Once his father Craig was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, Chris Hemsworth began to ask himself: what can he do to help?
Alzheimer’s Disease is a serious disease that leaves millions across the world battling dementia and associated symptoms, and the effects cut deep into those around Alzheimer’s patients as well. While Chris’ previous documentary endeavors looked inward at his own health, he wanted to look towards his father, and highlight how we can help those with dementia and Alzheimer’s.
Chris Hemsworth: A Road Trip To Remember sees Chris and his father taking a motorcycle trip across several different parts of Australia, including the Northern Territories and the suburbs of Melbourne. Here, Chris looks into not only the bond and memories he and his father share, both past and present—he observes how these social connections can actually help slow cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s patients. In accordance with Dr. Suraj Samtani, a dementia specialist in Australia, Chris implements several findings that have been shown to help patients, such as reminiscence therapy, which uses memories or familiar areas to stimulate cognitive function. The road trip sees Chris at his most vulnerable, showing that his deep bond with his father can actually be some of the best medicine to treat this unfortunate disease.
“My Dad and I had always spoken about taking a trip back to the Northern Territory, where our family had lived years ago, but we had never been able to set aside the time to actually do it,” says Hemsworth about the trip. “More recently the idea of taking that road trip reemerged with more pressing importance. The result was a more profound, more moving, and more surprising journey than I ever anticipated.”
Chris Hemsworth: A Road Trip To Remember will premiere on National Geographic on November 23rd at 9/8c, and will be available to stream on Disney+ and Hulu the day after.
Watch the official trailer for A Road Trip To Remember above.
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