Media portrayal of Alzheimer''s / Dementia does not reflect people under 60 years old

The idea: The Media needs to change is portrayal of people with dementia. Dementia needs to finally be seen as a terminal illness and NOT an old age deterioration.

My name is Carol Cronk. I was diagnosed at 62 years of age with early Alzheimer's disease. I am now 66 years old and my recent PET scan showed that I am still in my early stages of Alzheimer's with evolving/overlapping Frontotemporal dementia. My father died of Alzheimers in 1998.

I have been married to my husband Oscar for 13 years. I have five children--four boys and one daughter, ages from 43 years to the youngest of 26 years, and have seven grandchildren. My husband is an American and has two married children and five grandchildren in America.

During my Dementia journey I continue to be frustrated with the Media exposure and discussions about "aged Dementia." I particiapte in a support group with the WA ALZ's services and most of the people are under 60 years of age. I know many that are in their forties or fifties.

I desire to see young Dementia photos and presentations replacing the ones always shown to the public. I have a mother who is 89 years old, as others have aged parents also. Wouldn't it be perhaps beneficial for the public to see photos of the Dementia person alongside their aged parent--the person with Dementia as the younger one?

People with Dementia need to finally be seen as a terminal illness and NOT an old age deterioration.

All Alzheimers' Services need to think about implementing this idea, along with any person that has an opportunity to speak about ALZ's.

Recently an ALZ's representitive spoke about the movie "The Iron Lady" about Margaret Thatcher and her ALZ's role in the movie. He again spoke about Dementia as an elderly person's disease; by the time people are in the eighties they will possibly have ALZ's. I was so angry "again." He had the opportunity to spread the truth of what is happening... that from any age after 30 years people are getting it. We had one woman in Perth in the Ralph Martins clinic in her 30s.

Thank you,

Carol

Published on 21 February 2012