"An hour before our scheduled meeting at Lancaster train station, 71-year-old Alex Pandolfo sends a message on WhatsApp. He writes that despite our video call two weeks ago, he cannot remember what I look like. I hope you don't think this rude. If you see me, please just give me a kick, he adds in jest. When I approach him on the platform, he hesitates for a moment, then a tentative smile breaks across his face, widening as recognition sets in."
"When the first rang at 7am, he staggered out of bed and glanced at a picture of Morticia Addams painted by a close friend and a stuffed toy in the shape of a Humbug sweet that his sister had bought him as a joke because of his dislike of Christmas. Every morning is precious, he says, and it's lovely to wake up and be surrounded by things that remind me of the people I love."
Alex Pandolfo is 71 and lives with Alzheimer's disease diagnosed in 2015. He maintains daily routines using multiple alarms and calendar reminders to compensate for memory loss and difficulty processing new names and faces. Familiar objects and photographs provide comfort and help recognition. He prepares coffee, checks emails and uses scheduled alarms to prompt travel and appointments. Alzheimer’s causes progressive cognitive decline, language deterioration, mood and behaviour changes, and lacks a cure. Specialists initially estimated three to four years to live with a possible decade survival. Pandolfo leads an active life but plans to pursue assisted dying if his health deteriorates.
Read at www.aljazeera.com
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