Above: Katie Powalski, right, next to her
mother, Sally Powalski holding Katie’s daughter,
Emilia, and grandmother Shirley Stoligrosz.
Left: Katie Parsons as a baby and
her mom, Sally Powalski.
New Year’s Day, I headed
to join them.
The diagnosis
It would take another
three months to get
to the bottom of her
diagnosis: Stage 3
moderate Alzheimer’s
disease. Since she
was showing signs
so long before those
appointments, she was
given an early onset
diagnosis, which is given
to anyone developing
Alzheimer’s before age 65.
She was prescribed
the highest tier of
medication available
and my dad was given
lifestyle tips to help
control the symptoms
of this incurable and
progressive disease.
In the past year, I’ve
gone through a range
of emotions as they
relate to my mother’s
diagnosis. I’ve felt grief
for the person I lost, long
before I was ready to stop
asking her for advice.
I’ve felt guilt for living
too far away to relieve
some of the burden of
her care on my father
and brothers. I’ve felt
helpless, awash in a tidal
wave of information but
little answers about the
disease itself.
Many times I’ve felt fear
and a debilitating panic
about what this diagnosis
means for my own brain
health and future.
The facts
According to the
Alzheimer’s Association,
5.8 million people live
with Alzheimer’s disease
in the United States.
By 2050, that number
will rise to 14 million.
One in three seniors has
Alzheimer’s or another
form of dementia at
their time of death.
Alzheimer’s on its own is
actually the 6th leading
cause of death in the
U.S., as it progressively
shuts down parts of
the brain until vital
organs like the lungs
and heart no longer
function. Alzheimer’s
kills more people each
year than breast cancer
and prostate cancer
combined.
Dr. Visa Srinivasan is
the medical director
at Health First
Aging Services. She
is a geriatrician and
specializes in the
wellness and health of
older adults, helping
form comprehensive
patient plans that focus
on healthy aging.
“There is a myth that
memory loss is a part of
aging,” Srinivasan said.
“We promote brain
health by comprehensive
evaluation of patients
and thorough
medication review.”
I asked Dr. Srinivasan
what a person like me,
with a family history of
sugar balance and
reduces mental stress.
Flex the brain.
Exercising the brain by
“mental gymnastics”
using things such as
crossword puzzles,
sudoku, board games
and card games generates
new brain cells. These
activities help develop
neurological “plasticity”
and build a functional
reserve that may protect
against future cell loss.
Seek social engagement.
Join a club, participate in
group activities, such as
church choir. Increased
social interaction has
been shown to benefit
Alzheimer’s patients by
minimizing one’s sense
of loneliness, isolation,
stress, and vascular
factors that contribute to
cognitive decline. It can
also improve patients’
sense of self-worth.
Eat a brain-healthy diet.
A Mediterranean-style
diet that emphasizes
fruits, vegetables, fish,
nuts, unsaturated oils
dementia at a relatively
young age, can be doing
right now — in my 30s
— for my best prognosis.
“When we care for
the brain, we also care
for the ‘mind’ and
emotional well-being and
stress management —
including restful sleep —
are integral parts of brain
health,” she said. “Good
control of risk factors like
blood pressure, diabetes,
high cholesterol and
maintaining optimal
body weight is good not
only for the heart, but
also for the brain.”
She gives the following
suggestions for keeping
brain health a priority:
Stay physically
active. Exercise spurs
development of new
nerve cells and increases
the connections
between brain cells, or
synapses. This results
in more efficient
brains. Exercise also
lowers blood pressure,
improves cholesterol
levels, helps blood
(olive oil) and plant
sources of proteins
is recommended.
Consumers of such diets
are less likely to develop
cognitive impairment
and dementia.
Learn stress
management. Keep
negative energy at a
minimum through
mindfulness, meditation
and gratitude.
Avoid tobacco and
excessive alcohol use.
Protect your head.
Reduce the chances for
brain injuries by wearing
a helmet while biking
and avoiding situations
that could lead to head
injury.
And while there is no
way to know what my
brain health will look
like in another 25, 35, 45
years or beyond — doing
my best to keep my mind
and body healthy today
is where I need to keep
my focus. After all, worry
and stress are just bad for
my brain.
january ‘20 // 029