JOIN USWhile awaiting old age – which translates into retirement and spending time with family – seems rosy, it may also mark the onset of a host of health-related issues. Dementia is one such malady that affects the majority of senior citizens. It is characterised by progressive loss of memory and other mental faculties like language, judgement, planning, impairment of daily activities and lack of social interaction.
According to a recent report by Alzheimer’s Disease International (ADI), by the year 2050, the number of people in the Asia Pacific Region suffering from dementia will rise from 23 million to 71 million in 2015, with India coming second only to China, with over 12 million likely victims of dementia. In this light, it is crucial to spread awareness about the shortcomings of the disease and on methods to minimise the degree of the disease when it begins to show.
People with dementia have significantly impaired intellectual functioning that interferes with normal activities and relationships. In addition to this, they lose their ability to solve problems and maintain emotional control and may experience personality changes and behavioural problems such as agitation, delusions and hallucinations at later stages.
While memory loss is a common symptom of dementia, memory loss by itself does not mean that a person has dementia. Dementia is diagnosed only if two or more brain functions, such as memory and language skills are significantly impaired without loss of consciousness. Forgetfulness is the initial symptom of dementia.
It is important that the family members detect early signs of dementia as this will help in the timely treatment of the patient. Here are certain early noticeable symptoms:
Patients ask the same question over and over again.
They repeat the same story, word for word, again and again.
They forget how to cook, how to dress properly and other activities, which they were well versed with earlier.
They usually get lost in familiar surroundings or misplace household objects.
They neglect to bathe, or they wear the same clothes over and over again, while insisting that they have taken a bath or that their clothes are still clean.
Treatment of dementia depends on its cause. Correction of a nutritional deficiency or an endocrine problem, avoidance of alcohol, treatment of a brain tumour and evacuation of a haematoma (subdural haematoma) are some examples of treatment that may reverse dementia.
(The author is consultant neurologist, Fortis Hospital, Bengaluru)