The actor Chris Hemsworth is opening up about the experience of his father, Craig Hemsworth, with 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 information 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 there,” Ragan says.
Reminiscence therapy can also help with mood changes. People with Alzheimer’s will often get frustrated and agitated when they start to forget, so practicing reminiscence therapy can help them calm down by reminding them of the past, Khan says.
How Reminiscence Therapy Works
“Reminiscence therapy can be done with family, friends, or alone,” says Jameca Woody Cooper, PhD, a clinical psychologist in St. Louis. “It can also be delivered through technology and applied in various settings, such as assisted living facilities with trained staff or familiar environments with caregivers supported by trained therapists.”
Chris Hemsworth took a particularly ambitious approach. He recruited filmmakers to re-create the home where he and his family lived in the 1990s, using old photos. Even the framed pictures on the mantel were the same.
When father and son arrived at the house, Craig seemed stressed and repeatedly asked when his wife, Leonie, would arrive. Chris shared with the cameras that this was the first time he had seen his father show symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease.
But Craig lit up when he went inside the home. “How does it feel?” his son asked. “Like home,” Craig responded.
What Research Shows About Reminiscence Therapy
Research supports the use of reminiscence therapy for people with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.
Reminiscence Therapy Can Remind Your Loved Ones Who They Are
Research into reminiscence therapy is ongoing, but healthcare providers say it’s usually a positive experience for patients. “Reminiscence therapy is a valuable approach in person-centered dementia care, helping maintain individual identity,” Dr. Cooper says.
Family members can do reminiscence therapy on their own with a loved one with dementia, or they can work with a healthcare provider, Ragan says.
Khan suggests having an open mind about what qualifies as reminiscence therapy, noting that even gathering with friends can tap into the power of this treatment. “I’m seeing a lot of older adults gathering with friends and chitchatting,” she says. “That is a form of reminiscence therapy and can be really helpful.”