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02.09.07 - Answer AGM to take place on Tuesday 18th September 2:15pm
project
Dementia is a group of symptoms caused by a number of illnesses. It is the overall name given to a whole range of illnesses, the most common being Alzheimer's Disease.
Other forms of dementia include Multi-infarct or arteriosclerotic, Lewy body, Korsakoff's syndrome and Creutzfeldt Jacob's Disease. Dementia can also be evident in Parkinson's Disease and Huntingdon's Chorea.
What it is not.
Confusion or disorientated behaviour caused by infections, medicines, heart or thyroid problems, hypothermia or depression.
Causes of Dementia.
Different types of dementia have different causes. Some researchers describe the condition as being caused by 'plaques' and, 'tangles' in the brain. It can be as a result of a series of mini strokes. Persistent head injuries and alcohol abuse are also known contributory factors. Dementia is common in people with Down's syndrome.
Prevalence.
Dementia mainly affects older people and after the age of 65 the risk of developing the illness doubles every five years. It must be realised, however that only one in five people over the age of 80 are diagnosed as having dementia. It is estimated that around 500,000 people in Britain have a definite diagnoses with between 300,000 and 350,000 being over the age of 80. It is reckoned that 80% of people with dementia live at home. The illness is very rare in people under the age of fifty.
By the year 2013 there will be approximately 116,000 people in Scotland with dementia. Of this figure 94,000 will live in their own homes.
Symptoms.
The following is a list of some of the possible symptoms or effects:
Forgetfulness, repetitive speech, disinhibited behaviour, disorientation, blaming others for mistakes, hiding or losing things, wandering, poor concentration, neglect of personal care, loss of track of thought, aggressive behaviour, echolalia, emotional lability, deterioration of social skills, unsocial habits, incontinence, loss of spontaneity, loss of role, loss of confidence, restricted lifestyle, loss of income, inability to manage financial affairs, fear of change, lass of interest in previous hobbies.
Treatment.
There is no known cure at the present time. Much research is being carried out in the form of new drugs but they do not cure the condition. There are many different forms of therapy including: reminiscence, validation, reality orientation, music, art, and social stimulation and emphasis has to be placed on offering respite and support to carers to allow them to continue caring for the person with dementia.
