Linda Hicks' husband Bob was usually very articulate, so when the West Vancouver dentist and former city councillor began having difficulty with language, it was the first sign of trouble. At the age of 62, he found out he had Alzheimer's.

Linda says, "it was just so sad to watch him lose his independence and he was such a vital independent man, enjoyed things about life."

Although 3/4 of patients are still dianosed in the mid to late stages of the disease much more is known about how Alzheimer's progresses and that's giving hope for new treatments and ways of delaying the onset of the disease.

Scientists attribute this degeneration to the misfolding of proteins, and are now working on ways to intervene in the process. They also know now the link between heart health and alzheimer's: that heart attacks and stroke greatly increase the risk of developing the disease later on.

Dr. Howard Feldman says, "it is midlife high blood pressure, cholesterol, mid-life exercise and diet that ultimately will serve to increase risk as individuals age.

In Bob's case, early diagnosis enabled him to access medication relieving his symptoms for three years. Bob died last August, and while he lost the ability to read and write, for the most part he held on to his memories. 

Linda Hicks says that she believes they're close to finding the key to what causes the disease from that will come treatment that will either slow it or cure it.

There are many more support services for patients and their caregivers now. Linda's very grateful to the Alzheimer's Society for it's advice and practical help. On Sunday, Bob Hicks, will be honoured at this year's Walk for Memories at Stanley Park. Proceeds will go towards research and services provided by the Society. For more information, you can go to walkformemories dot com. The site also has a lot of other information about brain health and early warning signs.

Tuesday January 17, 2006