‘Ak Peize An Gie’: Blues musician honors deceased mother with Alzheimer’s
She stayed in a residential care center in Roeselare, and Guy Verlinde also played the song there for the residents today.
“Loss is difficult to place”
Blues musician Guy Verlinde: “Unfortunately, she is no longer here. That loss is of course very difficult to place. Fortunately, I have found a way to process that by writing a song about it.”
The text is about memories and reflections on life.
Guy Verlinde: “That is why I think that a day like World Alzheimer’s Day is a good time to reflect on this with everyone. Not only with the people who are victims themselves, but especially those around them. I think of my father who took care of our mother for a very long time. Far too long to be good. You feel it is your duty not to give up and not to just let go.
Also young people with Alzheimer’s
As the population ages, the risk of dementia also increases. But the brain disorder also affects younger people.
Nele Mesure from WZC Ter Berken in Roeselare: “Dementia is actually a catch-all concept involving various forms of dementia. The most common form is actually Alzheimer’s dementia. That is also the most well-known in society. This is characterized mainly by people who start forgetting things. Now old age forgetfulness is therefore not dementia.”
Hope for medication
Science is slowly unraveling the secrets of the disease. There might now even be a prospect of an efficient medicine. Because time is running out.
“I think we now have 144,000 in Belgium,” says Nele Mesure. “I don’t dare say exactly. But I thought those are the figures. Finding staff is already a very difficult problem and that will not improve. For us that is a bit frightening, what will the future look like. But in the meantime science is looking. There is hope that a number of new medications will be available in the coming years.”