Autobiographies help delay Alzheimer's disease

Autobiographies help delay Alzheimer's disease

By Maria Endah Hulupi

JAKARTA (JP): You may have seen biographies of great world
leaders or celebrities displayed on the shelves of book stores,
but the Indonesian Alzheimer's Association is encouraging older
people to write autobiographies as a way of delaying the possible
consequences of Alzheimer's disease.

"It (writing an autobiography) is one of the methods used in
the therapy for people with Alzheimer's, but healthy older people
can also adopt the technique to keep their brains active and help
delay Alzheimer's," said Sidiarto Kusumoputro from the Dharma
Jaya hospital for nervous system and mental illnesses located in
Mangga Besar area, Central Jakarta.

He also explained that writing an autobiography would motivate
healthy older people to use their imagination, language skills
and emotions to describe events. All are important to maintaining
an active brain.

"People are not aware that their autobiography may one day be
very useful, not only for their family members but possibly for
society in general," Sidiarto added.

Alzheimer's disease is a degenerative disease starting in the
brain that can worsen as the sufferer ages. It is triggered by
the death of brain cells and by a reduced level of acetylcholine,
an active compound needed for nerve impulse transmission in the
brain.

In its "latent" early development, the disease is
characterized by benign forgetfulness which causes people to
forget basic information like names and dates. But it may develop
into mild Alzheimer's disease, which affects the sufferer's
cognitive ability -- like language, reasoning, perception and
behavior. Most develop sleeping problems, become sensitive and
withdraw from daily interaction.

When the illness further develops into Alzheimer's, usually at
the age of 50, sufferers start to lose complex abilities like
their professional skills and knowledge. They may need help with
routine tasks, even combing and dressing.

Without proper treatment within a decade the disease can
develop into senile Alzheimer's, characterized by loss of memory,
judgment, moral and esthetic value. It is also accompanied by
language problems, confusion, irrational and disturbed
sensitivity.

"They can even lose their ability to perform simple routine
habits, like taking a bath and eating. They become emotional,
aggressive and anxious. This is serious and can be fatal,"
Sidiarto cautioned.

He identified that aging, head trauma and inactive lifestyles
could speed up the process. However, he said that people with
poor educations are at a greater risk of contracting Alzheimer's,
mainly because they are less exposed to brain stimulating
activities like reading and crossword puzzles.

Sidiarto said that it is necessary to encourage healthy older
people and Alzheimer's sufferers to optimally stimulate their
brain potential through activities that sharpen their
communication, imagination, socialization, spiritualism and
musical skills, and other activities that help channel their
emotions.

"Making them talk about the past would also help," he added.

Interestingly, elderly people can explain details of what
happened three or four decades ago better than say a week or a
few days ago. Sidiarto explained that this is because the brain
is better able to retain long-term memories than short-term.

"That's why you can learn a lot about events and celebrities
in the 40s or 50s from parents or grandparents, even though they
may have difficulty remembering what happened in the 90s or
recent years," he added.

Showing older people pictures of old buildings and places they
once knew is a good way of stimulating them to remember things
that happened in those particular buildings or places.

"The process usually starts by making them explain events from
the past that they can still remember and trying to stimulate
them to tell more about what happened in the following decades or
years. Assist them in remembering the missing information in the
last few years," he advised.

Sidiarto added that doctors may prescribe medication to
improve concentration or other related problems. "Training and
medication should be combined to obtain optimum results," he
said.

He also advised family members and care providers for elderly
people, especially those with Alzheimer's, to equip themselves
with adequate knowledge about the disease and, most importantly,
show patience and tender loving care to their aging loved ones
despite their bothersome habits.

"This is important because, even though their judgment is not
affected by the disease, they still have feelings and harsh
reactions or comments from family members would certainly affect
them psychologically," he added.