Dementia

What is dementia?

Dementia is not a single illness. It is a group of symptoms caused by specific brain disorders. The most common cause is Alzheimer’s disease, but dementia can also be the result of a stroke or mini-strokes.

The main symptoms are:

•    loss of memory – such as forgetting the way home from the shops, forgetting names or places, or being unable to remember what happened earlier in the day

•    mood changes – because of damage to parts of the brain that control emotions, people can become frightened, angry  or sad more easily

•    communication problems – a decline in the ability to talk, read and write

Dementia is progressive – the symptoms will get worse over time. Although there is no cure, treatments can slow the progression of the disease, and there are ways of helping to keep it manageable.

 

Understanding dementia

In Ireland, it is estimated that some 38,000 people are likely to have dementia. Because our population is ageing, these figures are likely to reach between 80 000 and 100 000 over the next 30 years. Both men and women are affected.

Becoming forgetful does not necessarily mean that someone has dementia: memory loss can be a normal part of ageing, and it can also be a sign of stress or depression. If you know someone who is worried about their memory, encourage them to visit their GP. A proper diagnosis of dementia is essential. The doctor – either a GP or a specialist – will carry out a number of tests, looking at both memory and the ability to perform daily tasks. The doctor will also aim to rule out any illnesses that might have similar symptoms to dementia, including depression. The right diagnosis, whatever it may be, can help patients and those close to them prepare and plan for the future.

 

Five simple ways to help someone living with dementia

1   Respect and dignity : Focus on what the person can do, not what they can’t.

2   Be a good listener and be friendly :  Support and accept the person, be patient.

3   Do one little thing : Cook a meal or run an errand, it all helps.

4    Make time for everyone : Partners, children and grandchildren will be affected.  Could you do something to help one of them?

5   Find out more : Understanding dementia makes living with it easier.

 

Practical tips

Especially in the early stages, there are lots of simple things you can do to help someone with dementia maintain their independence.

•  encourage them to keep a notebook or diary for things such as appointments, To Do lists, thoughts and ideas

•  keep important things like money, glasses and keys in the same place

•  put labels on doors and cupboards

•  place important numbers by  the phone where they can be seen easily

•   put a note on the back of  the door as a reminder to  take keys

•   label family photographs, both on display and in albums

•  pin a weekly timetable to  the wall

•   mark a calendar with the date or get an electronic calendar that changes automatically

•  write reminders to lock the door at night, turn the gas off and put the rubbish out on a certain day

There are products you can buy which are designed to help with memory problems – telephones  where buttons are replaced with photos of people, and pill boxes with compartments for different days. An occupational therapist may be able to advise you on what things could be most useful (you can find an occupational therapist through your GP or social services).

 

Keeping active

People with dementia can continue to enjoy many activities, both individually and with others. Remaining physically and mentally active can help them focus on the positive and fun aspects of life.

Many beneficial activities can be simple everyday tasks, such as taking a walk, polishing a pair of shoes, listening to the radio or looking after a pet. Think about ways of adapting favorite activities (for example, reading magazines and newspapers rather than books), to help the person avoid feeling frustrated that they can’t tackle things they previously took for granted.

Keeping active can help the person feel better about themselves by providing a structure to the day and a sense of achievement.  

 

Showing you understand

A diagnosis of dementia can cause different emotions, many of them difficult to manage both for the person with the illness and those around them. There may also be a sense of relief: now that they know what the problem is, they can begin to deal with it.

A person with dementia will probably be sad or upset at times. In the earlier stages, they may want to talk about their anxieties and the problems they are experiencing. Try to understand how they feel, and don’t brush their worries aside. Listen, let them talk, and show that you are there for them. When someone has dementia, they need:

•  reassurance that they are still valued, and that their feelings matter

•  freedom from as much external stress as possible

•  appropriate activities and stimulation to help them to remain alert and motivated for as long as possible.

Many people who have dementia develop what appears to be unusual or inappropriate behavior. Remember their actions may be perfectly rational to them. You may need to think about how their altered view of the world may lead to different ways of thinking and behaving.

A person with dementia is not being deliberately difficult: often their behavior is an attempt to communicate. If you can establish what this is, you can resolve their concerns more quickly. Try to put yourself in their place and understand what they are trying to express and how they might be feeling.

 

Support services

It is worth thinking ahead about support available, so it  will be easier to organize if needed in the future.

•  Social services have a duty to assess the needs of people with dementia. Help may be in the form of home care assistants, laundry services, meals on wheels or nursing care

•  Day care centres are often run by voluntary organisations such as Alzheimer’s Society, or by social services. They can be a great source of support both to the person with dementia and those who are caring for them

•  Respite care is short-term care used as a temporary alternative to someone’s usual care. It gives the carer an essential break from looking after the person with dementia

Other sources of support include hospital care, sheltered housing and residential care. Your GP or social services will know what is available in your area.

 

Other useful information and organizations

The Alzheimer Society of Ireland
National Office: Temple Road, Blackrock, Co Dublin
Tel (01) 207 3800 // Fax (01) 210 3772 // Email info@alzheimer.ie

 

Dementia Services Information and Development Centre

Top Floor, Hospital 4,

St. James’s Hospital,

James’s Street,

Dublin 8, Ireland  

http://www.dementia.ie/

 dsidc@stjames.ie   +353 1 4162035

The Carers Association
Ireland’s national voluntary organisation for and of family carers in the home. Family carers provide high levels of care to a range of people including frail older people, people with severe disabilities, the terminally ill and children with special needs: www.carersireland.com

Health Service Executive
The Health Service Executive provides thousands of different services in hospitals and communities across the country. These services include public health nurses treating older people in the community. This website also includes published Nursing Home Inspection Reports: www.hse.ie