Mar 28, 2022
With Meryl Comer, Author, Award-Winning Journalist, and Brain Health Advocate
The human brain is a wonderfully complex organ. But when brain nerve cells are damaged, it can lead to dementia. Dementia is a progressive medical condition that destroys brain function. Alzheimer's Disease, the most common cause of dementia, accounts for an estimated 60-80% of all patients. One of the most common symptoms, short-term memory loss, can cause a person to forget entire conversations, names of close family members, important dates, and recent events. Later, symptoms may include confusion, behavioral changes, and ultimately difficulty speaking, swallowing, walking, and even forgetting to eat. The changes in brain chemistry leading to dementia may begin as early as 20 years before symptoms occur. Diagnosis in the earliest stages of mild cognitive impairment can be difficult to recognize. After diagnosis, the challenge is to establish a treatment strategy that will provide for the patient’s ongoing needs. While it’s common to care for the patient at home in the early stages of the disease, caring for a loved one suffering from dementia can be a really frightening, exhausting, and often isolating experience for the caregiver.
My guest today, Meryl Comer, is a former award-winning journalist and TV producer. Her experience as a caregiver inspired her to write the New York Times bestseller, Slow Dancing With a Stranger: Lost and Found in the Age of Alzheimer’s, about the challenges of caring for a loved one diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. She’s one of the co-founders of UsAgainstAlzheimer’s and has testified before Congress for dementia research and disease prevention.
What You’ll Hear on This Episode:
- What are the implications of longevity?
- How do we handle the cost of healthcare?
- What are some preventive ways to reduce risk?
- What are the differences in risk factors for men and women?
- What was Meryl’s journalism career like?
- When did Meryl first notice dementia symptoms in her husband?
- How did Meryl’s husband’s dementia progress?
- When did Meryl begin taking care of her mother who also had dementia?
- How patients with Alzheimer’s and caregivers become increasingly isolated.
- How genetics may impact early-onset Alzheimer’s.
- How can today’s technology help with early diagnostics?
- What are we learning from the current research and prevention studies??
- How to donate to UsAgainstAlzheimer’s.
- What made Meryl decide to write her book Slow Dancing With a Stranger?
- How did Meryl cope?
- How did Meryl track her husband and mother’s health?
- Some additional tips Meryl has for caregivers.
Today’s Takeaway: Currently two-thirds of all Alzheimer’s patients worldwide are female. Dementia has become the leading cause of death for women in the UK and Australia; surpassing heart disease. In the U.S., women over the age of 60 are twice as likely to be diagnosed with Alzheimer’s as they are with breast cancer. In women, early symptoms of dementia or Alzheimer’s disease might be attributed to brain fog, fatigue, depression, or simply distraction due to hectic family and work schedules. Knowing your family history and paying attention to the early warning signs is critical for the proper diagnosis. The sad truth is that many women’s health symptoms are often ignored, misunderstood, or even dismissed. As women, we might be told that mild cognitive impairment or forgetfulness is just our hormones or a normal sign of aging. But what if it’s not the cause? It’s also important that if you are the one caring for a family member or loved one with dementia you establish a strong support network. As a primary caregiver, the toll upon your own health and wellness can be really enormous. Make sure that you have others who can pitch in to help and that you connect with local caregiver groups with whom you can ask questions and share advice. It’s important to note that not all symptoms of dementia lead to an Alzheimer’s diagnosis; there are a variety of treatable conditions that may cause dementia-like symptoms such as untreated sleep apnea, Lyme disease, thyroid problems, or even vitamin deficiencies. But it’s vitally important to consult a trained medical professional to properly evaluate the symptoms and determine the cause in order to begin treatment. Hopefully, soon we can all look forward to the day when we find a cure for dementia. Today is a gift; enjoy every moment of it and live the best you can by loving and giving back. I’m Florine Mark and that’s “Today’s Takeaway.”
Quotes:
- “Every three seconds a new case of dementia comes online.” — Meryl
- “It is challenging for everyone involved.” — Meryl
- “That age of 50‒70 is a really critical period for identifying risk and resilience.” — Meryl
- “You can reduce your risk by up to 40%.” — Meryl
- “At age 65, women have a one in six chance of developing Alzheimer’s.” — Meryl
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