Yesterday marked the end of World Alzheimer’s Month; a month dedicated to raising awareness and educating people around the world about dementia. This is followed by International Day for Older Persons, which takes place today.
The Alzheimer’s Society has identified that dementia is one of the biggest challenges we face, with nearly 50 million people living with it worldwide. It is therefore vitally important that people are aware of, and understand, the effects that dementia can have.
There are several different types of dementia, with Alzheimer’s Disease being the most common form. There is currently no known cure for dementia and we still do not really understand what can cause it. What is certain is that each person’s experience of dementia will be different, from the age at which it begins to onset to the progression of the condition and the effect that it can have on a person.
In the Nursing Care Department at Hugh James we are often acting on behalf of individuals within a care setting who are suffering from some form of dementia. It is usually the primary reason for that individual needing to be admitted into a care home; relatives will often tell of how their relative was no longer safe to be at home alone due to instances of leaving the gas on or leaving the front door open, stemming from the short-term memory loss associated with their dementia. Relatives will also often recount how dementia has completely changed the character of their loved one, with verbally and physical aggression being exhibited by their mother, father, aunt or uncle who had, prior to the onset of the condition, only ever been kind, caring and compassionate.
Dementia is a devastating condition that clearly not only has an impact on the individual themselves, but also on their family and loved ones. There is, however, a glimmer of hope on the horizon for dementia sufferers and their families, with it being reported earlier in the year that a breakthrough had been made on the first ever drug shown to work against Alzheimer’s Disease. It is hoped that this drug will slow the decline in memory and thinking skills and whilst it is not yet available in the UK, it has been approved for use in the US. Whilst this drug is not being heralded as a cure for Alzheimer’s Disease it clearly is a significant breakthrough and will bring hope to the millions of people around the world suffering with dementia and their families.
