MAIL BAG
Alzheimer’s agony
The two articles on Alzheimer’s Disease (“When mom turned a stranger” by Meera Prasad and “Battlefield Alzheimer’s” by Dr. Prasad Mathews, Magazine, September 20) made useful reading. Recently, the Malayalam moviemaker Blessy had made a celluloid symphony, “Thanmathra”, on the horrors of the disease, ably using the acting prowess and the inimitable mannerisms of matinee idol, Mohanlal.
With equal dexterity, Meera Prasad, sans the aid of panoramic visuals, portrays with ease and effectiveness the umbilical relationship with her mother, preyed by the disease. Dr. Prasad Mathews gives valuable tips to caregivers. Both have done a commendable job in fostering awareness in the common people to confront the cursed disease.
It appears that there is reason for optimism. Current research reveal that brain cells repair themselves, unseating the conventional notion that their damage is irreversible. This offers the promise of restored mental ability and new hope for Alzheimer’s victims.
N. Sadasivan Pillai
Guntakal
The article makes for poignant reading and sheds light on how crippling the disease Alzheimer’s can be when it affects our loved ones. Alzheimer’s has evolved over the years as the most devastating brain degenerative disease affecting older population and pushing them to the zone of great distress and pain. Sustained family support and care is very crucial for Alzheimer’s affected persons to live with dignity and peace. Early diagnosis and an appropriate treatment of the disease, supplemented by tender care and love is the best strategy to tackle it in an effective manner.
M. Jeyaram
Sholavandan, Madurai
The article by Meera Prasad poignantly brings out the agony of the sufferer as well as the caregiver. Faced with this incurable condition, one can only watch helplessly as the patient deteriorates day by day. Articles such as this will go a long way in dispelling the myths surrounding old age and senility and hopefully will help people in recognising the symptoms of Alzheimer’s and thus provide better care to the patient.
Mirle Karthik
Bangalore
Using intelligence
The article by Vijay Nagaswami (Ramanujan or Tansen?, Magazine, September 20) is an intelligent exercise that makes for interesting reading. The seven plus three different attributes of intelligence described here make it more important for its contemporary relevance and for its similarity with our ancient thinking. It provides an useful approach to identify our strengths and weaknesses and help seek our career path based on our capabilities and competence. Equity and access are inherent to human intelligence. Intelligence is equally distributed in all human beings, its application makes one different in his capabilities.
Prof. (Dr.) C.V. Jayamani
Thiruvananthapuram
Silent service
Kalpana Sharma’s “Invisible people” (Magazine, September 20) on the people who are normally not visible but help in making our lives easy was really thought-provoking. They come, do their job unobtrusively like delivering the morning newspaper, milk and to do many other odds and ends for us. We are oblivious of their lifestyles and seldom interact with them except when we are required to pay their monthly dues. If one of them fails to do his assigned errand, think of the anxiety or inconvenience caused to us, so much so that we become restless till it is done!
This situation is not confined to the metros alone. It is spread all over the towns and every householder is involved in one way or the other. But how many of us think about them? Perhaps none. We only give them bakshish on festive occasions — that too with a lot of grudge and bargaining! Let us behave more humanely with these “silent servers” who make our lives pleasant each day.
K. Nehru Patnaik
Simhadripuram, Visakhapatnam
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