What is dementia...

Dementia is a disease where brain cell die in an abnormal way. it is  a term used to describe progressive degenerative brain disease.it is not part of normal ageing.the memory, thinking, behaviour & emotions are affected in dementia. it occurs in people of all cultures & educational background. Although there is no cure for dementia, treatments are available to manage the symptoms.
Symptoms of dementia..each person will experience dementia in his or her own way. symptoms may include:  forgetting dates.. repeatedly misplacing items.. repeating questions.. frequently leaving gas stoves on or water taps running difficulty in finding the right words to express oneself.. difficulty understanding what people are saying.. difficulty in performing previously routine tasks.. getting lost in previously familiar surroundings.. having trouble driving.. problems making financial decisions.. mood changes, including agitation & depression.. personality changes like behaving in appropriately in social situation in the early stage, it may be difficult to tell if there is really something wrong. it is common for people affected by Alzheimer's disease..One of the causes of dementia..to deny that they are having problems.family members may suspect that something is wrong. it is important to get help as soon as possible as medications can have a more beneficial effect when started at an early stage of the disease. in the middle stage, supervision on certain daily activities is needed. mood & personality changes may become more prominent & problematic. for example, they may frequently become agitated in the middle of the night or wander off & become lost. or they may lose their inhibitions, undress in public or make inappropriate sexual advances, The late stage of the illness is marked by severe cognitive decline. the impaired person is apathetic, disoriented, & unable to find their way around the house. the person may also become incontinent & lose all intelligible speech. eventually in the late stage, those affected are unable to care for themselves & need help with all aspects of daily life.

What are the causes of dementia...Alzheimer's...disease

There are a number of disease which cause the symptoms of dementia. All of them cause the death of brain cells. There are many factor which may have an effect on the risk of developing dementia, including age, genes, alcohol & head injury. the two most common cause of dementia are Alzheimer's disease & vascular dementia.  Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia & accounts for 50% To 60% of all cases, it destroys brain cell & nerves disrupting the neurochemicals which carry messages in the brain, particularly those responsible for storing memories. The average duration of the disease usually progresses over a span of eight years from the onset of symptoms. Approximately 10 million people worldwide are affected by Alzheimer's disease. it is a leading cause of death behind cardiovascular disease & cancer. in Singapore, there were about 3,200 persons with Alzheimer's disease in the year 2000. The number expected to more than triple to 10,500 over the next 30 years.most of the people who are affected are over 65, & the chance of developing the disease increases with age. however, in rare cases, Alzheimer's disease can strike people at earlier ages in their 40's & 50's. The other person affected by Alzheimer's disease is the caregiver. Actually, the stress of caring for someone with Alzheimer's disease often affects the whole family. family & caregivers experience emotion distress like anger, isolation, anxiety, sleep problems, & depression. there is increased burden & overall distress, as the disease progresses & eventually leaves patients completely dependent upon other. while caring for an Alzheimer's patient may be challenging & difficult, help is available to ease the burden. physicians, mental health professionals, caregiver support groups & Alzheimer's association can provide much needed advice & guidance. no known cure for the disease exists, but there are newly available therapies indicated specifically for Alzheimer's dementia that slow down symptomatic decline & enhance cognition, activities of daily living & global functioning.

Vascular...dementia

Vascular dementia, formally know as multi-infarct dementia, accounts for about 30% of all cases of dementia. Vascular dementia occurs where blood vessels in the brain are damaged & the supply of oxygen to the brain is reduced. when oxygen supply fails in the brain, a series of mini strokes..infarcts..occur, causing the death of brain cells. The mini strokes that cause vascular dementia are often so small that they cause no immediate symptoms. sometimes, they may cause some temporary confusion. However, the damage by new mini strokes accumulates over time, resulting in vascular dementia. vascular dementia & Alzheimer's disease can also occur together, acting in combination to cause dementia. with vascular dementia, mental decline is likely to have a clear start date & symptoms tend to progress in a series of steps following each attack, suggesting that small strokes have been occurring.

What is Dementia...? what can families do to help a person with dementia..

If a caregiver suspects Alzheimer's disease, seek help from a doctor for assessment, selecting one who specialised in the elderly assessment clinics are available in Alexandra Hospital, Changi General Hospital, Institute of Mental Health, national University Hospital & Tan Tock Seng Hospital. Try to learn more about the disease, There are educational & training classes conducted by voluntary welfare organisations.

Community resources for caregivers..you can also find out about the specialised services available in the community, the Alzheimer's disease Association provides education & support services to people with dementia & their caregivers. Tsao Foundation provides training & workshop for caregivers. SAGE..

Singapore Action Group of Elders..offers a hot line to call for problems concerning the elderly. Day care centres catering specifically to dementia sufferers are also available to provide day activity programmes in the community. Examples would be apex harmony lodge, new horizon centre, sunlove day centre & swami home...Seeking professional advice...book an appointment for psychiatric consultation.