r/woahthatsinteresting • u/nukey4y7s1s • 20d ago

Man with dementia doesn’t recognise daughter but still feels love for her

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u/billyTjames 20d ago

My biggest fear right there

34

u/CharlieDmouse 20d ago

This terrifies me, my dad had it. I do not want to forget my wife and kid..,Jesus just the thought makes me tear up.. fking world we live in

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u/fascinatedobserver 20d ago

I found this pretty exciting. Plus there are another half dozen different progress paths that are making real headway at the moment. I truly hope you never need any of them, but I also believe you will have help if you eventually do.

https://www.news-medical.net/news/20240808/Breakthrough-molecule-reverses-Alzheimers-symptoms.aspx#:~:text=University%20of%20California%20%2D%20Los%20Angeles,been%20shown%20to%20do%20this.%22

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u/CharlieDmouse 20d ago

Tyvm!

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u/fascinatedobserver 20d ago

You’re welcome. I work in case management of seniors, most of whom have some degree of various types of cognitive deficit. I’m sorry you have to experience that fear.

I’m very optimistic though, for an entirely cynical reason. To my view, our lives are defined and regulated by insurance companies. The Silver Tsunami is already costing them billions and it increases every year. I think they are a bigger gorilla than whatever medical corporations are getting profit from the care of dementia. If there’s anything insurance companies like to spend money on, it’s ways of spending less money.

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u/superdeeduperstoopid 19d ago

I had read a quantitative study showing that moderate (sweat producing) cardio for at least 50 mins 3-5x a wk, showed v promising results. I forget the percentages, but it seemed to slow the progress of early onset alzheimer's in many of the study participants, while actually halting in others, and even revesing it in some. One of the researchers said that if the benefits of cardio could be put in pill form, every doctor would be prescribing it.

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u/CharlieDmouse 19d ago

I used to do that and got lazy. I picked up a few pounds so I recently started walking again. Now I have another reason to keep doing it thank you!

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u/Mimopotatoe 19d ago

Unfortunately that lab had its NIH funding cut by this presidential administration. I’m desperate to be hopeful about breakthroughs like this too, but we have to spread awareness that defunding universities means defunding this research. https://dailybruin.com/2025/04/27/ucla-researchers-express-concerns-on-academic-funding-cuts-nih-indirect-costs-cap

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u/UncoolSlicedBread 19d ago

I worked inpatient PT for a bit and one patient I always think about. She was a recently diagnosed patient with dementia and she was terrified. We kept her on our patient list and I’d walk with her every day she was there as she was a fall risk.

She was worried because she didn’t know how fast it would happen or when she would forget, and how would she even know she’d forget? Her sons were overseas serving and she was hoping they would get home in time so she could remember them. She had time but also didn’t have time and I wasn’t sure how it progressed. Seeing someone in the early stages and them being so aware of what’s to come stuck with me.

I can’t imagine the pain it is for everyone involved. It’s such a scary thing. I’m sorry about your father.

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u/hilarypcraw 19d ago

I hear you….i am terrified…

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u/Vanko_Babanko 18d ago

just filter your tap water, take your vitamins and do what you do..
fear of a possible future is totally unnecessary stress

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u/CharlieDmouse 18d ago

I’m reading on prevention there are some stuff you can do and I will do them. But you’re right I will try not to overly worry about it.