Understanding Dementia

Communicating with a person with dementia can be quite a challenge. There are some tips that can definitely help get the attention of the person and not agitate them. Here are some Dos and Don'ts. DO's DON'Ts Approach from the front, make eye contact and introduce yourself if necessary Don’t wave hand while talking as person’s attention could be distracted Speak slowly, calmly and use a friendly facial expression Don’t talk too fast or shout. Shouting out could have negative effect…

Tips for Caregivers Dementia is a general term for decline in a person's mental ability that is severe enough to interfere with his/her daily life. It may involvememory loss, difficulties with thinking, problem-solving or language. Dementia is progressive, which means the symptoms will gradually get worse. Even though most cases of dementia come from irreversible causes, there is still much that families can do to help their loved ones continue to function as well as possible for as…

The Choir of the Loaves and Fish, a musical ensemble of senior citizens, started by Pervin Varma with Regina Thomas in Bengaluru has been immensely therapeutic for the elderly and has helped bring loads of warmth and sunshine into their lives. Picture above: Ammachy taking a bow with Pervin Varma Imagine a group of people – all senior citizens between 65 and 96 – people who have suffered strokes or are living with cancer, arthritis, heart disease, dementia, physical disabilities, people with…

Amrita Patil Pimpale, Dementia Care Consultant, lists out 5 things you can do to help your spouse/partner who has been recently diagnosed with dementia. Most people with dementia undergo behavioral changes during the course of the disease. They gradually lose their mental faculties and become confused and vulnerable. They tend to forget things that have happened quite recently, but may seem to have clear memory of things that happened a long time ago. They will experience mood changes, can…

A touching account of how a local hairdresser volunteered to help, when others refused, to give my mother, who lived with Young Onset Alzheimer's, a glam haircut and made her look uber cool in her final years.   They say it takes a village to raise a child. As caregivers, we realize that it takes an entire community to deal with Alzheimer’s. Extended family members, friends, neighbors, healthcare professionals, coworkers, employers, employees, service providers like household help,…

Dementia is difficult. Absence of diagnosis, counselling and support makes matters worse. Basic awareness and services can help decrease caregiver stress. Daksha Bhat of Varishta analyses the situation on dementia care in Gujarat. Dementia may start as a slow, creeping change that gradually makes its inroads into our lives. It can happen to anybody who is over 60. Beginning with a gradual decline in the capacity to recall important things, it gradually manifests as a slow deterioration in the…

Dr S.P. Goswami, Professor of Speech Pathology at Mysore counsels that with the right kind of support, the load of the communication disorder can be shared equally by the aged individual as well as the family, the key to it being to meet them halfway. Aging is a phenomenon which starts from birth and brings about changes in the individual across the life span. However, beyond the yardstick of 60 years, anatomical and physiological changes become highly evident in the human body, thereby leading…

Jason Foo, the CEO of ADA (Alzheimer’s Disease Association), Singapore, shares his views on the rising levels of the disease, how personalised treatment can help and also how spreading awareness can remove the existing stigma. What are the possible reasons for increase in Young onset dementia? (Is there a difference between Young onset dementia and early onset dementia?) Young Onset Dementia (YOD) and Early Onset Dementia (EOD) refer to the same condition which is dementia affecting people…

Dementia care is difficult. Caregivers have to be persistent and creative to make the ongoing adjustments required. Swapna Kishore discusses some important aspects that caregivers must understand and accept, and offers some tips to cope better. It is often assumed that family caregivers will be able to support their loved ones after dementia care is explained to them. But hearing about dementia symptoms or communication methods in a classroom is not enough to make family caregivers give better…

Dr. Sridhar Vaitheswaran explains how supporting a person with dementia effectively in a dementia friendly community can improve not only their wellbeing but also improve caregiver satisfaction, decrease burden and contribute to the society’s progress.  The story of Mr Arun Mr Arun is a seventy-year old retired government employee. He lives with his wife, son, daughter-in-law and two grandchildren in Chennai. He helps with the chores such as shopping and paying bills. He also visits a…