Playing Alzheimer's in a soap opera

Reported by Susan Aldridge, PhD, medical journalist

Actor Dominic Chianese shows how TV can give us insights into living with dementia.
Are you a fan of 'The Sopranos'? Do you watch the UK TV soap opera 'Coronation St'? TV critics and Alzheimer's charities alike have praised the recent portrayal of characters with Alzheimer's disease in both series. Junior Soprano and Mike Baldwin help us share in what it might be like to live with Alzheimer's disease.

In an upcoming issue of Neurology Now, the American Academy of Neurology's magazine for people with dementia and caregivers, actor Dominic Chianese shares his experience of playing Junior. He has been a caregiver himself - looking after his mother with dementia. He also has experience of entertaining nursing home residents. He explains how this taught him that the person with dementia has moments of lucidity - they'll be with you if you are singing to them, say - and then they 'slip away'. Uncle Junior is the same, he says - he has a 'kind of childlike quality'. It is impressive that these programmes, watched by millions, are raising public awareness of dementia - for those affected and their caregivers, this can only be a good thing.

Source
Neurology Now June 2006 (www.neurologynow.com)

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