Old Age is a Shipwreck: The Disintegration of a Personality
Patient: I met a deeply troubled Indian American lady who lived in the US and was flying back to India to attend to a family emergency. Her only sibling, a sister, also lived in the U.S. Their 89-year-old father was rapidly worsening with Alzheimer’s Disease and did not even recognize his 84 yrs aged wife who was caring for him.
Diagnosis: Advanced Alzheimer’s disease
Patient's Story
A once gentle, loving, caring, good-natured, supportive, and affectionate man had turned into an impossible personality. Alzheimer’s had disintegrated and destroyed his personality.
He was rapidly worsening. He did not even recognize his 84-year-old wife who was caring for him. He was always agitated. That week, he attacked her as if she were a stranger intruding into their house. At other times, he thought she was his sister. He had intact distant memory but could not remember anything important for managing daily living.
To make things harder, the aging building where they had a flat was scheduled for redevelopment. The elderly couple were told to move to a temporary abode. But the wife did not know how to move her husband to an unfamiliar environment, which was certain to worsen his condition.
Discussion
What was the disease process? Abnormal protein plaques were disrupting the complex electrical network that was “wiring” the brain.
Until recently, this was a no-win situation. Early diagnosis with biomarkers did not help. There was no scope for counselling. Drugs were new, untested, and unhelpful. Retirement homes were not experienced or confident in handling this. The demands of the disease, dysfunctionality, and disablement damaged and destroyed the fabric of the family.
Conclusion
At last, a glimmer of hope, a sliver of light, has risen on the dark horizon. Lecanemab, as subcutaneous injections, can now be given at home by a caregiver.
‘Old age is ship wreck!’ – President Charles de Gaulle.
President Charles de Gaulle is the tall, taciturn man who was president of France for a very long time.
True care brings light. Even when old age feels like a shipwreck, modern medicine brings a sliver of light to save the fabric of the family.
