Dementia describes a collection of symptoms caused by disorders affecting the brain. Dementia is not a normal part of getting older, and it isn’t one specific disease. Instead, it’s a broad term that covers the effects on people of a number of different medical conditions. Those conditions include Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia, the Lewy body dementias and more. The effects of dementia vary from person to person, but generally, dementia affects your mood, memory, thinking and behaviour. Dementia can happen to anybody, but it is much more common after the age of 65. In Australia, more than 421,000 people live with dementia. It is the leading cause of death for women, and the second leading cause of death overall.
Signs and symptoms of dementia
Because dementia can be caused by so many different conditions, everyone’s experience of dementia is unique. But broadly, dementia can affect your:
Memory: You might find it harder to remember recent events, names of things and people. It might also get harder to make new memories.
Thinking: You might get more confused, have trouble concentrating, planning and problem-solving, struggle to complete everyday tasks, find it hard to think of the right word or express yourself, and find it hard to judge distances, directions and time.
Mood: You might find yourself feeling less motivated and social, more prone to depression, anxiety and agitation, or otherwise not yourself.
Behaviour: You might start saying or doing things that are out of character for you. You might become restless and wander and have more disturbed sleep.
Reducing your risk of dementia
As we get older, so do our brains. We might get a little more forgetful, a little foggier, a bit slower to complete normal tasks. That’s a normal part of aging. Dementia isn’t a normal part of aging. Dementia involves a marked decline in thinking, memory, behaviour in mood that gets worse over time. There’s no certain way to prevent dementia, and there are risk factors you can’t control, like getting older, genetics and family history. But just like with your other organs, the better you treat your brain, the stronger it will stay as you age, and the lower your chance of developing dementia. It’s never too early or too late to get started. The Alzheimer Society recommends these 10 evidence-based ways to reduce your risk of developing dementia:
Be physically active each day: Get moving! Walk, roll, jog, dance, swim, bike, garden or do chores or yard work. Any physical activity is better than none at all.
Protect, check and support your hearing: Hearing loss in midlife can increase dementia risk by an average of 90%. Use hearing aids if needed – they help reduce that risk. Protect your hearing from loud noises. Get your hearing tested.
Stay socially active: Stay connected and engaged with your family, friends and community. Virtual visits and activities count, too! Social isolation in later life can increase dementia risk by an average of 60%.
Manage your medical conditions and learn more about them: In collaboration with your health-care provider, try to manage complex conditions such as diabetes and obesity as best you can. These two conditions in particular can increase dementia risk, among others.
Quit smoking: Quitting or reducing smoking, even in later life, can improve your brain health and reduce your dementia risk. Ask your health-care team for support!
Seek support for depression: Depression is more than just feeling sad. Seeking depression treatment and support will help improve your mood and brain functioning, as well as allowing you to take action on other risk factors.
Drink less alcohol: Research shows that drinking more than 12 standard drinks a week in midlife increases dementia risk by an average of 20%. Try out the growing number of mocktail and alcohol-free drink options instead! And if you need help with limiting alcohol, speak with your health-care provider.
Protect your heart: Working with your health-care provider, monitor and manage your blood pressure and heart health. What’s good for the heart is also good for the brain!
Avoid concussion and traumatic brain injury: Steer clear of activities where you might put your brain at risk of harm. Follow traffic rules and pedestrian signals. Be aware of your surroundings. Play, travel and work safe!
Aim to get quality sleep: Work toward sleeping well for 6 to 8 hours each night. If you experience sleep apnoea or other sleep issues, talk to your health-care provider for treatment options.
This blog has been reproduced with information taken from Dementia Australia in support of “Dementia Awareness Week 2024”. For further information please click here: Home | Dementia Australia