This is the 63rd instalment in a series on dementia, including the research into its causes and treatment, advice for carers, and stories of hope.
My grandmother, who died in her eighties, struggled with a number of significant handicaps.
She had macular degeneration – an eye disease – and was almost totally blind at the end of her life; she could not read or watch television.
Her mobility was compromised as a result of bad knees, one of which resulted from poor knee surgery. She relied on a walking frame inside the house, and a wheelchair and someone to push her in it outside.
Despite these difficulties – and risks for dementia – her cognition remained sharp until she died, and all her memories intact. I have a vivid recollection of her sitting at the kitchen table with a cassette player, recording stories of her early adult life in India in startling detail.
I have often wondered what protected my grandmother’s brain, since my mother’s was ravaged by Alzheimer’s. Of course, there could have been many things – luck may even have played a hand. No matter how well you live your life, you may still be unfortunate enough to get dementia at the end of it.