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My dad is starting to get dementia, but all he does is watch TV. I wish he would build guitars.

exikyut 5y ago
Hmm, maybe try figuring out what things he likes and/or can engage in without effort - whatever he can do well without thinking. And maybe track this over time. Borrowing the analogy of HDD/SSD corruption, which can impact critical filesystem metadata just as easily as file contents, it's impossible to predict how that fundamental capacity to engage will shift and change in confounding and lateral ways.
Jeff_Brown 5y ago
I had a similar experience with my grandmother. Her motivation and curiosity left her. I tried to interest her in new things a number of times, thinking she'd be so much happier. The data, though, led me to decide she was in fact happier when I just accepted who she had become.
- xyproto 5y ago
  This is my greatest fear, more than death: to stop learning, to stop creating, to stagnate. I wonder if nutrition or exercise has an impact on this. I would eat broccoli every day if I thought it would improve my chances.
  - wolfv 5y ago
    Check out the whole-food, plant based diet: https://nutritionfacts.org/video/alzheimers-and-atherosclerosis-of-the-brain/ https://nutritionfacts.org/video/alzheimers-and-atherosclero... https://nutritionfacts.org/video/the-alzheimers-gene-controlling-apoe/ https://nutritionfacts.org/video/the-alzheimers-gene-control... Credentials of research scientist behind the whole-food, plant based diet: https://wfpb-wolf.netlify.app/maturity.html https://wfpb-wolf.netlify.app/maturity.html
    - lupire 5y ago
      OTOH,the brain needs animal fat for DHA: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/diagnosis-diet/201903/the-brain-needs-animal-fat?amp https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/diagnosis-diet/20190...
      - vzidex 5y ago
        I'm vegan and supplement DHA via this product: https://ca.freshfield.life/products/vegan-omega-3 https://ca.freshfield.life/products/vegan-omega-3
  - atatatat 5y ago
    Grab a joint/vaporize some loose leaf herb; I don't know why people don't give cannabis to their disoriented, chronically disengaged elders more.
    - lupire 5y ago
      Because they are already disoriented and disengaged so they don't need more.
      - atatatat 5y ago
        On the contrary, in many cases with medical problems.

Hmm, maybe try figuring out what things he likes and/or can engage in without effort - whatever he can do well without thinking. And maybe track this over time. Borrowing the analogy of HDD/SSD corruption, which can impact critical filesystem metadata just as easily as file contents, it's impossible to predict how that fundamental capacity to engage will shift and change in confounding and lateral ways.

Jeff_Brown 5y ago

I had a similar experience with my grandmother. Her motivation and curiosity left her. I tried to interest her in new things a number of times, thinking she'd be so much happier. The data, though, led me to decide she was in fact happier when I just accepted who she had become.

xyproto 5y ago
This is my greatest fear, more than death: to stop learning, to stop creating, to stagnate. I wonder if nutrition or exercise has an impact on this. I would eat broccoli every day if I thought it would improve my chances.
- wolfv 5y ago
  Check out the whole-food, plant based diet: https://nutritionfacts.org/video/alzheimers-and-atherosclerosis-of-the-brain/ https://nutritionfacts.org/video/alzheimers-and-atherosclero... https://nutritionfacts.org/video/the-alzheimers-gene-controlling-apoe/ https://nutritionfacts.org/video/the-alzheimers-gene-control... Credentials of research scientist behind the whole-food, plant based diet: https://wfpb-wolf.netlify.app/maturity.html https://wfpb-wolf.netlify.app/maturity.html
  - lupire 5y ago
    OTOH,the brain needs animal fat for DHA: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/diagnosis-diet/201903/the-brain-needs-animal-fat?amp https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/diagnosis-diet/20190...
    - vzidex 5y ago
      I'm vegan and supplement DHA via this product: https://ca.freshfield.life/products/vegan-omega-3 https://ca.freshfield.life/products/vegan-omega-3
- atatatat 5y ago
  Grab a joint/vaporize some loose leaf herb; I don't know why people don't give cannabis to their disoriented, chronically disengaged elders more.
  - lupire 5y ago
    Because they are already disoriented and disengaged so they don't need more.
    - atatatat 5y ago
      On the contrary, in many cases with medical problems.