‘There is no cure for the condition and it can only be slowed down by cognitive remediation and stimulation of nerve cells’. Following different preventive measures like healthy lifestyle, physical exercise and diet can help.
What is common between former US President Ronald Reagan and former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher?
They were both diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, which is said to be a disorder of old age and is characterised by loss or decline in memory and other cognitive abilities. Eventually it can reduce the lifespan of affected people.
Every year, the World Alzheimer’s Day is observed on September 21 and experts inform that there is a rise of memory impairment in the elderly in the country. It is estimated that currently over 40 lakh people in the country are affected with dementia.
It is generally because of the steady growth in the older population and stable increment in life expectancy.
Dementia is often associated with physical, mental and financial burden and there is a myth that forgetfulness is a normal part of ageing.
It is true that with ageing memory declines but problem in thinking, changed behaviour and emotional imbalance should indicate symptoms of dementia, explains Dr. Vishal Indla, Chief Psychiatrist at VIMHANS in the city.
Those affected with dementia, gradually develop forgetfulness, difficulties in language and finding ways, problems in calculations and declining personal hygiene. More importantly, there is no cure for this and it can only be slowed down by cognitive remediation, stimulating nerve cells, brain exercises to protect the existing nerve cells, he explains.
Following different preventive measures like healthy lifestyle, physical exercise and diet can help. In addition to these, mental exercises like chess, sudoko, solving crosswords and participating in social activities keep the brain stimulated and delay the onset of dementia, he prescribes.
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