The movie I am referring to is “STILL ALICE” which stars Julianne Moore as Alice Howland, a linguistics professor who is diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease. The film depicts her struggles with memory loss, confusion, and the impact on her family and professional life. Her initial symptoms, like forgetting words, losing her way while jogging, and forgetting lecture topics, prompt her to seek medical advice. After clinical assessments, including blood tests, MRI, PET scan, and genetic testing, she is diagnosed with familial Alzheimer’s disease due to a presenilin mutation. The story highlights her journey from denial to acceptance.
Breaking the news to her children and husband brings them into utter despair, leading them to get tested, with one of her daughters testing positive. The real trouble starts when Alice becomes dependent; she loses her job as frequent complaints come from her students that she seems lost while teaching. The family hires a caretaker as her illness progresses rapidly, which is unusual for Alzheimer’s but can be faster with a presenilin mutation. One scene depicts Alice wetting herself after forgetting the way to the toilet in her own home.
The movie beautifully portrays that having a supportive partner or children can make this journey loving and beautiful, but it also shows the burden and loss caregivers, especially the primary caregiver—in this case, her husband—experience, yet he stands by Alice till the end.
This movie touched me deeply because it mirrors my own experience. My father was diagnosed with dementia when I was young, and I didn’t understand his symptoms. He deteriorated quickly, took early retirement, and we mistakenly thought he had gone crazy. In India, we often lack access to proper diagnostics and information. My mother bore the full burden of caregiving without any support. Now, with what I’ve learned, I ensure every patient and their family in my OPD receive full details about the diagnosis and guidance at each step.
Dr. Zeba Khan
Senior Resident
Department of Psychiatry
AIIMS Rishikesh
