Chris Hemsworth's new documentary, "A Road Trip to Remember," takes viewers on a motorbike adventure around Melbourne and Australia's Northern Territory. His costar and father, 71-year-old Craig Hemsworth, is right alongside him through the dirt and rocky terrain, despite living with early stage Alzheimer's disease. Chris Hemsworth has a genetic predisposition to the disease.
"I feel I've been so busy, I probably haven't spent as much time with my dad as I would want to," Hemsworth says at the start of the film.
Along the way, Hemsworth attempts to "supersize" reminiscence therapy for his dad by stopping at his childhood home and meeting up with old friends. USA TODAY spoke with medical professionals familiar with reminiscence therapy to find out more about what it is, how it works and how families can use it with their loved ones who have dementia.
Reminiscence therapy is an intervention that focuses on memories through sensory tools like music, photographs, smells and places, says Dr. Sikandar Khan, associate director of Indiana University's Center for Aging Research at Regenstrief Institute.
In the film, psychologist Suraj Samtani suggests reminiscence therapy as a way to help Hemsworth's father.
