UPDATED: 12 November, 2017 ( Music Therapy & Dementia ) *
The DVD of acclaimed film STILL ALICE ( based on book of same title ) was released today. As with films like AWAY FROM HER, IRIS and NOTEBOOK, I draw parallels with events in my own life. Alice is an accomplished Professor of Linguistics, diagnosed with early onset Alzheimers dementia ( also called 'young dementia' ) when only 50 years of age. She thereafter struggles with realities of brain degeneration while attempting to have those around her accept that she is 'still Alice.'
The DVD of acclaimed film STILL ALICE ( based on book of same title ) was released today. As with films like AWAY FROM HER, IRIS and NOTEBOOK, I draw parallels with events in my own life. Alice is an accomplished Professor of Linguistics, diagnosed with early onset Alzheimers dementia ( also called 'young dementia' ) when only 50 years of age. She thereafter struggles with realities of brain degeneration while attempting to have those around her accept that she is 'still Alice.'
Slowly Alice disappears from her original self as the illness claims her person. Unlike most chronic terminal illnesses, dementia cruelly attacks an individual's personality, character and soul. Its cause is not fully understood. To date, dementia is incurable, ultimately encompassing the victim.
My Alice is called Mary Ann. She has an incurable rare form of early onset dementia that causes an imbalance in her 'executive functioning' ( i.e. mental, speech and motor abilities ). Known as fronto-temporal dementia, it can impede a person's life faster than Alzheimers. That scenario partially depends upon an individual's mental and physical activity level. I thereupon try to keep her mind stimulated as often as possible. As time passes I wonder how much longer will she be able to appreciate her writings, reading, music, watching operas etc.? How soon will her language be significantly impaired? Will she still like watching her favourite butterflies fluttering around the woodlands ? Will she stop being 'still Mary Ann.'
Alice is synonymous of a different name for every dementia-sufferer and their carers. Regardless of that name, each story is similar with diverse characters sharing common interests, special requirements, experiences and fates. There are more and more Alices throughout the world every day, as early diagnosis of dementia becomes more common.
Mary Ann - August , 2014
Danube River Cruise from Budapest - Nurnberg.
* On 20th September, 2015 the Marmont Family Team of father, two of my three daughters, two sons-in-law and two of four grand children undertook 6.5 kilometre walk, as part of the Alzheimers Society National Memory Walks, in Oxford University ' Parkland.
12 November, 2017 ( Music Therapy )
On 24th May, 2017 Mary Ann Marmont was interviewed for DEMENTIA OXFORDSHIRE on national BBC Radio 2 Jeremy Vine Programme about the importance of music therapy helping people who live with dementia. Mary Ann was accompanied by another person who lives with the illness ( Tony O'Connell ). While on air Mary Ann sang an old Italian lullaby that she used to sing to out three daughters as children.
Part of the original interview is also featured on BBC 2 Jeremy Vine Programme's
" Best Bits of 2017" on Thursday, 28th December, 2017.