Although a lot of people think that sitting in front of the computer playing games is mentally stimulating, it doesn't really confer any benefit. Our brain loses it's plasticity as we get older and learning something new can decrease your risk, specifically something like learning to play a musical instrument (if you can't already), building canoes, or archery.
It should also be noted that more than one study shows a very strong correlation between hearing loss and dementia, so if the people around you are mumbling you should get your hearing checked.
Thanks, Mike. A wee story, first, with a lighter touch: Twenty years ago, we were living in Pretoria, and one day, I was returning to the house after some errands. I'd taken along a banana to see me through this'n'that, and as I walked through the kitchen door, I tossed the banana skin onto the counter, and the car keys into the compost bin...
I've been blessed with a good memory, but as I near 78 journeys around the sun, it's not so quick & agile as it used to be. (Maybe full of vast quantities of trivia and bad puns?) I've always been a list-maker, and have found that the simple act of writing things down helps me to remember the item(s). This is regularly useful, as, er, I frequently misplace the grocery list. (Especially common in a Canadian winter, when Pocket Management is an irritating fact of daily life...)
A couple of years ago, I heard part of a thoughtful and helpful interview on the CBC, with Lisa Genova. She's a neuroscientist by training, and an accomplished author. She was talking about her book Remember: The science of memory and the art of forgetting. One summary comment she offered has been helpful, as a guide: If you have trouble remembering place names, people's names, and such, that's very common. If you have problems remembering the names of things you use every day, that's a signal to which you should pay attention.
Thankfully, we've not had a lot of dementia in our family, but I have had two friends stricken with Parkinson's, and other who died with Lewy's Body Dementia. These diseases can be so cruel. It's been very hard to visit them, accompany them, and see their world visibly get smaller. One friend, to his great credit, never lost his wry wit. He would remark on the harshness of "the neurological suite". In a related vein, the 2017 documentary "Long Time Running" records the last tour of The Tragically Hip. The lead singer, Gord Downie, was performing despite the brain cancer that would kill him. Magnificent courage, but hard to watch.
I've been managing physical decline for about 15 years now. Strength, endurance, vision, hearing, cold tolerance.
Thanks to all the contributors for enlightening me about the likely next step. ;-)
I've been managing physical decline for about 15 years now. Strength, endurance, vision, hearing, cold tolerance.
Thanks to all the contributors for enlightening me about the likely next step. ;-)
Mike I’ve always relied on packing lists for travel. Remembering which list and where I left the list are problematic, but I muddle through. Thankfully cycle touring journals help.
I have an older friend who has Covid induced dementia … classic Alzheimers… and my dad also suffered from dementia (vascular dementia induced by strokes) in his later years, so I’ve had some recent real world experience in managing a couple of different types of dementia.
That said, I’ve noticed there are age related cognitive changes, including memory, which are distinct from dementia.
For example, I’m finding I take more time to sequence processes. There’s a tendency to dither and become sidetracked. So I need to discipline myself to stay focused. I used to do this automatically.
Rightly or wrongly I’m convinced that cycle touring helps me slow down cognitive decline.
Combined with other exercise, good nutrition, no alcohol and keeping connected with family and friends, bicycle travel is a great way to keep the brain active.
1 month ago