Jakarta (ANTARA) – Early detection of people with Alzheimer’s dementia can help slow the progression of the disease which in turn can maintain memory, said the Ministry of Health’s Director of Mental Health, Mental Health and Drug Prevention and Control (P2MKJN), Dr. Celestinus Eigya Munthe, Sp.KJ, M.Kes.
On the other hand, slowing the progression or progression of the disease can also help maintain the quality of life for people with dementia.
Also read: Get to know Alzheimer’s, symptoms and risk factors
“The sooner we find people with dementia symptoms, we hope that more people will retain their memory and improve the quality of life of people with dementia,” he said in a webinar entitled “Recognizing Alzheimer’s Dementia, the Importance of Early Detection” as the culmination of the commemoration of Alzheimer’s month. worldwide, Friday.
Alzheimer’s dementia or better known as Alzheimer’s, as quoted from the Alzheimer’s Indonesia (ALZI) page, is one of the most common types of dementia. People with this problem experience decreased brain function, including cognitive function, which includes memory, language, visuospatial and executive functions.
There are at least 10 signs of Alzheimer’s dementia that can be a reference for someone to do early detection at a neurologist, namely: memory impairment, difficulty focusing, difficulty carrying out daily activities, disorientation, difficulty understanding visuospatial.
Other signs are communication disorders, putting things out of place, making wrong decisions, withdrawing from relationships and changes in behavior and personality.
“We consider forgetful people as normal and make jokes, even though forgetting is one of the symptoms of Alzheimer’s dementia. In addition, it is also important to pay attention to wanting to do something difficult to concentrate, we are often used as a joke, even though this is an early sign of Alzheimer’s dementia,” he said. Munthe.
The Ministry of Health pays attention to the problem of Alzheimer’s dementia, one of which is by launching the Mental Health application, which includes examinations for dementia. Munthe also said that this examination aims to determine a person’s mental health condition, including memory problems associated with behavioral changes, which is something commonly found in Alzheimer’s dementia patients.
Also read: World Alzheimer’s Day 2021 calls for the importance of early detection
Also read: Alzheimer’s Indonesia: Elderly with dementia can be vaccinated against COVID-19
By Lia Wanadriani Santosa
Editor: Ida Nurcahyani
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