The threat of dementia is a worry for many people. Memories and thought processes you took for granted vanish, even to the point that you might not be able to recognise your own family. Globally 1 in 20 people over 60 lives with the condition and over a 1/3 of people in the UK have a friend or family member with dementia. It’s a challenge for the people with the condition, their carers and the healthcare system. According to Alzheimer’s research £12.9 billion could be saved annually in the UK by 2050 if we can delay the average onset of dementia by two years.

The good news is dementia isn’t inevitable. Though overall numbers continue to rise with more people living longer, rates have actually fallen in the over 65’s since the 1980’s in the UK. One US study associated a similar pattern there with an increase in years of education and improved control of cardio vascular problems. The World Health Organisation suggests that 20% of dementia cases around the world could be avoided with improvements in public health, but according to Alzheimer’s Care UK, 3 out of 4 people in the UK don’t realise they can reduce their risk of dementia.

So what can you do to reduce your risk or help keep it at bay once it’s struck? Research suggests that people with more education , or those who have done things like learning a new language or learning to play a musical instrument, may be most resilient to the symptoms of dementia. It’s thought to help in two ways: boosting the brains ability to work around damaged areas, and promoting more efficient processing in the brain.

The human brain can function very well past 100 years of life. Getting older can slow the brain down a bit, but the quality can still be there. 30% or more of the risk factors for dementia are thought to be down to lifestyle and environmental factors. So there’s an opportunity to make a difference. The types of things that seem to work to delay or reduce symptoms are:

• Maintaining social connections,
• Keeping a healthy diet,
• Exercising regularly,
• Practising good sleep habits and
• Pursuing intellectual challenges

In a nutshell, “Walk, talk and read,” says one leading researcher, “And do it now”. That’s because these changes have the most effect the earlier you start them in life. Of these your physical activity may be most critical having widespread benefits for the brain as well as helping the cardiovascular system. The good news is you don’t have to run ultramarathons to reap the benefits. Just an hour long walk a few times a week can make a difference.

How do you find out if you have dementia?

There is no reason to be alarmed if you do have the odd senior moment. It’s common to forget the specific word you’re looking for or misplace things. Dementia obviously does affect memory but it also can causes issues with understanding or expressing oneself in language, problems with sensory perception, and disturbances in executive function that can undermine day today independence. The early warning signs include problems with short-term memory, abstract thinking, the ability to focus, visual perception and communication. Early diagnosis is probably most helpful. An online tool provided by the John Hopkins School of Medicine includes a series of memory tests and a questionnaire about different risk factors for dementia can be found at alzcast.org. Another warning sign might be the inability to summon a memory even when prompted. At this stage it’s definitely time to seek help from a health professional and get tested properly.

How to help care for someone with dementia?

People often live with dementia for up to a decade once diagnosed and their needs vary at different stages. Dementia also varies much from person to person so there’s no specific best practise. June Andrews author of “Dementia: What you need to know” and a specialist in dementia care suggests a good strategy to slow the progress of dementia is to focus on the symptoms, many of which are simply due to ageing such as eyesight – reading glasses, large print books and lighting. She also recommends labelling draws, avoiding patterned floor services and wallpapers. To stay well with dementia she recommends you need to avoid stress, stay hydrated, exercise, be distracted with interesting things, keep pain under control, avoid constipation and sleep well amongst other things. The more you can attend these needs, the longest someone will be able to maintain a higher quality of life.

The three key aspects which have been shown to improve outcomes are: an increased awareness and understanding of the disorder both publicly and amongst medical professionals. Secondly, early diagnosis so people planning the future if they have the capacity. Third is the quality of care and support from family. Part of that is ensuring that the caregivers look after themselves too. Experts suggest that family can be critical to whether patient will do well . One expert says that little miracles can happen every day with family members help but put the focus on what patients can do rather than what can’t. In the bestselling book “Contented Dementia” Oliver James provides a handbook for you if you are coping with someone suffering the effects of dementia and want to keep a sufferer as happy as humanly possible.

Further resources

“Use It or Loose It but Don’t Abuse It – How To Keep Your Brain Cells Health While Those Around You Are Loosing Theirs”

The 14-20 May 2017 is Dementia Awareness Week, the Alzheimer’s Society is asking everyone across England, Wales and Northern Ireland to unite against dementia. Follow the link for more details.

“Contented Dementia” Oliver James

“Dementia: What you need to know” June Andrews

This article was based one published in the New Scientist on the 29^th of April 2017, P29. “Defying Dementia” Kayt Sukel