Chris Hemsworth recreated his childhood home for Dad with Alzheimer's. His dad's reaction was priceless
'I want to do everything that I can to help him...'
Chris Hemsworth, the "Avengers" star, isn't just a great actor but is also a wonderful man who loves his family. He is also very close to his dad, Craig Hemsworth, who has been battling an early stage of Alzheimer's. When Chris realized that reliving experiences could delay the progression of the disease, he took his dad on a road trip to revisit memories. The documentary, "Chris Hemsworth: A Roadtrip to Remember," covered by National Geographic (@NatGeo), will premiere on November 23.
Reminiscence therapy (RT) is a therapeutic process that uses music, pictures, and specific objects to reignite memories. It often helps people with dementia strengthen the neural connections in the brain. "I want to do everything that I can to help him," Chris said, explaining how the road trip could help his dad fight Alzheimer's. To help Craig access his memories, the filmmakers recreated a house his family lived in the '90s. They also decorated the walls with multiple family pictures. Chris and his parents also watched his first movie. "Different places instantly bring memories to life," he added.
The anticipated documentary also featured an emotional moment; Craig confessed that his most "real memories" are deeply rooted in the place where Chris and his sibling grew up. At the beginning of the documentary, PEOPLE reported that Craig had difficulty remembering conversations. When they arrived at the recreated house, Craig looked a bit confused and kept asking repetitive questions. Chris noticed it and confirmed it was the first time his dad was showing symptoms of Alzheimer's. However, with reminiscence therapy, Craig's condition improves, especially after he goes on a 200-mile motorcycle road trip to meet his old friend, Spencer.
A study (Starkstein et al., 2005) revealed that people with Alzheimer's often experience depression. Now, this is concerning because depression also influences the progress of the disease, potentially worsening the condition. Here, Reminiscence Therapy (RT) helps because it involves recalling and discussing past positive experiences. This isn't a random observation, but studies (Wang, 2007; Serrani, 2012; Woods et al., 2012) have suggested that RT can reduce depressive symptoms in older adults with dementia. This explains why Craig's condition improved when he went on a road trip and relived memories he held close to his heart.
People loved the concept of the National Geographic documentary with Chris Hemsworth. They went all out, praising the "Thor" actor for doing something so thoughtful for his dad. Meanwhile, reacting to the trailer, @shelleycainbyrne shared, "I was my mother's caregiver for the last 8 years of her life. Other than my children, it was the most rewarding experience of my life! I am so glad to see it put in the spotlight for others to see. It is a hard thing to do. I learned so much about healthcare, prescription drugs, and more about my mother!" @tinkerbellstune confessed, "I can already tell that it’s been beautifully shot. I have a feeling that I’ll probably shed a tear or two watching it. I can’t wait for this!" Similarly, @ladymngwa wrote, "You know that the documentary will absolutely devastate you when you start slicing onions during its 2-minute-long trailer."
You can follow National Geographic (@NatGeo) for more documentaries!
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