When Alzheimer’s is viewed as a stigma it burdens families and raises health care costs. Alene Bradshaw – Director of Development and Maria Leitos – First Point Navigator (seen here with Rotarian Craig Hunter) are staff with our local Alzheimer Society. They explained that Alzheimer’s lies in a spectrum of dementia diseases. Like any disease, if proper information, diagnosis and medical treatment are not sought out – the disease may likely get worse.
Shatter the myth – old age does not equal memory loss! If your family member or friend is losing memory find out why. It could be factors of seven reversable/pseudo causes; tumours, depression, diabetes … . There are eight irreversible causes in the many areas within the brain; frontal lobes, anterior lobes, and many more. Disease/dementia in one lobe may leave others intact and fully functioning – thus risk of family and friends ignoring symptoms and not seeking medical advice.
When dementias remain undiagnosed, in some patients, activity deteriorates; others patients get agitated in unfamiliar circumstances (which may lead to involving the police) – both may end up in the hospital emergency room.
Education and some things that have been learned:
Education and learning – the more neural pathways that we develop over a lifetime makes us more resilient. So if you continue learning/using all five senses and then if you loose, say, two pathways through dementia then you still have pathways left to continue functioning with. So social groups and exercise are important therapies. Alene and Maria advised that walking enlarges the memory active part of the brain and is a most significantly beneficial therapy – for some reason especially in men.
For patients with a diagnosed dementia moving them to their next residence early allows them to become familiar with new surroundings and routines.
Please visit their website for more information www.alzhn.ca