Still Alice Living with an insidious cognitive declining illness, individuals diagnosed with early onset familial Alzheimer’s disease often fear losing their sense of self (Borrello et al. 2495). This theme is carried out in the film through the character of Alice, a 50 year old linguistics professor at Columbia University. The inevitable decline in memory, communication, and eventually independence strike those with the disease (Borrello et al. 2494), which will quickly affect not only themselves, but also relationships with others. In this essay, I will discuss the level of accuracy in the film, Still Alice, directed by Richard Glatzer and Wash Westmoreland, by analyzing its display of knowledge on neurological and psychological …show more content…
155). There are many types of tests and approaches to cognitive assessments depending on the age of the person and symptoms currently experienced (Cordell et al. 147). These assessments are combined to ensure that there is a clear reason for concern, however, in the film, simply memory testing is done. During sessions with a neurologist, it is important if an informant, someone who has witnessed the change in cognition, is present during the diagnostic process (Cordell et al. 147). After informing Alice of this, she, alongside her husband, is tested through the repetition of sentences and ability to memorize a name and address. Alice’s neurologist merely tests her memory, while excluding other important examinable areas. If the cognitive assessments cause further concerns, a full dementia evaluation is conducted (Cordell et al. 147).
Subsequently, the full evaluation process that takes place also varies among individuals of different ages and their symptoms experienced (Shimada 47). In the cases of younger onset cognitive impairment with quick progression, an MRI scan and bloodwork are done (Lee et al. 155). From clear MRI scans and blood tests, potential reasonings for Alice’s symptoms, for example brain tumours, can be ruled out. As Alice’s cognitive decline continues, the next step is a PET scan to observe the brain at a molecular level in determining the amyloid levels in the
1) This video was an educational and eye-opening documentary about the infamous Alzheimer’s Disease and its effects on the victim and their family. The film follows several different families, each directly affected by the disease, and how they cope with the loss of their, or a loved one’s, memories and mind. One such family, the Noonans, had a rare form of the disease, where its destruction of the mind began much earlier in life, around age fifty. Three of the Noonan siblings out of ten caught Alzheimer’s and none of the other seven knew whether they had the gene for it or not, passed on by their mother, who also died of this. Watching this unfold in the movie “The Forgetting” was rather eye-opening,
Suspecting that something is seriously wrong, and without the knowledge of her husband, John, Alice goes to see her doctor who refers her to a neurologist. After testing, Alice receives the stunning diagnosis of early-onset Alzheimer 's. It is both numbing and terrifying for her. She is 50 years old. Alice struggles to tell John, who is a cancer cell biologist, because telling him will make it all "real". When she does, his reaction is almost cerebral and clinical. At first reluctant to believe her, John offers Alice no comfort. Instead he tells her he needs to find out more about Alzheimer 's.
Still Alice, a film adapted from the novel Still Alice, portrays the progression of dementia through Alice Howland, a linguistics professor, wife, and mother of three. According to the Mayo Clinic (2016), “dementia describes a group of symptoms affecting memory, thinking and social abilities severely enough to interfere with daily functioning”. More specifically, Alice is diagnosed with early-onset familial Alzheimer's disease due to her age and genetics. Still Alice includes many examples in Alice’s deteriorating episodic, semantic, skill, and working memory. Though Alice uses strategies to fight the deterioration, the Alzheimer's eventually rids her of any form of memory.
Just Love me: My life turned upside down by Alzheimer’s (Lee, 2003), has allowed Lee (2003) to put on paper what an individual going though Alzheimer’s disease thinks and feels. This book has been written in order to better inform individuals that have Alzheimer’s, as well as the non-suffers who have been touched by Alzheimer’s in friends and family. It follows Lee (2003) though her struggles with early onset Alzheimer’s, describing her experiences before being diagnosed as well as how her disease progresses. It also examined the difficulties in diagnosing a disease that is not yet well understood. Lee (2003) talks about her everyday struggles as the disease worsens and she begins to lose her occupations and the person she use to be.
Certain qualities are consistently observed in the Alzheimer’s victim. These dysfunction’s, though, are not exclusive to Alzheimer’s disease. Consequently, declaring Alzheimer’s by these parameters is a matter of degree rather than an absolute. Characteristic dysfunction’s have been noted in Alzheimer’s victims, but the degree and severity of these varies from patient to patient. Thus, evaluation of the patient’s mental status must be made based on the sum, rather than a single characteristic. Memory is one of the first noticed deficiencies, beginning typically with the recent and short term memory, and progressing from there as the disease grows more severe. In addition, deterioration in language skills, attention span, praxis (performance of an action), and visuospatial skills are commonly seen. Also observed are changes in the actions and personality of the Alzheimer’s victim. These include changes in mood, motor activities, activities of daily living, socialization skills, psychotic disturbances, vegetative symptomology, and rise in anxiety levels. Again, the
This screenplay follows the protagonist Alice Howland, who is a professor of linguistics at Columbia University. Alice Howland is later diagnosed with Early Onset Alzheimer’s Disease, which turns her world completely upside down; especially given her career and ambitious nature. She becomes unable to perform normal everyday activities, and struggles with the loss of her independence. Alice’s husband, John, who is a physician, attempts to act as a guide for her through this time, but it ultimately puts a strain on their relationship. John’s job offer to move to Boston does not help matters either, and it quickly becomes the last straw for the two of them. He soon moves to New York to take the job after Alice’s memory starts to decay at a faster rate. John and Alice have 3 children, Lydia, Anna, and Tom as well as a son-in-law, Charlie. They are introduced at the beginning of the screenplay, as they all gather to celebrate Alice’s 50th birthday at a restaurant. This is also the time in which the audience notices her decline in normal conversation as she is unable to follow smoothly. Alice could be considered the catalytic hero of this screenplay, and the disease being the antagonist. Alice wants to hold on to as much of her memory that she can, and slow the regression by writing down everything. By Act 3, Alice loses her ability to do activities that she had been doing for many years; such as going out for her morning run without getting lost, remembering words, phrases, and
In Still Alice, the main character has memory impairments at the age of fifty. There were a few minor symptoms that were just thought to be because of being overworked and fatigue, but in retrospect point to her disease. For example, forgetting which word to use during a presentation. The recollection was a complete blank. Because of her fairly young age, Alzheimer’s disease was not considered a possibility. Alice believed that it had something to do with her going through menopause, but then she got her menstrual period and decided to go see a neurologist. When Alice did go to the doctor to see what was going on and was diagnosed, it caught
I chose to read Still Alice by Lisa Genova for this critical book review. I chose this book because I have a strong interest in dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. I also work with clients who are living with dementia and I can see how much of an impact that has on both my clients and their families. We hear stories about Alzheimer’s disease from doctors or caregivers all the time, but it is so rare to get to learn about the disease straight from the source, or straight from the person actually living through the progression of the disease.
As the population keeps aging, Alzheimer 's Disease (AD) is becoming a more significant public health issue. The prevalence of AD is expected to reach 34 million worldwide by 2025 (Mount 2006) and with the aging demographic, early diagnosis and treatment of AD is gaining importance. Cognitive decline and altered brain function related to AD has been shown to be present years before the clinical onset of the disorder through functional brain imaging techniques (Prvulovic 2011). Emphasis has been on detection of AD in its preclinical stages to provide early interventions for the patients. Since Fuld et al.(1990) 's study suggesting that the examination of cognitive functioning in non demented older adults is predictive of prospective dementia, countless studies have attempted to devise reliable methods of detecting cognitive changes and risk factors in preclinical populations.
“Still Alice” is about a well-respected psychologist named Alice Howland diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimer's disease is described as a progressive, incurable disease that destroys memory and important mental functions. Alice displayed many signs and symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease, such as mental decline, difficulty thinking and understanding, disorientation, poor concentrating, agitation, forgetfulness, self-care deficits, personality changes, getting lost and wandering, and restlessness. Alice is smart and successful, but everything changes for the worse when she gets diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.
Doctors need a sure way to diagnose the disease in order for treatment or studies are done on these people. The diagnosis is an autopsy of brain tissue examined under a microscope. In addition, medical history, a physical exam, and mental status tests are used for diagnosis. Often, tests are done to rule out other potential causes of the dementia. This allows the identification of other causes of thinking and behavioral changes to be made before concluding that the patient has Alzheimer’s disease or any other form of dementia. The tests that are requested to be done include a CT and MRI scan to rule out strokes or brain tumors which could account for changes in memory and behavior.
“Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a slowly progressive disease of the brain that is characterized by impairment of memory and eventually by disturbances in reasoning, planning, language, and perception.” (Howard Crystal) In Health 1000 we were asked to read the book Still Alice. I have never dealt with or have done any study on Alzheimer’s disease before reading this book. After finishing this book it has really opened my eyes to how bad of a disease and how it cripples the mind. I never imagined the effect of this disease on a patient and the patient family. This book is about a upper middle aged lady named Alice who is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, and how she and her family learn how to deal with disease. One of the things this book
While the chances of obtaining this terrible disease are not impossible, the film Still Alice depicts, Alice Howland, a well renowned professor at Columbia University, and her battle with Alzheimer’s disease. Many believe that the title Still Alice refers to her identity always being at the core of who she is even after the decline of her losing her memory. People
Still Alice by Lisa Genova is about a woman named Alice in her 50’s who develops early onset Alzheimer’s. The diagnosis shocks her and her whole family as she is incredibly intelligent and so young. The novel is about the struggles of her adjusting to the new ways her mind is working and her family trying to figure out how to interact with their changing wife/mother. It shows one woman’s progression of the disease and the way it affects how she feels, thinks, acts, and generally changes life as she knows it.
The emotion evoking 2014, film titled Still Alice featured the many challenges a family residing in New York City faced following the matriarch’s, Alice Howland, diagnosis of a rare form of familial Alzheimer’s disease. The film opened with Alice and her Husband, John, celebrating Alice’s fiftieth birthday along with two of their three grown children, Anna and Tom, as well as their son-in-law, Anna’s husband, Charlie. The couple’s third child, Lydia, was not present at the birthday dinner, as she was aspiring to be an actress and resided in California. Within minutes of the opening scene Alice’s mild cognitive impairments became apparent through her marked confusion while communicating with Anna and Charlie. As the film progressed, Alice herself, a renowned doctor of linguistics and college professor, quickly became cognizant of her own declining cognitive ability as she struggled with mundane tasks, such as imparting a lecture at the University of California Los Angeles. The subsequent concerning episode, where Alice became disoriented and fearful in due course while out for a run on the campus where she had taught for years and was therefore familiar with it’s geography, ultimately encouraged her to seek care from a neurologist.