The Specter of Dementia
by Christine Riney, AWC Hamburg
Dementia is a specter that tens of millions of people live with daily. It is a disease that will impact your life: you might be caring for a loved one with the disease, are concerned about a family member, or perhaps fearful of what is to come for you. Living with the uncertainty of who and when dementia will strike is perhaps our biggest fear related to aging. What is certain is that dementia will impact our lives; what is more important is that we can do something about how we deal with it and perhaps prevent it. It is key to realize that dementia is not a given element of aging. We can live long, happy, mentally aware lives.
What is Dementia?
Dementia is an umbrella term for diseases of the brain that cause brain damage. This damage can affect memory, thinking, reasoning, behavior and the ability to perform everyday activities. The word "dementia" is Latin and means mad or insane. However, sufferers are not mad or insane; they are sick and need to be cared for as any person with a debilitating illness should be.
Dementia is a progressive disease that will slowly strip a person of his or her abilities to perform everyday tasks such as household chores, bathing, dressing and feeding. The impact on the individual and their community is immense, taking a toll emotionally, psychologically and economically. The sheer numbers that describe this disease are staggering. However, there is greater funding and attention than ever to find ways to stop, slow down and prevent this disease.
- The number of people living with dementia worldwide is currently estimated at 50 million and is projected to increase to 75 million by 2030 and 135 million by 2050.
- Worldwide, a new case of dementia is diagnosed every 3 seconds.
- There are almost 8 million new cases each year.
- By 2050, the number of cases of dementia are estimated to almost triple, to affect 135 million people globally.
- Women over 65 are almost two times more likely to develop dementia than men over 65.
- About 2.5 million people worldwide under the age of 65 suffer from some type of dementia.
- One in three people over the age of 65 will develop dementia in their lifetime.
Types of Dementia
The two most common forms of dementia are responsible for between 70 and 90 percent of all cases. Alzheimer’s disease leads to nerve cell death and tissue loss throughout the brain. Over time, the brain shrinks dramatically, affecting nearly all its functions. The reasons behind this irreversible, progressive brain damage are yet to be fully understood. In most people, symptoms first appear in their mid-60s as memory loss and over time, a person has trouble doing everyday things like driving a car, cooking a meal or going to the bank. They may get lost easily, lose things, find simple things confusing. Treatment can manage the symptoms or slow down the progress, but there is no cure. Vascular dementia is caused by brain damage due to impaired or restricted blood flow to the brain. This can occur due to a stroke or other circulatory issue that deprive the brain of oxygen and nutrients. Symptoms often overlap with those of Alzheimer’s disease and vary depending on which part of the brain was impacted by blood flow impairment. The ability to control the conditions that cause vascular dementia can sometimes slow the rate of decline and may sometimes prevent further decline.
Pixabay - Gerd Altmann
Signs of Dementia
Dementia develops differently in different people. There are a few things to look out for when you suspect that you or someone else may be suffering from a form of dementia.
- Confusion with time or place
- Losing yourself in conversations and forgetting words or having trouble finding the right word
- Hesitation/inability to complete simple or familiar tasks
- Decreased or poor judgment and making bad decisions
- Changes in mood and personality
- Memory loss that disrupts daily life
- Challenges in planning or solving problems
- Trouble understanding visual images and spatial relationships
- Misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace steps
- Withdrawal from work or social activities
It is important to realize what might be happening and get yourself or your loved one checked out to ensure the best action can be taken as early as possible.
The Impact on Women
nicepik.com Dementia takes a severe toll on women in our society, not only due to the increased incidence of the disease in women, but also as a result of our increased likelihood to be caregivers.
The World Health Organization lists dementia among the top five causes of death for women worldwide, and it is now the leading cause of death for women in the UK and Australia. In the US, approximately two-thirds of people living with Alzheimers are women. These statistics highlight the need to ensure that we are all aware of what we should be doing to support the fight against dementia and support government's and societies' care of sufferers and their caregivers.
What can we do?
Prevention is the only potential way to stop Alzheimers. Although scientists have been working on this disease for decades, there is no cure. But we can go a long way to prevent the disease and support those who suffer from it. Some risk factors for dementia, such as age and genetics, cannot be changed, but there are other risk factors impacting brain health that can.
1) Lifestyle makes a difference.
- Cardiovascular health: Anything that damages blood vessels anywhere in your body can damage blood vessels in your brain, depriving brain cells of vital food and oxygen. You can help protect your brain with some of the same strategies that protect your heart — don't smoke; monitor your blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar to ensure that they are within recommended limits; and maintain a healthy weight.
- Physical exercise: Regular physical exercise may help lower the risk of dementia. Evidence suggests exercise may directly benefit brain cells by increasing blood and oxygen flow to the brain.
- Diet: What you eat may have its greatest impact on brain health through its effect on heart health. The best current evidence suggests that heart-healthy eating patterns, such as the Mediterranean diet, help protect the brain. A Mediterranean diet includes relatively little red meat and emphasizes whole grains, fruits and vegetables, fish and shellfish, and nuts, olive oil and other healthy fats.
2) Get diagnosis and treatment early.
- Be mindful of your partner, parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and friends. An early diagnosis can help people take control of their condition, plan for the future, and live well with dementia.
- Ensure that all those impacted have access to relevant information, resources and support.
- Sufferers can potentially benefit from drug and non-drug treatments to delay the progress of symptoms. These treatments are more effective the earlier someone is diagnosed.
- Evidence has shown that an early diagnosis can help someone with dementia live independently in their own home for longer, enhancing the quality of life for people with dementia and their caregivers.
3) Support those suffering.
Photo: Edu Carvalho from Pexels
- Dementia sufferers experience a mixture of emotions, including confusion, frustration, anger, fear, uncertainty, grief, loneliness and depression. They need our help to understand what options are available to support them, plan for the future while there is time to discuss what lies ahead, give encouragement and be patient. They deserve to retain dignity and an independent life for a long as possible.
- Caregivers are often family members, and most often spouses or daughters. These family members need support from the wider community, as they will suffer feelings of anger, guilt, frustration, grief and isolation. As a caregiver, try to learn as much as you can about the disease, ask lots of questions, ask for help when you need it. Most importantly, look after yourself physically and emotionally. There are a lot of online resources and local resources, depending on where you live; Alzheimer's Disease International is a good place to start.
Dementia is a world health crisis: every 3 seconds, someone in the world develops this disease. We all need to play an active role in helping people to live well and with dignity with dementia.
Actions
- September is Alzheimer's Awareness Month. Take note and become more aware about this disease and the impact in your community.
- Watch the ADI-WHO webinar ADI-WHO webinar: Risk reduction of cognitive decline and dementia.
- Keep up to date with the latest research and insights. Dementia is in the news and a focus for society and our governments. See the links below.
Resources/Sources:
Alzheimer's Association - ADI World Alzheimer's Report
https://www.worldalzmonth.org/
Global Alzheimer's and Dementia Aware Action Alliance
https://www.alzheimer-europe.org/
https://modiht.com/what-we-treat/dementia/
https://www.ft.com/content/a3befde4-71ae-11e9-bf5c-6eeb837566c5
https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/blog/why-dementia-different-women
https://www.alz.org/alzheimers-dementia/what-is-alzheimers/women-and-alzheimer-s
https://www.helpguide.org/articles/alzheimers-dementia-aging/preventing-alzheimers-disease.htm
G20 places Alzheimer's & Dementia on its agenda
https://www.mymove.com/home-inspiration/decoration-design-ideas/alzheimers-home/