The Younger Wife depicts Pamela Aston’s experience with Alzheimer’s disease, a form of dementia. Alzheimer’s is a progressive neurological disorder that impairs memory, judgment, and communication. Individuals who live with Alzheimer’s often have difficulty recalling recent events; they can also experience confusion, disorientation, and personality changes. The disease is progressive and most often affects individuals in their sixties and older, although early-onset cases can lead to individuals beginning to display symptoms between the ages of 30 and 60. Women are more likely to experience Alzheimer’s than men, and some research indicates that hormonal changes during and after menopause may be a contributing factor (“Hormones and dementia risk.” Alzheimer’s Society. Dec. 2023). 

When the plot begins, Pamela is living in a secure assisted living facility, a measure that can be necessary for individuals who live with Alzheimer’s, since the disease may lead to dangerous behaviors, like wandering and becoming lost. Caretaking for an individual with Alzheimer’s is often stressful, as personality changes and cognitive decline may lead to the deterioration of familial relationships and, eventually, parents being unable to recognize their children. As Hepworth depicts, individuals with Alzheimer’s are vulnerable to elder abuse, especially since challenges with memory, cognition, and language can make it difficult for them to accurately recall and recount recent events. 

Hepworth depicts Pamela’s disease as a contributing factor in the plot’s suspense and a consequence of the years of abuse she suffered at Stephen’s hands. Because of Pamela’s cognitive challenges, her statements about Stephen and Fiona are not initially taken seriously. Pamela is often dismissed, revealing how social stigma around Alzheimer’s can heighten the isolation someone experiences once they begin to display symptoms. While the causes of Alzheimer’s are complex and include a strong genetic component, research indicates that repeated head trauma can increase the likelihood of someone being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s later in life (“Head injury, sport and the risk of dementia.” Alzheimer’s Society. Aug. 2024). Pamela may have developed the disease because of the physical abuse she endured during her marriage.