Have you ever wondered why people with Alzheimer’s or Dementia suddenly have a “good”
day?
Why are they so bad one day and not so bad the next? The family
may think- Mom is getting better, the Doctor must have diagnosed her
wrong, her memory is fine today, she’s in a great mood!
The truth is that once the brain damage has occurred, it’s permanent. Our brains have about 100 billion neurons with branches that connect at more than 100 trillion points. These neurons help us to retrieve stored memories, and signal our thoughts and feelings. Alzheimer’s disease destroys these neurons.
So why do we experience “good” days and “bad” days? If you think of the neurons in the brain as a very complex road map of streets and intersections and suddenly a bridge is out, consider what your GPS does. It recalculates! Occasionally the brain will be able to reroute or recalculate and find an alternate route to retrieve that information. The brain is remarkable and will try to find a back door to get that information if possible. Some days it works, and some days it doesn’t. So when someone with Alzheimer’s or Dementia is having a great day, that’s just what it is. A great day.
Reprinted with permission from Debra Kostiw.
Bringing useful news to educate our clients is one more way that Home Helpers has been making life easier for over a decade. Call us today at 704-909-7958. And as always, you can find us on our website, Facebook and Google+!
The truth is that once the brain damage has occurred, it’s permanent. Our brains have about 100 billion neurons with branches that connect at more than 100 trillion points. These neurons help us to retrieve stored memories, and signal our thoughts and feelings. Alzheimer’s disease destroys these neurons.
So why do we experience “good” days and “bad” days? If you think of the neurons in the brain as a very complex road map of streets and intersections and suddenly a bridge is out, consider what your GPS does. It recalculates! Occasionally the brain will be able to reroute or recalculate and find an alternate route to retrieve that information. The brain is remarkable and will try to find a back door to get that information if possible. Some days it works, and some days it doesn’t. So when someone with Alzheimer’s or Dementia is having a great day, that’s just what it is. A great day.
Reprinted with permission from Debra Kostiw.
Bringing useful news to educate our clients is one more way that Home Helpers has been making life easier for over a decade. Call us today at 704-909-7958. And as always, you can find us on our website, Facebook and Google+!
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