"Son, when are you planning to go to City?"
"Why mom, as I said before on the 25th?
"Oh, is that so? I was looking to prepare some food and take it with you when you go."
"Oh no need mom"
After half an hour...
"Mom, this time when I go to the city, I will be back in about a month."
"Really, son, it doesn't matter if you overload with work, you can't run here and there.
"So son, when are you going to Colombo?
"Mom, how many times have you asked me that now! you've been asking you for a while now!
"Oh, my son, sometimes I forget to find a place where I put my things, and now we are old, my memory is weak."
What do you understand from the mother and son dialogue above? Is it a normal thing that happens with age? A random forgetfulness that happens frequently?
No, this is not normal forgetfulness. These are the basic symptoms of dementia.
Dementia is the gradual inactivation of the control centers of the brain related to the functions of memory, the ability to solve problems in daily life, the ability to perform routine tasks, the ability to control normal behaviour and thoughts, control emotions and the ability to express emotions without loss of consciousness. This is an irreversible condition. All that can be done is to control the rate of progression of the disease.
It mostly affects people over 65 years of age. Research has found that people in the world's developing countries are at greater risk.
What are the causes of this disease?
1. Diseases that cause the death of nerve cells in the brain. Eg - Alzheimer's disease, Parkinsons' disease
2. Blockage of blood vessels in the brain and bleeding inside the brain.
3. Excessive alcohol use
4. Nutritional deficiencies
Eg - Thiamine deficiency, folate deficiency
5. Some cases where the body's immune processes work against the body (disease conditions)
Eg - Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), Multiple sclerosis, Neurosarcolidosis
6. Accidents to the head
7. Chemical complications in the body
Eg - Thyroid complications, Liver failure, Pituitary hormone deficiency, Adrenal gland dysfunction, and Uraemia.
8. Cancer conditions in the brain
Now let's see what this disease is like and how to identify it due to the above-mentioned factors.
The symptoms caused by Dementia are as follows.
1. Poor memory
A symptom that occurs at the initial stage of the disease. Basically what happens here is the inability to remember new information.
E.g. Forgetting something someone has said for a while, forgetting that he has eaten or taken a bath for a while. Due to this forgetfulness, occasional intake of shots can lead to exacerbation of medical conditions such as diabetes.
Past memories remain intact, but in the later stages of the disease, those memories also fade.
In the gradual development of the disease, it becomes impossible to find one's belongings at home, unable to recognize them, unable to recognize one's room, and thus becomes a situation where accidents occur.
2. Learning something new is difficult
3. Changes in behaviour
- Difficulty sitting still
- Decreased sensitivity to shame (eg, undressing suddenly in public)
- Difficulty concentrating on something
- Showing difficulty in dealing with society
- Decreased interest in usual daily activities and hobbies.
- Insensitivity
- Behaving in a desperate manner, starting to shake
4. Difficulty adjusting to new situations
5. Failure to carry out one's daily activities normally.
6. Ignoring social norms and customs
7. Suppression of activities on the same day
- Cleaning, not wearing clothes from the pilot's shoulder
- Missing housework
- Difficulty using money (counting, remembering numbers, determining values due to complexity)
- Absence of awareness of caution.
As this is a disease caused by a wide range of changes in the brain, the symptoms are varied as mentioned above. Therefore, not all of the above-mentioned symptoms may be present in each patient. But when the disease reaches the final stages, all the above symptoms can be shown.
Now you have the ability to guess this patient. So, if your beloved parent or relative or friend shows signs of forgetfulness like this, do not think that it is due to age or something minor, refer to a doctor. If the disease is detected in the initial stage, by following the relevant medicines and instructions, the disease can be well controlled and lead a normal life.
For those whose disease is somewhat aggravated or those who have reached the last stages, the doctor will tell them the strategies to avoid the difficulties caused by the disease, so the patient and the residents can get great comfort.
Don't let your ignorance turn your loved one into a sleeper or a recluse for the rest of their life.
[Photo by Kindel Media: https://www.pexels.com/photo/a-grayscale-photo-of-an-elderly-man-holding-a-wooden-frame-8172284/]
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