‘Living in a Reel’: How Alzheimer’s remaining gene hackman alone in his last days

Actor Jean Hackman was the only one.

The Academy Award winner did not make any calls and missed meals twice.

Medical experts say it is possible that the 95 -year -old, who was suffering from the decline in health and the advanced stages of Alzheimer’s disease, was not even realized that his wife of over 30 years had died in the house where she was living.

If he does so, experts told the BBC, he probably passed through various stages of confusion and sorrow, trying to awaken him, before the disease distracted him or was very overwhelmed to work – a process that was probably repeated for days also died.

Officials in New Mexico say that Betsi Arkawa, 65, Hackman died of a rare virus about seven days ago Natural reasons ended on 18 February.

The pair – and one of their dogs – after the safety of the neighborhood, was found dead in their Santa F house and a welfare investigation was done and saw his body on the ground through a window.

Officials first said that there was a serious discovery “Suspect enough” to start an inquiry,

Their remains were discovered in advanced stages of decomposition. Arakawa was found with a nearby bullets in a bathroom. Hackman was found near the kitchen with sugarcane and sunglasses. One of his three dogs was found dead in a crate.

But there was no dishonesty in a police investigation.

Instead, the case has highlighted the serious realities of the Alzheimer’s disease, which over time damages and destroys the cells in the brain of one over time – removing memory and other important mental functions.

“It is as if he was living in a reel,” the BBC, a professional therapist,, with a decades of experience in Catherine V. Pierceol, Dementia Care, BBC explained how hackman may have experienced his wife’s frequent loss.

He noted patients with advanced Alzheimer’s disease like actors currently live and are unable to look back or work in the past.

“I think he must have been trying to wake him up and not succeed. But then (he) could distract in another room due to dogs or something,” he said.

Then later, he will again notice his wife to the ground and “will have to live again through it”, she said.

Although no one knows how Hakman survived his last days, the serious nature of possibilities was discussed by the authorities and the medical examiner of the region.

At a press conference last week, the Chief Medical Examiner of New Mexico, Dr. Heather Jarell said that Arkawa died Huntavirus pulmonary syndrome (hps)A respiratory disease due to exposure to infected rodents. Hackman’s death was the result of significant heart disease, in which Alzheimer’s disease was a contribution factor.

Dr. Jerlel said that given the advanced stages of Hackman’s Alzheimer’s disease, “It is quite possible that he was not aware that he (his wife) had died”, Dr. Jarell said.

His body examination indicated that he had not eaten recently, although he did not show any signs of dehydration. The officials found no evidence that he had communicated with someone after the death of his wife and could not determine whether he was able to take care of himself or not.

Ms. Pierceol said that patients with advanced Alzheimer’s are not able to take environmental signs such as light and darkness, making it difficult to determine when they should eat, sleep or bathe themselves when they should eat.

“They (cues) occur only often, no longer available to people at this stage of dementia,” he said.

Dr. Brendon Kelly, a neurologist, who specializes in memory and cognition at UT Southwestern Medical Center, explained why hackman may not be able to call the authorities for help. He said that Alzheimer’s disease may leave patients caught amidst emotional discomfort and inability to function on it.

“A person may feel anxious or frightened, but at the same time they may not be able to take the tasks you or I can generally think to reduce the anxiety or anxiety, such as calling someone else, or going to talk to a neighbor.”

Dr. Kelly says that Alzheimer’s patients experience feelings such as pain and sadness, and experience physical needs such as hunger and thirst, it is difficult for them to identify what they are feeling.

He said that missing food can also increase confusion and movement levels.

The shocking details of the hackman, who lived in the house for a week after the couple’s death and the passing of their wife, shook the Santa Fa area, where the couple lived for more than 20 years.

“It’s just disastrous,” says the city’s long-standing resident Jeffrey Gomez, who remembers looking at hackman around the city in his different cars, always with a smile on his face.

His partner, Linda, said that the details were triggering, explaining that she cares for her elderly mother dementia. “Even when you help, it’s a lot,” he said.

“We know that Jean and his wife were very private people and she was probably trying to save her from the public,” she said, “but the idea of ​​doing so alone? It is a lot shoulder to shoulder.”

Laura N Gitlein, PhD, a behavioral scientist who researches the ways to support care, told the BBC, it is becoming a common problem among the carers.

“With the aging of a population, we also reduce the number of people in the family, the number of children, or the number of relatives living nearby,” he explained.

Ms. Gitlein has less careful for these individuals with being low -careful, such as it is a time to keep a loved one in a house instead of taking care of her at home.

Jeffrey Gomez said that he could not understand that no one had investigated the couple for so long.

“It breaks my heart, it was so long.”

A list of organizations in the UK offered support and information with some issues of this story BBC Action Line.