Alzheimer and famous people...today: Ronald Reagan

Honoring those affected by Alzheimer's

Senior Home Plus simply wants to bid farewell to all those equally famous individuals Alzheimer has taken from us. Whether at the helm of the highest state responsibilities or capable of dominating the screen with their charisma, Alzheimer's disease has affected them one by one. After leaving an indelible mark on history, whether we agree with their ideas or not, these personalities waged a dignified battle against Alzheimer's. And, as we sadly observe every time a public figure is struck by Alzheimer's disease, all studies suggesting that the prevalence of this neurodegenerative disease is higher in individuals with less education or reduced intellectual activity shatter into pieces. Alzheimer's disease concerns us all. It affects the most diverse profiles.

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The impact of Alzheimer's on public figures

Ronald Reagan was the first head of state to publicly announce his illness. In November 1994, he wrote in an open letter to the American people, "I have recently been told that I am one of the millions of Americans who will be afflicted with Alzheimer's disease."

Diagnosed with Alzheimer's five years after leaving the White House, he was already showing early-stage symptoms during his presidency (from 1980 to 1988), according to his son Ron Reagan, in a memoir published in his memory, "My Father at 100: A Memoir," released on the occasion of President Reagan's 100th birthday. He passed away in 2004 at the age of 93 due to Alzheimer's complications.

Legacy beyond health challenges

"He was unusually confused and searching for words," Ron Reagan recalls, referring to a televised debate in 1984 against Democrat Walter Mondale. "I had a pang of sadness watching him flounder with his answers, lose his train of thought, and search for words, which was unlike him. He looked tired and bewildered."

Then, two years later, during a trip to northern Los Angeles, the American President couldn't remember the names of the canyons, even though they were so familiar to him... However, Ron Reagan believes that his father's health should not tarnish the legacy of the man who became the 40th President of the United States in 1980. He cites cases like Abraham Lincoln, who suffered from clinical depression, or John F. Kennedy, who battled Addison's disease. These politicians managed to fulfill their duties despite their health conditions: "American voters must remember that they are electing human beings to the White House, with their share of strengths and weaknesses."

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