Life after 90 and dealing with Alzheimer’s
By Dr. José Valencia April 11, 2008 San Miguel de Allende

Lecture
“Elderness” and Alzheimer’s 
Dr. José Valencia
Wed, Apr 16, noon
Sala Quetzal
Biblioteca Pública
Insurgentes 25
50 pesos

Aging or “elderness” produces many physiological changes—atrophy of certain brain structures, malfunction of joints, difficulty in remembering recent events, high blood pressure, insomnia, reduction of sexual drive, periods of depression and loss of self-confidence. Not all of these symptoms, however, are necessarily related to the march of time. Is the brain really affected on each birthday? How could Arthur Rubinstein or Pablo Picasso show such vigor past age 90 (the pianist won his fifth Grammy and the painter started neo-expressionism)? Is there any “element” in them others do not have? Can medical procedures help avoid dramatic declines after age 60?

In fact, a “formula” to avoid the effects of time on our bodies is not magic or the privilege of some few. Gerontologist Dr. José Valencia will reveal the secret in his talk.

Every time we forget something does not mean we’re getting close to Alzheimer’s disease. Even though I am a doctor (perhaps especially because I’m a doctor) and I’ve been attending elderly patients for the last 30 years, I feel terrified if I don’t remember where I left my car or my son’s telephone number!

I know that we deny what causes us fear, what’s unknown or what affects our health, integrity, dignity, stability and emotional and physical well-being. Alzheimer’s disease represents the sum of all our fears. I frequently say that we must be prepared to deal with the most we want or the most we fear, but are we prepared to accept that Alzheimer’s might be part of our lives? 

Alzheimer’s may be aggravated by bad nutrition, cigarettes, alcohol, or lack of exercise. It’s possible it could be an acceleration of “elderness” caused by a “trigger” represented by outer factors such as electromagnetism, ambient factors, pollution, or even attitude.

Dr. José Valencia is an expert in tanatology, gerontoprofilacta and therapeutics. He works with the elderly and can be reached at (415) 155-9547 or jjvalenciar@hotmail.com  or pepe.plenitud@gmail.com.