Caregiver Driven ReCode

A primer for newbies and old pros alike.
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clkincolo
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Caregiver Driven ReCode

Post by clkincolo »

Hello. I recently became aware of Dr. Bredesen’s book and through it found my way here. My wife is APOE 4/4 and was diagnosed with dementia 4 years ago at age 63. She has steadily declined cognitively since then.

As I ponder the possibility of applying recode with/for her I have what are probably common concerns and I do see them expressed in posts on this forum. What I have not seen is how likely recode might be to help at her stage of the disease. Certainly, there may be damage done that is irreversible. However, another barrier is that she really is unable to understand the rationale for the changes she will be required to make. That means I would have to be the driver. I wonder if other caregivers have been in this situation and have any advice?

Thanks
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nerdymel23
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Re: Caregiver Driven ReCode

Post by nerdymel23 »

clkincolo wrote:Hello. I recently became aware of Dr. Bredesen’s book and through it found my way here. My wife is APOE 4/4 and was diagnosed with dementia 4 years ago at age 63. She has steadily declined cognitively since then.

As I ponder the possibility of applying recode with/for her I have what are probably common concerns and I do see them expressed in posts on this forum. What I have not seen is how likely recode might be to help at her stage of the disease. Certainly, there may be damage done that is irreversible. However, another barrier is that she really is unable to understand the rationale for the changes she will be required to make. That means I would have to be the driver. I wonder if other caregivers have been in this situation and have any advice?
Hi clkincolo! Welcome to the forum!

I will let some of the caregivers chime in and offer their experience. We have many caregivers who are members. There's a lot of good information and support from caring and knowledgable people on this site. We invite caregivers to share their struggles and successes with other members, as well as a means to enhancing their own knowledge. Please feel free to share your experience under Our Stories.

I've seen some great testimonials for the Bredesen Protocol, and I have my own. In the Bredesen Protocol part of the Wiki you will find Dr Bredesen's research here. The Reversal of Cognitive Decline: 100 Patients, published in October 2018 might be of interest to you to browse through some patient numbers. Read it here

If you do enroll in ReCODE, please give us an update!

- Melissa
ApoE3/4
Board Certified Functional Medicine Health Coach
Certified Wahls Protocol Health Coach
Certified ReCODE Health Coach
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floramaria
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Re: Caregiver Driven ReCode

Post by floramaria »

clkincolo wrote:Hello. I recently became aware of Dr. Bredesen’s book and through it found my way here. My wife is APOE 4/4 and was diagnosed with dementia 4 years ago at age 63. She has steadily declined cognitively since then.

As I ponder the possibility of applying recode with/for her I have what are probably common concerns and I do see them expressed in posts on this forum. What I have not seen is how likely recode might be to help at her stage of the disease. Certainly, there may be damage done that is irreversible. However, another barrier is that she really is unable to understand the rationale for the changes she will be required to make. That means I would have to be the driver. I wonder if other caregivers have been in this situation and have any advice?

Thanks
Hello, clkincolo, and welcome! I am sorry to hear of your wife’s cognitive decline . She is fortunate to have a loving husband who is looking into ways to help her. While I am not a caregiver myself, as a health coach I have some experience working with individuals who are following the ReCODE Protocol and with their care partners. From my perspective, I believe that following all aspects of the protocol can be helpful for just about anyone. It is really a very healthy lifestyle. Dr Bredesen is clear that it is ideal to begin early ~ with prevention if possible~ yet he also reports improvement even in people with serious impairment. So I’d encourage you to at least give it a try and see how it goes. It is important to identify the underlying contributing factors so you can prioritize the steps you take/ she takes.
You are right that if your wife cannot understand the protocol, you would be the driver and responsible for overseeing implementation. If she goes along with the life style changes without much resistance, that might not be too difficult. It is undoubtedly easier when the participant herself is committed to the protocol, but she doesn’t have to understand the protocol to benefit from it. And while she might not understand the rationale for the changes, if you are doing this along with her, your explanation might be as simple as saying you are trying to make sure you will both get healthier.

Hopefully you’ll also get some replies here from people with direct personal experience as caregivers.
Meanwhile I send my very best wishes to you!
Functional Medicine Certified Health Coach
IFM/ Bredesen Training in Reversing Cognitive Decline (March 2017)
ReCODE 2.0 Health Coach with Apollo Health
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