Dementia is now the seventh leading cause of death in the world and is one of the leading causes of disability and dependency in older people.
What are the early signs of dementia to look out for? How to build communication with a loved one living with dementia? Tells psychologist, mental health specialist from the Public Charitable Jewish Organization “Hesed-Rahamim” Ekaterina SERGEEVA:
– Dementia is not a disease, but a symptom of a disease, a group of symptoms caused by various factors. For example, a person is prone to dementia if he has diseases of the cardiovascular system, hypothyroidism, diabetes mellitus, if he randomly takes benzodiazepines, tricyclic antidepressants, corvalol. At risk are those who have a deficiency of vitamins B1, B6, B12, folic acid, iron and magnesium, as well as people who have had a stroke or brain injury, abuse alcohol and smoking, people who are overweight, with low intellectual activity.
Summarizing, we can divide all dementia into three groups: vascular, mixed and dementia caused by neurodegenerative diseases.
In most cases, mixed dementia can be observed.
“Something OLD”?
Everyone is familiar with the term Alzheimer’s disease. This is a neurodegenerative disorder – a process in which, at the first stages, it is the conduction of nerve impulses that is disrupted, but over time, the destruction of brain tissue also begins.
This also includes Parkinson’s disease, which causes involuntary shaking in people. It begins with the destruction of the peripheral nervous system, that is, we first see motor disorders, which sooner or later develop into a cognitive form. Or multiple sclerosis – generally quite a young disease. Young people are also affected by it, contrary to our belief that dementia is something senile. Multiple sclerosis also often leads to impaired intellectual function. This also includes various neuroinfections, encephalitis, inflammation, as well as a huge group of vascular disorders, the consequences of constant hypertension and hypotension, migraine.
EARLY DIAGNOSIS
“Unfortunately, it must be recognized that there is currently no cure for dementia. However, drugs can prevent a sharp deterioration, decay and degradation of mental functions.
The sooner pathological changes in the brain are detected, the sooner treatment can be found at an early stage.
You also need to be prepared for the fact that, according to medical protocols, in the first six months from the moment the patient’s relatives contact a specialist, a diagnosis may not be established. However, the doctor can prescribe and issue all the necessary medicines, prescriptions and recommendations even in the absence of an established diagnosis of dementia.
It must be borne in mind that within six months it is necessary to visit a therapist, neurologist or psychiatrist at least twice. And if a relative worsens or the condition persists, in which the impairment of memory, attention, thinking progresses, then the final diagnosis will be established.
Next, you should contact social institutions at the place of residence or registration of your loved one so that he can be provided with assistance in home care, and you can continue to work and live your usual life.
AWESOME MOMENTS
– List, please, early symptoms.
– Your loved one stopped communicating with relatives and neighbors, became isolated, he has frequent mood swings. He is aggressive, swears, he began to use parasitic words, it became difficult for him to build a phrase without errors, he cannot repeat the text, he has problems with the score. He has ceased to leave the house, is not interested in external life. Became sloppy, forgetful, increasingly losing things. He lost his orientation in time and space. He began to badly recognize objects, people, began to collect things in garbage cans that seem valuable to him, he had problems accounting for money. It became difficult for him to do his usual things, he forgets words, suspects relatives or neighbors of theft. He began to hide and transfer objects to unusual places.
Such symptoms and embarrassing moments can be noticed by the patient himself. However, he may not agree that he has problems. Your task is to try to gently persuade the relative to contact the right specialist. If you encounter resistance, you should try to find any other way to check the status, which will show whether everything is in order with your loved one or it’s time to sound the alarm and seek help.
WHAT TO SAY?
Here are some helpful phrases to use when communicating with a loved one with dementia:
- You look agitated, scared, etc.
- Sometimes I can’t remember either!
- It’s not easy to think about it.
- Lets do it together.
- I need your help.
- I feel lonely too.
- You told me about…
- It’s hard when you forget everything, right?
- I’m sorry you’re so angry.
- What to do with it?
PROHIBITED PHRASES
- Is it possible to forget what happened yesterday!
- How many times can you repeat!
- I’m not your mother, sister! She died a long time ago!
- Do you recognize me?
- You just asked me about it.
- You don’t work anymore.
- You forgot again.
- You already said it.
- Remember, if you think well.
- I already told you about it.
