Ron, from Pacifica, California, was in his 60s when he started having memory problems. His doctor performed the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), a test where participants are asked to perform tasks such as drawing hands on a clock face. Scoring 21/30 on the test put him in the range for moderate Alzheimer’s (26 is normal). A month later, Ron lost his driver’s license due to his diagnosis–and was determined to not lose anything else. (1)

Diabetes

The first step was additional testing–and that’s when Ron made a discovery. His memory issues were the result of him being pre-diabetic. In fact, it had almost progressed into diabetes. The Mayo Clinic says that “many people with diabetes have brain changes that are hallmarks of both Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia.” The Mayo Clinic also says that diabetes may also increase the risk of developing mild cognitive impairment (MCI), a condition in which people experience more thinking (cognitive) and memory problems than are usually present in normal aging. Some research indicates that diabetes may increase the risk of MCI worsening to dementia.

So now Ron had answers. But where to go from here? (1, 2)

Treatment

Afraid to become insulin-dependent, Ron tried a variety of other ways to manage his condition. However, it was not enough to rely on just one method. Ron made an entire lifestyle change. He began taking his health more seriously, switched to a keto-paleo diet, took supplements, and exercised 45 minutes a day. Due to his efforts, Ron lost 40 lbs. In addition, he used brain-training apps to keep himself sharp. 

In a few months, Ron scored 29 on the MoCA. After that, he went to the DMV with a note from a Dr. Kat Toups, a dementia researcher who had gone into remission herself. He passed the driver’s test and regained his license. (1)

Another Ron

In Ontario, Canada, there’s another Ron who has received an Alzheimer’s diagnosis. Ron Roberts, 81 had a family history of Alzheimer’s, but the diagnosis still crushed him. He says it was “devastating to have my driver’s license taken away as soon as I was diagnosed. It seemed like I was instantly not who I was before, but that wasn’t how I felt.”

In fact, the biggest change was in his desire to fight back. He says,

 I decided I didn’t want to do like I’ve seen others do, including my brother. They’re diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, and they think it’s a death sentence almost, and they give into it. I thought, ‘No, I’m not going to give in to this sucker. I’ve never given into anything, so why would I start now?’ (3, 4)

The Learning Solution

In an effort to keep brain degeneration at bay, he enrolled in university classes. Going for a degree in Political Science, Ron says he’s “feel[ing] better both mentally and physically” and “working on a research paper on how education can benefit people with dementia.” 

Like the Ron from California, he believes in being “a good part of that research.” He finds that often “they’re doing research with us, we’re like patients or objects.” (3, 4)