In the last 40 years, I have delivered many lectures and written countless articles on the topic of Alzheimer’s. It is a subject that is very close to my heart. Much has been learned over the last several decades about both dementia and Alzheimer’s, but the puzzle of why it occurs remains unsolved. Still, I pay close attention to current research in large part because of my own, close family experiences with Alzheimer’s. I have a few techniques I would like to share for helping both the caregiver and the patient cope with this horrible condition. For example, the fundamental value of touch, which I wrote about in my Sept. 2025 article, can have a dramatic effect on the wellbeing of both the caregiver and the patient.
As a young boy I witnessed the ravaging effects of the condition when my grandfather fell ill and then again as an adult when I was the primary caregiver for my father during his 10-year battle. I empathize with patients who are going through it themselves or who are witnessing the life-altering, progressive changes of a loved one. Thus, I would like to share some basic guidance on how to address this memory bandit from the same quality-of-life perspective as all my advice.
COMMON THEORIES
While most pharmaceutical researchers espouse a one-size-fits-all theory that hinges on a single cause-and-effect, I personally believe that is not the direction that should be taken in future research studies.
For instance, one research question asks “Is there a virus that could be causing Alzheimer’s?” Perhaps that could be true. However, I believe one question needs no further study: “Could a virus be the single and sole cause of Alzheimer’s?” My opinion (shared by others who study the condition) is an emphatic, “No!”
Yes, there might be an immunologic cause, and I will get into that a little later in this article. However, there also may be other contributing factors, ones that ultimately cause this interference with neural pathways in the brain as well.
There is one fact that I and almost all who research, study, and treat patients with Alzheimer’s agree upon: a person’s normal neurologic signals between nerve cells become blocked when amyloid plaques form. What no one knows is why they form in the first place.
It had long been thought that, if these neural blockades could be removed, the progressive decline in cognition would be solved. Billions of research dollars have been spent developing and reformulating drugs to remove and or stop the formation of amyloid plaques. However, when these very expensive prescription drugs successfully eliminated them, the condition didn’t improve and, in some instances, the symptoms worsened.
The focus of the research then shifted to the thought that perhaps these plaques were forming as a protective mechanism of some sort, like a scab forming over a wound to protect it from further damage.
From a holistic standpoint, we must ask instead, “What things create the proper environment for the development of the condition that robs memory from so many individuals?” Also, this is not merely about cognitive decline (as if that weren’t enough). The patient may experience significant alterations in their personality, causing them to exhibit aggression, paranoid tendencies, and acts of both physical and emotional rage, traits that may never have been seen in the individual prior to the onset of the condition.
WHAT ANYONE CAN DO
When you witness cognitive changes in a friend, loved one, parent, spouse, or even someone that you meet casually in a social setting, you must always remember that it is up to you to act as if you have entered into the person’s world instead of forcing them to enter into yours. For example, I recall going with my father to a doctor’s appointment for my grandmother and grandfather in tow back when my father was their sole caregiver. When my grandfather’s appointment was completed, my father instructed me to go with him and watch him while he went in with my grandmother to hear what the doctor had to say about both of their conditions.
When my grandfather and I got outside, we decided to take a walk. As we crossed a street in the crosswalk, my grandfather pointed at the pavement and warned me not to “walk on the ice cream.” What was he talking about? I had no idea. However, I didn’t confront him regarding his odd statement. I knew that my pop wasn’t right. So, I merely said, “OK Pop” and we continued on with our walk. As we did, he went on to instruct me on the finer points of race walking. He had competed in school for the Olympics in that event at the time. It was an enjoyable, engaging experience.
Another example was when my own father declined to the point where he could no longer be cared for safely at home. He had to move to a cognitive care unit, where I would visit him. He always recognized me as someone familiar and would wave to me. But when the nurses prompted him by asking who I was, invariably he would state that I was his father, his brother (he was an only child), or his cousin. I would play the role as if this was who I was and shake his hand or touch his shoulder. Then we would enjoy some time together.
My point is that we must remember a few things when dealing with someone in cognitive decline:
- In earlier stages of the condition, the person notices their own reduced mental function, which creates frustration for them, especially when trying to perform routine functions or find things they misplaced. Recognize the situation of “misplaced things.” They often think that someone “stole” the item. This ties in with the paranoia that can become routine as the mental decline progresses.
- When the condition is advanced, first and foremost, we must be the ones to “enter into their world.” We cannot think that we will bring them back into ours. It would have served no purpose if I had confronted my father each time he misidentified me. In fact, it would likely have caused further agitation and confusion.
- Through the experience of interactions with my father, I learned that those who suffer from dementia experience fear, loneliness, depression, and as I mentioned, agitation and aggression. Physical contact is essential for the suffering individual. Research studies have indicated that advanced Alzheimer’s patients experience improvement in their quality of life when they are hugged. Hugging caused the release of hormones in the recipient’s body that produce positive effects.
In fact, we all need physical contact, which I discussed last month. Studies have been performed with newborn infant primates and humans where maternal physical contact was withheld from the newborn and the negative psychological and emotional changes in the infants were significant and longstanding. Improvements in general health and quality of life have been demonstrated in individuals who have been routinely hugged and have had regular physical contact with others.
Furthermore, in my opinion, having someone caring about you enough to touch you and embrace you can create a purpose in your life and give you hope. - The mind needs to be exercised, just like the body. Unfortunately, many older adults do not exercise their minds, particularly after they retire. Many stop reading and stay at home. They watch television more than they had previously done throughout the day, and they lose the desire to learn new information.
THE INGREDIENTS TO BETTER LEARNING
One recent study performed at the University of California Riverside demonstrated great value when individuals in their mid to late 60s were challenged with learning multiple different subjects at one time. It was done in a similar fashion to what had occurred when they were younger and attended high school and college. The senior author of the study notes that the key appears to be learning multiple tasks simultaneously in an encouraging environment, again, much like children experience in school.
The really encouraging thing about this study was that the results gained were considerable and immediate. The gains were also long-term ones.
According to the authors of the study, there were six key ingredients. This equation must be in place in order to be successful. They are:
- “Open-Minded, Input-Driven Learning." This means that the skills being learned must be totally new, such as learning how to use an electronic device that didn’t exist when they grew up.
- “Simultaneous Learning.” This means one should learn multiple skills simultaneously through multiple classes being taught on different subjects, like when we were in school.
- “Individual Scaffolding.” This means that the student (the individual) should receive personalized help from the instructor or instructors.
- ”A Forgiving Environment.” One must allow for mistakes with no negative input to the novel learning environment.
- “A Growth Mindset.” The student should believe and trust that their abilities can improve with the effort that they are putting forth.
- “Committed Learning.” The last element in this learning and cognitive improvement training means that the student must devote the time (hours per week) to master the new skills that they are being taught. Like all learning, it requires hours of study in order to confidently embody the information and skills that you are being taught.
The good news is that there are many options today thanks to online universities and other digital tools such as YouTube. However, I caution you, because these sources may not provide the “Individualized Scaffolding” and the “Forgiving Environment” that the University of California Riverside study found to be necessary. Thus, try to take advantage of the many community colleges and more that are close enough to serve as the proper teaching environment for multiple topics at once.
The goal of today’s article is to help others who are dealing with the life-altering effects of cognitive decline, dementia, and Alzheimer’s. Lifestyle modifications, proper nutritional counseling, and appropriate supplementation are corrective or preventative measures that can be applied to potentially slow further decline or improve quality of life for those entering or caught up in the web of these conditions. Tactics such as pretending the person is not confused about who you are so you can engage in conversation or giving a hug or holding their hand to promote a sense of calm are also thoughtful ways to give care.
I hope that you found this article informative and helpful to those of you who are concerned about your own cognitive function or that of a loved one. If you found this information helpful, we’d love it if you shared it with others! And if you’re reading this on one of our social platforms, don’t forget to like and share. If you haven’t connected with us yet, you can find us on Facebook, Instagram, X, and YouTube.
Dr. Pfeiffer