It's never too early to recognize the signs of Alzheimer's
My mother died from Alzheimer’s disease. So did my grandmother. That does not make me unusual. Everybody in America has a mother, an uncle, a grandparent, a friend’s parent who has died or will die from Alzheimer’s. Everybody has somebody.
My story is typical in another way. In our family, there was some denial. We reflexively disregard the small signs, then the slightly larger ones. We want to keep the people we love as they were. We don’t want to acknowledge that irreparable damage may be taking place.
Often, that’s our biggest mistake. During this holiday season, it’s important for us to look around at our families, friends and loved ones to watch for signs. When you see those signs – don’t dismiss them. This is how we can help them most.
There are things that can be done for most health conditions – if we start early. We can help our loved ones enormously by getting them to see their providers, and by simply encouraging them to be active physically and mentally. And there are actions we can all take even before we see any signs at all.
Maintaining brain health and maintaining heart health are surprisingly similar. Keys to both include diet and exercise – research shows that increased exercise prompts the release of a protein called brain-derived neurotrophic factor that repairs the brain at the molecular level. This is particularly important as we age, yet it’s when many people stop exercising. Charles DeCarli and his team at the UC Davis Alzheimer’s Disease Center have published data that shows even modest exercise – something as simple as walking 10-20 minutes daily – can improve brain health at all ages.
Developing a life of learning is a close second to exercise in importance. Learning languages, taking up new hobbies, trying creative activities, engaging socially and looking for other new experiences have been shown to have strong positive impacts on brain health. It’s more than repeatedly playing a brain game, it’s playing new games. The crucial factor that prompts the brain repair protein seems to be continued new learning and putting your brain into a learning mode that requires a bit of mental work.
Early diagnosis can also help health providers give patients and their families tools for managing their lives. Those range from something as simple as the use of daily calendars to engaging advanced technology – resembling Siri or Alexa – to manage environments or remind people of their routines and medications.
Just as importantly, early diagnosis helps us make patients and their families aware of their conditions and can ease some of the denial. For my family, it would have been wonderful to have known we could have helped by simply getting our loved ones to get out and walk.
We still have a long fight ahead with Alzheimer’s and dementia. But not long ago, we couldn’t go to the moon, we couldn’t stop cancer and we had no weapons to control AIDS. There is no reason we cannot make the same progress with Alzheimer’s Disease. This is a fight we can all join in, even if it means taking steps so simple as encouraging brain health and watching out for the people we love.
RN-MSN/MBA/MPH, Healthcare Industry Expert, Strategic Partnerships, Leadership/Lifestyle Coaching #health #wellness #leadership #photographer
5yThank you for sharing - my mother has early stage Alzheimers
Strategic healthcare leader driving market growth and clinical innovation
5yDr L, greetings from the East Coast. Your article was intimate, touching and thought provoking. Thanks for taking the time to raise the awareness with your followers. Hope that all’s well and that you have a great holiday season and even greater 2020 !
General Manager | Director | Pharma | Medical Device | Biotech | Sales | Marketing | Business Development
5yThank you for sharing this important and very personal message David.