Teepa Snow comments on Aging Matter- Alzheimer's and dementia.

edwardbarnett

Last night I watched a PBS presentation called Aging Matters- Alzheimer's and dementia. Prominent experts who contributed were Teepa Snow and Dr. G. Allen Power. The program discussed caregiving, facilities, training, living with dementia and more. I had teary moments watching it. Not because I recall my own experience caring for my wife, but because how much we have to do yet in understanding the disease, educating and training direct caregivers, both paid and unpaid (families, that is), providing attractive facilities that accommodate the needs and abilities of the residents, providing meaningful support for caregivers, such as support groups, and available federal, state, county and local programs, removing the stigma of Alzheimer's, educating the public, and understanding and changing the paradigm of what dementia and it's related diseases are. I have resumed one dementia support group and will add 2 more next month at two different care facilities. This program has changed the way I will facilitate my groups. Teepa Snow commented that dementia is “just another way to live life until you die”. It sounds flippant, and “easy for her to say”, but if we could learn about the disease and change the way we think as individuals- that those with dementia have a productive life to live, which they do, and that we can contribute to that- maybe we, too, could consider Alzheimer's as just another way of dying.

The Aging Care forum does offer hope, empathy, advice, and some consolation to those who post their questions, and that's good, but there is so much more to consider. Although researchers are doing their best, it'll be a long time, yet, before we get a clinical breakthrough in treatment or preventative ( I don't consider any of the current drugs, including Aduhelm, as breakthroughs). So meanwhile, we have all these different areas mentioned above that need to be addressed today. The video has been posted to YouTube. Search for “aging matters”.