Chris Hemsworth’s Father’s Alzheimer’s Diagnosis Sparks Interest in Reminiscence Therapy

The actor Chris Hemsworth is opening up about the experience of his father, Craig Hemsworth, wiht early-stage Alzheimer’s disease and his efforts to help his dad combat the illness by accessing powerful long-term memories.

As documented in the National Geographic film Chris Hemsworth: A Road Trip to Remember which debuts November 23, the Thor star took his father on a 200-mile motorcycle journey across Australia as a way to explore an Alzheimer’s treatment called reminiscence therapy.

“My dad and I are going on a road trip back into our past,” Chris says in a trailer for the film.”I want to do everything I can to help him. Turns out, this experience could help fight the disease.”

Craig’s cognitive abilities seem to improve as the reminiscence therapy continues – including after he and Chris meet with one of Craig’s old friends.

The documentary is raising questions about reminiscence therapy and its role in helping people with Alzheimer’s. Here’s what experts want you to know.

What Is Reminiscence Therapy?

At its core, reminiscence therapy involves showing the patient objects that can bring up past memories, like old souvenirs or family photographs. “It’s something familiar and positive,” explains Arshia Khan, PhD a biomedical researcher and a professor at the Swenson College of Science and Engineering at the University of Minnesota in Duluth.

The therapy is designed to help people with Alzheimer’s disease and other memory issues recall past events, emotions, and thoughts, explains Paul Ragan, MD an associate professor of clinical psychiatry at Vanderbilt University school of medicine in Nashville, Tennessee.

“With Alzheimer’s disease, short-term memory goes first and fairly quickly,” Dr.Ragan says. We use short-term memory for facts we need to retain only briefly, such as the next task we want to do or what we ate for breakfast, he says.

But long-term memory – like memories from the more distant past – isn’t impacted until later, says Dr. Khan.

“Reminiscence therapy exploits that long-term memory in early and middle dementia, helping patients to access those memories that are already ther,” Ragan says.

Reminiscence therapy can also help with emotional well-being.