Sandy Supposes....

Dementia/Alzheimer's

PROMPT: The Sunday News! A new smartphone video game app has been developed that scientists say will be able to diagnose cases of Dementia and Alzheimer's. What do you think about this? Would you want to know this about yourself or a loved one, even if the research hasn't proven yet to be effective?

         Okay, I read the highlighted link, and this is what I've learned. Sea Hero Quest is a new mobile game meant to help neuroscientists develop a test for dementia. Players set sail and search for precious artifacts in the form of memories that are collected at different worldwide locations. This tests spatial navigation abilities which are one of the first skills lost at the onset of dementia. The game will accumulate data for the eventual/possible diagnostic of dementia. Scientists are curious as to how people get lost. Not enough is known about how people navigate.

         Well, I'd have to be pretty bored, and or losing my faculties to ever play this game; I've never been a fan of video games. The entire idea is noble enough. Yes, dementia is a terrible burden. I've witnessed Alzheimer's first hand, and it's devastating. People become shells/shadows of themselves, and they forget their learned skills, their memories, their bonds, and their relationships. Yes, to want to someday prevent dementia is a laudable cause, but there are so many variables re the root causes. There seems to be a familial link for early onset Alzheimer's. One family from Northern Ontario, Canada traces it through their maternal bloodlines. Not all dementias seem to have a specific cause, so how can they be prevented? Heredity, health, and environment are all contributing factors. Health and environment don't always remain static.

         This same link that described the research game also stated that dementia is "potentially preventable in one-third of cases". The main word here is 'potentially'. Anything can/may be potential; there are no guarantees. The human mind is very complex.

         The drugs currently prescribed for dementias are also potentials. Each person reacts uniquely to them. Long term drug use is not always healthy either; side affects create their own issues.

         I suppose if I was in the position/circumstances to consider a definitive diagnosis and or treatment with dementia drugs, I'd reconsider. It's much like a cancer diagnosis and treatment. I'd have to research and weigh the facts. At the moment, dementias are not preventable;( accept for temporary dementias caused by drug reactions and short-term treatable illnesses and conditions), at least not completely. I wouldn't want to be tested for the possibility of developing Alzheimer's or any dementia. It is just a possibility, not a certainty. There are many what ifs with illnesses. Any illness is a possibility, and my knowing about it will not prevent it. Why should I live with the fear? How would I prepare myself?

         One of my homecare clients developed Alzheimer's. There was no family history of it. It just appeared seemingly out of the blue. This woman had been a single mother raising her son with proceeds from her own successful business. At the age of 55, she sold her business and moved to another city in another province to attend university full time. After a four year period she graduated with honours, and moved back to her home town. Within a year, Alzheimer's struck, and it progressed quickly. Those who say that an un-exercised brain develops Alzheimer's didn't know this poor woman. What could she have done to prevent this?