Dementia is a syndrome whose main feature is a decline in cognitive performance. It affects memory, behavior, orientation, comprehension, learning, language, the ability to perform regular activities and the general ability to function as a normal, thinking adult. There is sometimes a lack of emotional control, which can affect the ability to interact with the world. It is not a normal part of aging but is a disease that mainly strikes older people.
Many people believe Alzheimer’s disease is synonymous with dementia, but while it’s one of the diseases that can cause it, it is far from the only form. While Alzheimer’s accounts for roughly 70 percent of dementia cases, there is also vascular dementia, Lewy Body dementia, frontotemporal dementia, which affects the frontal lobe of the brain, normal pressure hydrocephalus, and Parkinson’s disease with dementia. There are clinical and pathological differences in each of these, and there can be mixes of the disorders, with multiple variations in each patient.
There is no cure or treatment for any of them. But there are things you can do to improve your odds of not acquiring any significant portion of them.
The World Health Organization estimates that 47.5 million people around the world have dementia, with about one in seven Americans afflicted. There are an estimated 7.7 million new cases each year in the world, and it is the major cause of disability among the elderly. Thus, it is a burden not only on the afflicted, but also on their support groups – families, friends and other caregivers. More than half the afflicted (an estimated 58 percent) live in low- to middle-income locations. The number of people who have the disease is estimated to reach 75.6 million by 2030.
The cost of treating dementia patients is significant. The global societal costs are estimated at more than $600 billion in 2010, a figure that represented roughly 1 percent of global gross domestic product. There were slightly lower costs in low-income countries versus high-income countries.
Three Stages of Dementia
Dementia can affect each patient in a different way, but there are three generally understood stages of its development.
In the early stage, forgetfulness increases. Patients frequently lose track of time or become lost even in places they’ve frequented hundreds of times. The familiar starts to become foreign at times, but because this is gradual process, many people dismiss it as a momentary lapse.
As the disease progresses, afflicted patients start forgetting people’s names, get lost in their own homes or isn’t in touch with recent events. Communication in this stage becomes increasingly difficult, and unless the patient has a person living with them that monitors personal care, their physical style can deteriorate. They often ask repetitive questions and may wander aimlessly.
In the late stages of dementia, it’s become obvious that there’s a problem, as the afflicted has a total dependence on care and is often inactive, with obvious physical signs of decay. A late-stage dementia patient has no awareness of place and time, can’t recognize family members, may have difficulty walking, needs constant care and will have potentially aggressive behavior changes that may require restraints. This raises the issue of dementia patient human rights, an unsolvable and unenforceable issue but one that legislatures grapple with constantly.
Causes of Dementia
As indicated, there are a number of diseases that can cause dementia, some working in combination. There are also physical problems that can lead to the onset of dementia, including alcohol abuse, stroke and vitamin deficiency. While researchers believe that there is a genetic cause of dementia, it hasn’t been proven and is considered just one factor in developing the syndrome, much as obesity and diabetes contribute.
As with any disease, someone in prime physical condition stands a better chance of slowing the disease’s progress and making deterioration less obvious. Here are six suggestions that may help break the cycle of disease.
1) Maintain a healthy weight – There is no direct link to obesity, but doctors believe the attendant health problems caused by weight gain – high blood pressure, diabetes and other ills – may activate other conditions in the body that lead to dementia.
2) Don’t smoke – Tobacco has no place in a health regimen for the most vibrant people, and the narrowing of arteries and subsequent impaired blood flow may have some basis in speeding along dementia.
3) Get physical – Moving around increases blood flow and general health. It’s always a good thing to remain active.
4) Get involved – Social connections and interactions are a vital part of maintaining optimism and making your brain work harder. Continual neural stimulation is a good way to keep that part of the body properly exercised.
5) Avoid trauma – If you are biking, wear a helmet. If you drive, wear a seatbelt. Take a look at your home and see where you might potentially slip and fall. Then take steps to remedy the hazards. There appears to be a strong link between head trauma and the onset of Alzheimer’s disease, particularly if the blow to the head results in a loss of consciousness.
6) Cut down on alcohol – Excessive drinking is more than a glass of wine at dinner. Binge drinking, in particular, can cause high blood pressure and cholesterol. The recommended levels of consumption is three to four units for men and two to three for women. A unit consists of a half-pint of lager, a small glass of wine or an ounce of hard liquor.
The Pace of Dementia
Not all people develop dementia at the same pace. With some, the onset is so gradual it is unnoticed by all but the closest family members. With others, it can hit hard within months. Keep in mind that the development of dementia does not follow a linear path, and someone may have “good days” mixed with days when decline is obvious. Research is focused on what causes the good days in hopes it may eventually provide a clue to halting the disease’s progress in humans.