Investigation by Maria Khayami:
The term “dementia” is used to describe a group of symptoms that affect memory, thinking, and social abilities. Symptoms of dementia may affect the daily lives of people with it. Dementia does not occur as a result of one specific disease, but rather as a result of several diseases.
Doctors distinguish between dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, as the former is a group of symptoms that affect memory, performance of daily activities, and the ability to communicate, while Alzheimer’s is a form of dementia that gets worse over time and affects memory, speaking, and thinking.
Similarities and differences between Alzheimer’s and dementia:
Dementia is a broader term for various diseases that include Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s or Parkinson’s disease and others with symptoms related to memory loss such as forgetfulness and confusion.
Dementia is defined as a condition characterized by a weak ability to remember, think, or make decisions, which leads to a weak ability to conduct daily activities. Alzheimer’s disease is a developmental neurological disease that causes the death of nerve cells in the brain, leading to brain atrophy.
Neurologist Dr. Samar Abbas presents the similar symptoms between dementia and Alzheimer’s, including decreased ability to think, weak memory, and decreased ability to communicate. She stresses that not every “drying out” means that the person is at risk of developing Alzheimer’s, and we should not consider everyone who has become forgetful. He suffers from dementia. Indeed, there is normal dryness, and everyone who gets older will suffer from it, but early dryness that affects our daily affairs, in addition to forgetfulness, can be classified as Alzheimer’s.”
Causes of dementia:
-Age: Aging is one of the strongest risk factors for dementia, as most cases of dementia affect people over the age of 65.
-Family history: The chance of people developing dementia increases if it has affected a family member previously.
– Lack of brain activation: lack of thinking, lack of brain exercise, and the presence of someone who always performs your tasks for you.
-Unhealthy eating, smoking and drinking alcohol.
-Lack of vitamins in the body.
Tips to prevent dementia:
Dr. Abbas calls for visiting a doctor when feeling increasingly forgetful, or when losing the ability to do certain things. She also explains that taking vitamins that nourish the nervous system may prevent or delay the disease, in addition to working the brain on various matters, that is, improving the performance of the mind, perhaps through the practice of meditation. , telling stories, turning off the TV, reading books…
Studies have shown that eating healthy food and exercising regularly, while maintaining brain activity, works to prevent dementia, of which Alzheimer’s is one type.
Research has also shown that maintaining social relationships, whether with family or friends, reduces the risk of developing dementia later in life. Engaging in social activities reduces the level of stress and avoids depression, which maintains connections between brain cells, which greatly reduces the risk of dementia.
One of the effective ways to prevent dementia is to delay retirement age and continue working for as long as possible. For every additional year of work before retirement, individuals can reduce the risk of developing dementia. The reason is that working for a longer period can reduce the risk of dementia, which is directly linked to decreased activity. the brain.
Is dementia worsening in Lebanon?
The neurologist explains that the rates of dementia have not increased in Lebanon, but rather the rates of its diagnosis have increased, because the patient is now going to the doctor to diagnose his condition, contrary to what was happening previously, and the same is true of Alzheimer’s.
Early indicators of dementia:
Difficulties in memory, especially remembering recent events
– Increase in noise
– Decreased concentration
– Changes in behavior
– Indifference, isolation, and depression
– Loss of ability to perform daily tasks
Early diagnosis of dementia
If the patient goes to the doctor as soon as he feels the symptoms mentioned above, he may be able to treat the issue by preventing its worsening, or at least delaying its worsening, which will help you get the appropriate treatment and find the best source of support, in addition to making decisions about the future.
The diagnosis can help eliminate the state of doubt, which represents pain for the patient, his family, and his friends.
While the news of a dementia diagnosis may be devastating, explaining what the problem is and what can be done about it can help people feel competent, and the diagnosis can reduce anxiety, in addition to providing advice on how to remain independent and live. Well with dementia.
The importance of spreading awareness
Dr. Abbas explains that if we detect dementia early, we can slow the path to full-blown dementia, by taking medications and appropriate treatment, allowing the patient to spend more time with his family before he reaches full-blown dementia.
So, although there has been a great development in the level of awareness of individuals about dementia and in the care provided to those affected by this disease, it is very important that we know better about the disease in order to contain it before we become infected with it or before it worsens.
2023-09-29 13:42:05
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