“High” hopes for low agitation?

Even before marijuana saw widespread legalization and acceptance, it was often taken illegally to help with various ailments. Legalization in many places, however, has opened up the ability to perform clinical trials more easily and with larger sample sizes. The results of the most recent major study were presented on September 26th and addressed the effects of synthetic THC on agitation among people with dementia.

So, can marijuana help someone with dementia who experiences agitation? The answer is (drumroll, please) a resounding maybe! What it boils down to is that it’s tough to say how any one person will react. While recent studies suggest that it will often help with agitation, it may actually make agitation WORSE for some people. In short, this is not a course of action you should take without a doctor’s advice and oversight. The study we refer to also used a synthetic THC pill, Dronabinol, not the actual plant, which must also be accounted for.

(Please note, this newsletter does not offer medical advice. This is simply a summary of the news on this topic. Consult with your doctor before making any changes to your or your loved one’s potions, tinctures, and prescriptions.)

• Cannabis pill may reduce agitation in people with Alzheimer's disease (Medical News Today)

• Synthetic THC May Calm Agitation in Alzheimer's Patients (HealthDay)

• Clinical Trial Shows Synthetic Cannabis Reduces Agitation in Alzheimer’s Disease (Johns Hopkins Medicine)

However!

• As older adults experiment with marijuana, this doctor has seen cases of psychosis on the rise (KJZZ Phoenix)

Be careful out there! There are no miracle cures, and there are virtually always side effects any time we change our bodies with substances, either natural or pharmaceutical. Talk to your medical professionals if you have questions.

A Heartwarming New Movie: Top Marks for “Thelma”!

We recently sat down and watched the new movie Thelma. It was absolutely perfect. Everything about it resonated as a heart-warming comedy about life, and the meaning of life, as a senior. It’s funny, but never at the expense of the seniors it portrays, and it somehow manages to be hilarious as well as a profound meditation on aging at the same time. Highly recommended!

On the Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer, it scores 98% at time of publication!

From Kylie Bolter’s review in the Chicago Reader:

You can watch it on Prime Video, Hulu, Disney+, and AppleTV.

Grief, the sacred, and the Holiday Season

December might have the most holidays of any month of the year. The word holiday, which comes from “holy day,” designates a time that might be set aside for joy, yes, but also for contemplation of the sacred and our connection to our world. As the year comes to an end and we encounter the longest night of the year in the Winter Solstice, it should come as no surprise that, along with joy, we must face the grief we have accumulated over the year. Although it may not feel good, it’s healthy, natural, and universal to have these feelings.

Here are some holidays we celebrate across the world in December:

• Bodhi Day, December 8 (or Rohatsu, December 1 - 8), Buddhist holiday

• Immaculate Conception Day, December 8, Catholic holiday

• Hanukkah, starting on the 25th day of Kislev according to the Hebrew calendar, Jewish holiday

• Yule, December 21 - January 1, Wiccans and Neo-Pagans (starts with Winter Solstice on December 21)

• Christmas, December 25, Christians

• Boxing Day, December 26, British workers’ holiday

• Zarathosht Diso, December 26, Zoroastrians

• Kwanzaa, December 26 - January 1, cultural celebration of African-American tradition

• Ōmisoka, December 31st, Japanese Shinto celebration

• New Years Eve/New Years Day, December 31 - January 1, celebrated around the world

So if you’re struggling, know you’re not alone. If you’re reading this newsletter, you probably have some very difficult things on your plate, and ‘tis the season for them all to gang up, we’re afraid. Here are some articles about grief that might help you this December:

• We Don't Talk Enough About Dementia Grief (Oprah Daily)

• Brené, Barrett, and Ashley on Grief, Laughter, and Sisterhood: Losing Our Mom and Holding On to Each Other (Brené Brown, podcast audio with transcript at the bottom)

• With dementia, grief may start long before a parent’s death (American Psychological Association)

• Kola Bokinni: “With dementia, you grieve for the person before they die” (Huck interview with Kola Bokinni of the Ted Lasso series)

Since it’s a season of songs and holiday music, check out our recent YouTube video on the subject of how music can help people with dementia. While you’re there, don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel for more tips!

All right! One more holiday fun fact before we break for this edition. Do you know the biggest American Scrooges of all time? In 1659, the government of the Massachusetts Bay Colony actually BANNED Christmas. Can you guess who the members of that government were? Dun dun DUN!!! The PURITANS! I think they all needed a visit from Dickins’ three ghosts to lighten them up a little.

As we head into December, the fine folks at elumenEd and the Dementia Newsletter wish you strength, courage, and joy with your loved ones. Happy holidays to all!

Your friends,
The Dementia Newsletter

_{Disclaimer: at The Dementia Newsletter, we’re dementia professionals but we’re not medical doctors. The information provided is for general informational purposes only and should not be considered as medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional for medical diagnosis, treatment, or any health-related concerns.}