When it comes to getting even the smallest information about Alzheimer’s disease, Bruno can travel hundreds of miles. On Wednesday, this Parisian did not hesitate to take his ticket, heading to Marseille, to follow the conference organized by Provence and Public Assistance – Marseille Hospitals on the subject. “Both my parents were affected by this disease. I need to understand and hope that one day there will be a cure, explains this retiree who always focuses on advances in research. I remain confident for the future. I trust life. Research lacks resources, but we are making progress with, for example, these two new drugs which have just been validated by the American Medicines Agency (FDA). Even if these two antibodies will not definitively treat the disease, they will slow down the effects, which is already encouraging.“
“When I was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, it took me a week to recover”
Michèle will not benefit from it. She has been fighting the disease every day for four years now: “I take two medications three times a day. I have the help of a speech therapist. I try to believe in myself as long as possible“, says the former banker. She also evokes the moment of the announcement of her “Alzheimer’s”. “It took me a week to get over it. Today, the support has changed. Nowadays, we are more sensitive and understanding about this disease.“In the past, this Savoyard native already had to deal with Alzheimer’s. Painful memories that have not left her.”My grandmother and my mother had this disease. It was a time when we didn’t try to understand. They said they were losing their minds.“
Times have changed since then. Today, we consider the patient more. “We teach caregivers the right behavior to have with these people affected by Alzheimer’s“, adds the president of France Alzheimer Bouches-du-Rhône, Anne-Marie Catanzaro.
The association goes even further. It raises awareness among young people of this pathology with interventions in schools. “The grandchildren are fantastic. They accept the illness for their grandparents… They are not ashamed of it.“So many testimonies and advice which allowed the approximately 200 people present at this meeting to feel less “isolated” in the face of this disease which is always frightening.
