As an Elder Lawyer, I frequently witness the effects of Alzheimer’s. I’ve had an opportunity to attend educational
sessions sponsored by the Delaware Valley Chapter of Alzheimer’s Association,
by local universities and hospice agencies. I completed a six week online course sponsored
by Johns Hopkins University in Maryland, and I am currently taking another six
week course offered by University of Tasmania in Australia. I accompany my
spouse, a gerontological nurse practitioner, at the annual meeting of her
professional association, where I have an opportunity to audit some of the
sessions and learn about new drugs and research projects associated with
Alzheimer’s.
I’ve come to learn about the functions of the five lobes of
a healthy brain, how they, and the hippocampus, are affected by Alzheimer’s. I learned all about nerve cells including their
dendrites, axons, synapses, myelin sheaths. I’ve learned about amyloid
plaques, Tau proteins, neurofibrillary tangles, and other components associated
with the disease. I know about the
Pittsburgh Project and how they finally found a chemical solution that will
help safely locate amyloid deposits in the human brain, but still are a few
years away from product development. I
know about the drugs in use, the cost of those drugs, and their effectiveness.
I would love to share
some of what I have learned:
1. Studies have demonstrated that stimulating mental
activity, seems to provide some protection from the disease.The mental activity must be challenging,
however, so cooking your favorite pot roast for the 100th time will
not count. Learning to speak a new language, to play a new musical instrument, new
skills, card games, mentally challenging games, attending school or holding
a job, do help.
2. Physical activity also provides some protection from the
disease. When you consider the fact that our brain activity consumes up to 20%
of our caloric intake, you can understand why it is important to get a good supply
of oxygen and nutrients to the brain through the blood vessels. Exercise helps promote
good circulation.
3. It is true that memory gets slower with age. Part of that
is because you must process more experiences when confronted with a task. Some
call that “wisdom.” Hence, a twenty year old may arrive at a quicker solution to a
problem, but because they have less accumulated information during their
lifetime, the solution is more apt to be incorrect. That does not mean that you
go brain dead as you age, it just means that it takes a second or two longer to
process information. That may be important if you are driving, but will not
affect your performance at most office jobs or other activities.
4. It’s okay to forget. “Senior Moments” are perfectly
normal. So you may forget where you left your keys, or forget where you parked
your car, or where you left your cell phone, and that’s okay. Only if you
completely forget how to start your car, or how to use your cell phone, should
you have serious concerns.
So, keep learning and stay active. It is not
a 100% guarantee but it moves the odds in your favor. Another thing you might consider doing is help fund
research. I expect to attend the 2014 Walk to End Alzheimer's next November 9,
2014, in Philadelphia, and you can sign on as one of my supporters any time
before the walk.
Bob Gasparro
