The Unspooling Mind

The Unspooling Mind

2014, Health  -   19 Comments
8.55
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Ratings: 8.55/10 from 74 users.

The Unspooling Mind is a documentary about the human toll of dementia, heart-wrenching decisions for families, the desperate search for care for those who can no longer care for themselves, and seeking help in a place with no return in a country far from home.

If they were a country called "Dementia" its population would be larger than Canada's. The condition affects 44 million people and strikes so often and so arbitrarily that it's been called an epidemic. It unspools the mind without any cure in sight.

On the outskirts of Amsterdam, interwoven in the fabric of the medieval village of Weesp, there is a place with no yesterday, no tomorrow, there is only now. All the people living there have severe dementia but they still can enjoy normal life and social contacts. Welcome to dementia village with population 152 where there's only one way in and one way out. They'll all die there... and life should be good in their last years.

Five time zones away there is another place with no locks at all, no gates or fences, in the land of smiles where demented are deposited by their European families, freely living in the moment until they take their last breath. The cost of caring for dementia patients has skyrocketed in recent years and it's created an industry of medical tourism... especially in Thailand.

Beyond the bustle of Thailand's northern city of Chiang Mai there's a quiet street and aged houses where the inhabitants occupy a private and mysterious world. Thailand is already known for its medical tourism and now this industry is worth almost four billion dollars a year. This latest business model is called "the granny export" and it touched a raw nerve back in Europe. The pain of this disease is often felt more by family who still hold the memories instead of those who've lost them.

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Neem Mokosh (ND)
Neem Mokosh (ND)
6 years ago

The base line for the cause of this condition and the effects used for diagnosis are due to the telomerase enzyme which helps renew, regenerate telomeres. The caps at the end of DNA chains. The enzyme is insufficient, in low quantity, blocked and also deficient in the activating proteins. the DNA is blocked in simple terms from expression and regeneration. People with this condition stay locked in the past patterns of events, memory loss, blocked expression of potential protein DNA expression. The enzyme telomerase and others in the sequence of activation requires the correct food, nutrients for the protein, enzyme activation and expression for best functioning. To offer this level of treatment is not mainstream medicine. These care facilities like most run on fear based paradigms sponged from their clients and their families. As do most businesses. Natural alternatives are out there and do work and alleviate the issues these people face daily. Some mentioned in other peoples comments here. Music they are familiar with in happier times and appropriate brainwaves music, Dr. jeremy Thompson, Solfeggio musical tones work.

Melissa
Melissa
7 years ago

Treat them for Lyme disease and see what happens. Pretty sure that mystery solved. Lieing and secrets need to be exposed.

clara
clara
7 years ago

why do american newscasters put on this pseudo british accent always paula zahn does the same thing you guys are yanks . rednecks stop it ok

jim jones
jim jones
9 years ago

yes,I agree,nursing may be the place.

mycial
mycial
9 years ago

Where is this coming from? Is it in the food that had homones vaccines flouride. Or the air we breathe this is just too many people my stepdad has alhizmer in his family, but he coping with it we see signs but it's hasn't progressed as of yet. This disease tears my heart I know there must be something to prolong the effects. To all the families that are suffering much love & peace to you.

frosty7530
frosty7530
9 years ago

This is important documentary for all of us in our '60s. Unless we can soon find cure for Alzheimers & other dementias, we too are in for a ride to Hell. While many American Nursing Homes are below par, this Doc. features 2 innovative alternatives to American Warehouses. One is in Holland, the other in Thailand. There are no cures, but these 2 facilities are so much more pleasant than ours. Watch for yourselves.

happyMephisto
happyMephisto
9 years ago

@dmix-other abominable creatures you forgot to mention-like john (mad dog) McCain.

bringmeredwine
bringmeredwine
9 years ago

The nursing home in Winnipeg looked fairly typical of most Canadian institutions. A clinical, sterile warehouse crammed with overly-medicated lost souls in wheel chairs, the worst dementia cases locked away from sight behind steel doors.
My city has 3 rather nice privately run facilities, with lots of cheerful and helpful staff; but they do not accommodate guests afflicted with dementia.
Your only alternative is one of the 2 provincially run institutions and they are appalling. They look exactly like that place in Winnipeg.
And good luck getting your loved one into one, because there are waiting lists a couple of years long.
On a happier note, the Danes have an excellent model and seem to be on the right path.

dmxi
dmxi
9 years ago

i only wish this affliction to man-kinds worst enemies:pedophiles,politicians & banksters (+ insert other abominable
creatures i forgot to mention)!
- the non-smirking one -

thisismyspamemail
thisismyspamemail
9 years ago

There are treatments for dementia and there is prevention.