Who Says You Have to Act Helpless, Too?

I am amazed, incredulous, and in a sense outraged by the remarks of Shelly Fabares, chairperson of an Alzheimer’s Assn. benefit (“Alzheimer’s Assn. Spends a ‘Night at Sardi’s,’ ” Nov. 23) indicating that Alzheimer’s disease “makes you feel helpless because you can’t do anything for this person you love.”

As a resident about to become 85 of Leisure World, with its many stimulating activities and with a highly competent and effective social service department working to promote healthy, useful lives of an increasing older population, I think it is obvious that improving environmental social circumstances helps prevent the impairment of our physical and mental capacities.

There is today an overemphasis on the effect of heredity and of genes as opposed to what we can do to improve healthy living, even to the point of the unfair apportionment of research grants by the federal government.

In addition, this attitude of saying not much can be done today, except for long-range research, is accepted by too many in the medical profession and too many in the general public.

We cannot and must not accept the idea that very little can be done here and now.

H. ROGER ROGOSIN

Laguna Hills