From Dick Tracy to Apple Watch: Learning Never Stops

By Vanessa Saunders
Fear of learning something new is a universal experience — but in Alzheimer’s care, that fear can quickly become a wall. I’ve been writing about how fear blocks growth, and today’s Letter from Tim is a perfect counterpoint: proof that small steps forward, whether it’s puzzles or even an Apple Watch, can wake up a quiet part of the brain.

Letter from Tim

Before my diagnosis with early Alzheimer’s, learning something new felt more like a choice. Now it sometimes feels like a necessity — and yes, a little scary. I don’t think I’m alone in that.

Fear of learning isn’t always about the thing itself. It’s about worrying whether we’ll look foolish, or whether our brains can handle it. But here’s what I’ve discovered: the more I push past that fear, the more I find I can still learn, and the better I feel about myself when I do.

Some days that means tackling a crossword puzzle that seems impossible at first glance. Other days it’s figuring out how to make my phone do something I didn’t think it could. Each time I try, I find my brain firing in ways that remind me it hasn’t given up — and neither should I.

It’s not about pretending fear doesn’t exist. It’s about facing it, taking one step, and letting the brain surprise you with what it can still do.

—Tim