'Thor' star Chris Hemsworth turns to reminiscence therapy to delay Alzheimer’s

Chris Hemsworth gave rare insight into his father Craig Hemsworth’s battle with Alzheimer’s in an upcoming Nat Geo documentary.

Chris Hemsworth: A Roadtrip to Remember set to premiere on November 23 features Hemsworths’ emotional journey with reminiscence therapy.

In the documentary, the family recreated their 1990 Melbourne home to unlock the patriarch’s memories.

They put together old furniture, family photos, and kept the surroundings familiar.

Also, his loved ones got on a 200-mile bike trip to revisit the people and places belonging to his past.

Chris acknowledged the transformation he witnessed in his father.

The Australian social worker visibly struggled with confusion and repeated questions in the beginning.

However, as the journey unfolded, he started remembering vivid details.

“By the end, he was remembering key memories and feeling more like himself,” continued Chris.

How does reminiscence therapy work?

Clinical psychologist at the Center for Healthy Brain Aging at UNSW Sydney, Dr. Suraj Samtani explained the science behind the therapy.

“…every time we re-access a memory, the connection between neurons gets strengthened,” Samtani pointed out in an interview with People.

“It’s similar to adding more roads into a suburb. You have more options to get to that suburb, and next time you want to go there, if one road is blocked, you can take another road.”

Samtani added, “Usually we use albums and songs, but to recreate an entire house like that is unbelievable. It's like reminiscence therapy to the max.”