Let's start by knowing what it is about, Alzheimer's is a disease that progressively degenerates areas of the brain and begins causing small memory losses such as forgetting the car keys, and this becomes worse over the years creating in the patient an inverse effect to their age, is like returning to be children and this produces a change of role due to the dependence of the older adult of a caregiver (children who now become the parents of their parents).
This condition goes through several stages: in the first ones they forget names, lose concentration, forget common words and their diagnosis can go unnoticed. In the last and most serious stages the patient can not remember dates, they have problems to take care of themselves, and finally, they cause death.
Some curiosities and interesting facts:
• This disease has no cure.
• It usually occurs in people over 65 years of age.
• Lasts from 8 to 10 years.
• There is a 2% chance that the disease is hereditary.
To prevent Alzheimer's, experts recommend:
• Speak several languages.
• Play musical instruments.
• Read frequently.
• Study a career.
• Have more social activity.
• Challenge yourself with intellectual games such as chess, crosswords, puzzles, sudoku and all kinds of thinking games.
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It can be difficult for the close relatives of a patient with Alzheimer's, to take care of them without feeling a sadness that is lost between that empty look that no longer remembers you and having to be strong to hold that oak tree that held you as a child, help them even though sometimes they won't let you due to fear. Not being able to sit and listen to their voice, those stories that used to repeat over and over again in family meetings. It is not easy, but with a lot of love, support, understanding and above all with the family union, which is so important, we can cope with this difficult and painful situation.
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Do not forget them because even if they do not remember you, if you know everything they did for you since they were children, now it's your turn to give them each of the attentions they had with you since childhood. Yes, because they become vulnerable, somewhat spoiled, they can get lost and they could say things they would not normally say, but, "if their eyes spoke they would surely say that they still know you".
To write this post I was inspired after listening to this beautiful piece by Victor Manuelle titled Algo Le Pasa a Mi Héroe (Something Happens to My Hero) in which I quote a small part here and above in the previous paragraph.
where there are no sorrows or glories,
each step he's taking
is erasing a memory.
I see that the tree of his life
Little by little defoliates
and that oak that was strong
over the years it collapses.
I tell him about us
of the things that we live
that I have the same name
and that I have his last name.
That has given me two brothers
that I am grateful to him
because he has been the best father
That a child can have".
."Remember to always smile for yourself".
