Resident advocates for citizens who have Alzheimer’s
A Broomfield resident has been selected to serve on a unique advisory panel that will help serve the millions of people in the U.S. who are living with Alzheimer’s disease.
Rebecca Chopp was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2019, when her doctor conducted a memory test after Chopp got lost on her way to the office.
“I said (to the doctor) that I got lost on the way to the office and I never get lost, so she asked if I could take a mini cognitive exam,” Chopp said. “And I thought ‘Oh sure, it’ll all pass. I’m good at taking tests, I’m an academic.’
“But I didn’t pass.”
Chopp spent her career in higher education, including as the chancellor of the University of Denver. One of the earliest signs of her condition was a sense of anxiety and dread around social events at her job, something she had previously enjoyed.
“I look back now and there were signs but I didn’t know enough to know what the signs were,” she said. She was diagnosed four months after her initial appointment. “I was diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment with indications of Alzheimer’s, and it was devastating.”
Now, Chopp has been invited to join the Alzheimer’s Association’s National Early-stage Advisory Group, which focuses on programming and resources for individuals in the early stages of Alzheimer’s. For Chopp and many others, the initial diagnosis can be traumatic.
Although her mother and both grandmothers had the disease, Chopp and her family were shocked by the diagnosis. Her fear was compounded by a neurologist who told her there was nothing she could do, and that soon she wouldn’t even be able to button her own shirts.
“I decided to get a second opinion and the second doctor gave the same diagnosis, but she said there’s so much more you can do. And she described all this research about how people could live very well for years … and it was
a whole different experience,” she said. “And I decided to turn those doctor’s orders into gifts.”
The doctor explained that although there is no cure for the disease, research showed that certain lifestyle changes could slow progression and improve quality of life for patients, as well as grant them independence for as long as possible. The changes she recommended included more exercise, diet changes, lowering stress and increasing creativity.
“Because of the stigma and the lack of knowledge about this disease, your mind immediately jumps to being completely dependent in six months or eight months or a year,” Chopp said. “You’re not totally optimistic because there’s no cure, but the longer you can delay the progress of symptoms the more you can live well and even with joy.”
Chopp said she’s doing well and enjoying the lifestyle
changes. She said her sister and son have even started painting with her, and her dog, Buddy, enjoys the long walks they take together every morning.
In addition to her work with the Alzheimer’s Association, Chopp continues to advocate for herself and others with the disease. Much of her focus is on education and encouraging people to learn the early signs of Alzheimer’s so they can get an early diagnosis.
“A positive attitude is key to prolonging a good life, and you just have to refuse to surrender. Of course the disease will take you at some point, but until you can no longer fight it, you should do it with joy,” she said.
The panel, which consists of eight people living with early stage Alzheimer’s, focuses on raising awareness and educating people through their personal experiences. The Alzheimer’s Association offers free services for those living with Alzheimer’s and their families at alz.org.