– It was a shock. We were knocked to the ground, quite simply. This is how Stig Isaksen in Tromsø describes what it was like to be diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in November last year, aged 55. Isaksen also thinks the way he got it was unnecessarily tough: He read it on the Helsenorge app. – It must be the mistake of the century, he says. – It cannot be described in any other way than that it was cruel. I don’t wish anyone else to receive such a message in that way. Facts about Alzheimer’s disease Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia. The disease leads to damage and loss of brain cells, and usually develops over many years. The first symptoms of Alzheimer’s are usually problems with memory, language and orientation. Both younger and older people can get Alzheimer’s disease, but it is most common in the elderly. About 60 percent of all people with dementia have Alzheimer’s disease. Changes in blood vessels and blood circulation to the brain can increase the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. The causes are the same as those that increase the risk of cardiovascular disease: high blood pressure, smoking, diabetes, high cholesterol levels in the blood and obesity. But it is also possible to get Alzheimer’s despite healthy lifestyle habits. Alzheimer’s disease is a consequence of harmful changes in the brain. There may be biochemical changes, protein deposits, or cell changes that lead to nerve cell death. Research has given us some answers as to why this happens. Among other things, we know that there are several factors that work together, and which lead to the development of the disease. (Source: The National Association for Public Health) Mona Hagensen is glad that she was at home when her partner was diagnosed. Photo: Ida Louise Rostad / news Roommate Mona Hagensen happened to be at home with Isaksen when he opened the message from Health Norway. – You feel that the crisis you are put in when you get such a serious disease as Alzheimer’s is being neglected, she says. – Stig said it so nicely at the time: He would wish there was someone who could spread his wings over us and take care of us, because Alzheimer’s disease is, in principle, a death sentence. Stig Isaksen can no longer drive, but still lives an active life. Photo: Ida Louise Rostad / news Collecting money The disease has not set Isaksen back that much yet, but he notices that it sometimes takes a little longer to find the words. – Right now I feel as strong as a bear. But it’s probably not something I can count on in the future, says Isaksen. – I have to make the best of it. There is currently no cure for this diagnosis. Isaksen and his partner want to do something about that. – A lot of good things are being done today, but we are not on target. We are actually not at the finish line until we can go to the pharmacy and pick up the medicine Stig needs, says Mona Hagensen – And it is not certain that me and Stig will experience it, but we want our children to not have to have such a heavy and cruel disease like Alzheimer’s. That is why they have created a joint, are planning a concert and collecting money for more research. Stig Isaksen and Mona Hagensen were far down in the basement when Stig received the diagnosis. Photo: Ida Louise Rostad / news Calls for more will from the government But Isaksen and Hagensen would like to see research into dementia made a higher priority by the government. – Much more must be allocated than is being done today. There will be many people who will get Alzheimer’s in the future, says Isaksen. He is one of over 100,000 people in Norway who have a form of dementia. This is dementia Dementia is a common denominator for a group of brain diseases that usually affect older people. Around 70 percent of all dementia cases are due to Alzheimer’s. Common symptoms of dementia are: Loss of memory Impaired ability to act Impaired language function Changes in personality Changes in behavior In the vast majority of cases, dementia develops gradually. There is currently no cure for dementia, but there are medications that can slow down the progression. It is therefore important to detect dementia early. Sources: The National Association for Public Health, Faktisk.no, the Directorate of Health and Susana Castro-Chavira, researcher at UiT Norway’s Arctic University. It is expected that the number will more than double by 2050. Lack of money and targeted research focus are by far the most important explanation for the lack of breakthroughs, according to the National Association for Public Health. – Research into dementia lags behind research in other fields, says head of research at the National Association for Public Health, Anne Rita Øksengård. Research manager at the National Association for Public Health, Anne Rita Øksengård, is happy that Isaksen and Hagensen share so openly about what it’s like to live with Alzheimer’s: – They have really initiated a great commitment and involved everyone around them. Photo: Stig Jaarvik / news According to the association, globally there is 13–14 times as much research into cardiovascular disease and cancer as into dementia. – We have such great opportunities here in Norway to contribute. So a collaboration to finance research, where the authorities carry a large part of the load, would be golden, says Øksengård. – We must also do more. Hagensen has a direct appeal to the Minister of Health: – We are doing everything we can to contribute to research, which can solve the Alzheimer’s puzzle. And I would like to ask you if you are willing to do everything in your power to ensure that the researchers researching this serious disease receive the necessary funds and priority, she says. Mona Hagensen hopes the next generation will not have to go through what she and Stig Isaksen are going through now. Photo: Ida Louise Rostad / news Health Minister Jan Christian Vestre (Ap) has not had the opportunity to be interviewed in the case. State Secretary in the Ministry of Health and Care, Ellen Rønning-Arnesen (Ap), thinks it regrettable that Stig had to read his diagnosis over the phone. – When you are informed of a serious diagnosis, you must have health personnel around you, and you must ensure that you have the help and support you need, she says. She also praises the work the National Association for Public Health does for dementia research. – We must also do even more for dementia research. Both what are the causes, how we can prevent and also look for ways to pursue forms of treatment, she says. – We are now following up on international collaborations. We carry out clinical treatment research and also prioritize it, so that Norwegian patients get quick access to the medicines that are available. State Secretary in the Ministry of Health, Ellen Rønning Arnesen (Ap, is clear that no one should find out about serious diagnoses through a screen. Photo: Håvard Greger Hagen / news But she does not make any concrete promises in the form of increased grants on the occasion of World Alzheimer’s Day September 21. Isaksen and Hagensen in Tromsø are also keen to remove what they perceive to be a stigma, which is why they have chosen to share openly about what it is like to live with Alzheimer’s. – We try to give an insight into what it means to have the disease, both for me and for Stig, – We can’t have it like this today that people who get the disease don’t dare to tell it over it, because it’s so shameful. After going through several rounds with themselves, they decided to share life after the diagnosis on TikTok – both the bright spots in their everyday lives and the heavy ones. Photo: Ida Louise Rostad / news They also try to live their lives as normally as possible. – It is a brutal disease that can make Stig very ill. We try not to think about it so much in everyday life, because then you can become very depressed, says Hagensen. – So we try to take one day at a time, do things we like and take care of the moments. No one knows what tomorrow will bring anyway. Stig Isaksen wants Princess Ingrid Alexandra as his protector. Photo: Ida Louise Rostad / news Isaksen also has a wish for those who have, or will have, the same illness as him. – If I can get a wish from the top shelf, then I could imagine having Princess Ingrid Alexandra as a top patron for the organizations for those of us who have Alzheimer’s and dementia, he says. – She represents the future and hopefully her generation will avoid getting this horrible disease, says Hagensen. The roommates in Tromsø take one day at a time, and are not afraid to use humor in everyday life. Photo: Ida Louise Rostad / news Do you need someone to talk to? Contact the Dementia Line on telephone: 23 12 00 40. Here you can talk to experienced nurses. The dementia line is open Monday to Friday from 09.00 to 15.00. Published 21.09.2024, at 08.15
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Calls for more research – news Troms and Finnmark
