Fighting Alzheimer’s
| Every day I pump out articles to a readership I‘m never sure of. In the process, I engage my mind (writing is like sculpting with words) to offset a medical threat–cognitive disease. At almost 80, I’ve had a life dogged with hardships but the last 30 years have been relatively smooth—or at least, manageable. In that vein, I won’t want the music to stop when I get to be the age when life becomes too challenging. Or the mind erodes. Do I have significant reason to worry about that? Yes. My mother suffered dementia in her later years and two brothers have died of Alzheimer’s in the past year. Before that, Dad succumbed to Alzheimer’s, too, and he ended up in a locked ward of a facility in his last year. The years leading up to that were impressively difficult. I recall the haunted, frightened look in his eyes as he wondered about everything, even calling police on one of us (his 4 adult children) whom he thought ‘burgled’ his home. “Sundowner’s” was his nightly visitor, making its appearance earlier in winter months when the days were shorter. During that season, he bolted the house against intruders at 4:00 PM. If Mom had quirky mishaps, Dad’s mental deterioration was frightening. Facilities at the time were ill-prepared for Alzheimer’s and knew nothing about treating it or its patients. One facility refused his continuance for a brief stay when he fell, climbing over the Dutch-door entry to his room (that was an ill-advised construct), in attempts to escape his room. Another resorted to restraining him in a wheelchair, with fabric cords, preventing his endless wandering. He never knew where he was going; he just knew he had to move (restraints are now illegal.) Now, considering health experts predict if one parent has been afflicted with cognitive disease, offspring stand a 1 in 4 chance of being similarly affected, I realize my risks are great. As a result, I write to stave off senility so I can enjoy quality of life going forward…and “quality“ is the operative word. In short, I don’t want to be one of the seniors who are bussed to gambling casinos, handed a little cup of coins (after cashing in my Social Security check), and ushered to my upholstered seat in front of a one-armed bandit where I‘ll pump coins, for the next several hours, hoping for financial nirvana. I don’t want, either, to sit about in some assisted living facility where residents accommodate to a rigid schedule (out of necessity) and revert to cafeteria-style eating (but the trays are brought to us) with assigned seating. Nor do I want to stare into vacated eyes of folks of heavily-medicated folks who’ve lost their zest for life. Life’s too short. I want to remain ambulatory and mentally-alert. When my physical ability deteriorates, I plan on being one of those scaling cliffs of serious mountain ranges, to gaze out from precipitous heights (even if I’ve never shown interest in mountain-climbing before). Because I’ll have inordinate endurance, I’ll hike the Appalachian Trail, trek the ribbon border path rimming the Grand Canyon, and kayak the Colorado River, into my latest years, defying arthritic limitations. I’ll visit Prague, Bangkok, Tibet, those romantic spheres I’ve only read about. How? I’ll fashion “Life as I prefer it“ via tech equipment. You see, I believe virtual reality for seniors will fast outstrip the game offerings now available. Why do I believe this? We Baby Boomers are the largest segment of the population. As we age, we’ll demand products and technology that provide us freedom and mobility. In some cases, the tech mavens will create lives we never had and only wished for. That’s when we’ll see virtual golf games…virtual travel excursions to foreign lands…nay, even virtual romance all played out on one‘s computer. I plan on being in that tech-savvy group, poised to enjoy the ride. What’s this got to do with my writing? Gerontologists recommend activities that keep the mind sharp (crossword puzzles, good literature, etc.). I pump up my mental alertness by learning how to navigate on my computer (and I hate the frustration while I learn) and writing, so I’m ready for the advances the Mark Zuckerburg‘s (Facebook founder) of the world will create.The products are already out. It just necessitates we seniors familiarize ourselves with such, allowing us to use these products. And my #1 priority for my choice of a senior residence facility (should I need)? A great WIFI connection. _______________________ Colleen Kelly Mellor, author of 4 books and articles that appeared in WSJ, Associated Press (AP), World News, is a former feature writer and monthly Op-Ed columnist for the Providence Journal. As a part-time resident of Asheville, NC, her columns appeared in Western North Carolina’s Mountain Xpress. While there, her husband suffered the fatal accident (triage brought him back) which precipitated his Alzheimer’s. ****Colleen’s latest book “Az and Me: A Partner’s Journey with Alzheimer’s” offers tips and suggestions to make life more do-able if one is Caregiver to a loved one with dementia. This book, recommended by three RI Top Docs (they appear in the text), offers short vignettes of her husband’s and her daily life, poetry (Colleen’s) and photos. Humor abounds. It is based on Colleen’s 15 years as Caregiver to her husband. The book is available on Amazon. Colleen guest-speaks on “How to Survive and Even Thrive When Caring for a Loved One with Alzheimer’s” throughout RI, Massachusetts, and Connecticut. Contact her at colleenkellymellor@gmail.com or via her website at colleenkellymellor.com where her book is also available. Or post a comment, too. She enjoys comments of readers.. |
