Still Alice – Living With Alzheimer’s Disease

 The movie, Still Alice, starring Julianne Moore, Alec Baldwin and Kristen Stewart is not an easy film to watch. It deals with one of our greatest fears as we age – realizing that we have Alzheimer’s disease. And yet it is a must-see film for several reasons.

First it is superbly acted. You are drawn into the lives of each of the characters concerned.

Secondly, it creates awareness around this disease that still carries a social stigma. Alice tells her husband, “I am sorry that I don’t have cancer. When you have cancer people support you with pink ribbons and run races to raise funds.” With Alzheimer’s, people avoid you.

Thirdly, in it Alice reminds us that to “Live in the moment is all I can do. Live in the moment.” Whether our minds are healthy or disease ridden, yesterday, even a second ago, is part of the past that can never be changed. Tomorrow will always remain in the future. This moment is all that we can be certain of, so let’s make the most of it.

Bonnie Fatio