Actress Geena Davis made her screen debut in the 1982 film Tootsie. One of her earliest commercial hits, ended up being. But, it’s probable that Davis’ performance in Thelma and Louise was the catalyst for her success as a leading lady. In one of her later works, Marjorie Prime, Davis was able to draw on her own experiences with a common medical issue to develop her character.

The 85-year-old female protagonist of the 2017 adaptation of the science fiction film, who is starting to exhibit symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease, is consoled by her daughter Tess (Davis) and her son-in-law Jon (Tim Robbins). They accomplish this by working with Prime, a business that creates holographic images of departed family members to aid Alzheimer’s patients. Because Davis had personally witnessed her mother’s battle with Alzheimer’s, she was able to use her own emotions to perform her part.

I found that incredibly moving,” Davis remarked of her own experience with the illness.

The thought of losing a loved one in fragments struck a chord with the author because her mother had Alzheimer’s. “I had a lot of material to work with and fascinating subjects to tackle.”

The actor continued by discussing the fascinating topic of memory and the movie’s examination of how memories are used. She said, “I just thought that was intriguing.

“I thought the topic of memory was fascinating, especially how we remember things and how memories deteriorate over time. pretty emotional as well.

It might be wise to look into this topic. Although I don’t mind taking projects home with me, this one made me think about my personal life more than any other movie I’ve worked on.

Without going into additional detail about her own mother’s experience with the degenerative ailment, Davis stated that the concept that every time someone remembers something, they’re actually recalling the last time they considered that memory, not the memory itself, was “life-changing” for her.

She continued, “I was actually shocked because I had never heard that concept before reading it in the script.

It has changed how I live. I don’t like it, really! I’m trying to convince myself that it’s not real since I’m so unhappy with that idea. But when things vanish from your or other people’s memories, it can be challenging.

Davis didn’t seem to be fearing the disease, which usually affects older people, but to be thriving in her elderly age.

The actress previously stated in 2020 that she thought growing older has improved her intelligence and sense of self.

She said at the time she thought every year had grown better. She is currently 66 years old. I like how each year, I look better. I’ve developed.

If someone can do it, I can do it,” she added, quoting her own motto.

Despite the fact that it may appear ambitious, I firmly believe that there are no age-related limitations on what we may learn or accomplish.

Alzheimer’s disease is the main cause of dementia in the UK, according to the NHS. Although the exact cause of Alzheimer’s disease is not fully understood, it is thought that a number of unique factors increase a person’s risk of developing the condition, which is associated with a persistent decline in brain function.

These components include:

• increasing age family history of the condition
• Despite the fact that depression is one of the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease, cardiovascular disease, and lifestyle factors, untreated depression is still a problem.
• It is essential to have a diagnosis as soon as possible before symptoms increase because the issue is developing. To do this, people must be able to identify the signs and symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease.

According to the NHS, a few minor memory problems are frequently the first noticeable sign. Examples of this include forgetting recent discussions or occurrences, as well as the names of locations and objects.

As the condition progresses, memory problems become more severe, along with other symptoms like:

• planning or making decisions while being confused, disoriented, and getting lost in familiar places
• difficulties with language and speech difficulty moving around or performing simple self-care tasks
• Personality changes, such as being more vengeful, demanding, and cautious of people
• Hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that aren’t there) and delusions (holding onto false beliefs)
• poor mood or concern.

Those who have an illness that has been diagnosed can take medication to lessen some of their symptoms. Moreover, psychological treatments like cognitive stimulation therapy may be offered to help with language, thinking through problems, and memory skills.

Thelma and Louise will air on BBC Four on Thursday, July 14, at 9:00 p.m.