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  • Alzheimers
    Alzheimer's disease is a neurological disorder (disorder of the nervous system) in which the death of brain cells causes memory loss and cognitive decline. 
Submitted by PatientsEngage on 11 September 2015

Can Alzheimer's be prevented?

Currently there's no proven way to prevent Alzheimer's disease. Research into prevention strategies is ongoing. The strongest evidence so far suggests that you may be able to lower your risk of Alzheimer's disease by reducing your risk of heart disease.

Many of the same factors that increase your risk of heart disease can also increase your risk of Alzheimer's disease. Important factors that may be involved include high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, excess weight and diabetes.

Keeping the patient active physically, mentally and socially will make their life more enjoyable and may also slow down the progress of Alzheimer's disease.

Related reading: http://www.patientsengage.com/healthy-living/what-can-you-do-prevent-dementia

 

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Stories

  • How to Prevent Caregiver Burnout in Dementia Care
    Neha Sinha, a clinical psychologist by training shares her views on caregiving in Dementia, the effects of longtime caregiving on a person, how to keep his balance in tact and also avoid an early burnout.  ‘Caregiving often calls us to lean into love we didn’t know possible’ ~ Tia Walker Caregiving in Dementia Caring for people with dementia is in many ways more challenging than looking after somebody with a physical condition. This is because when you look after someone with dementia…
  • Life Flows on Through all the Tumult
    Vishaal Nityanand, a young filmmaker, ploughed his own money and full commitment to make Life Flows On, a movie on people with dementia and their caregivers, in order to raise awareness and understanding about the condition that he feels is callously neglected and overlooked in India. Read his interview. You have written and directed the film ‘Life Flows On’ that is dedicated to people with dementia and caregivers. Could you tell us a little about it? Life Flows On deals with three dementia…
  • The Hardest Part is Putting in Your Best Effort Without Expecting Improvement
    Shibani Ganguly, 50 is the sole caregiver for her mother, who has Alzheimer’s as a condition. She shares her experiences of a caregiver and how she has learnt the ropes on the job. When was he/she diagnosed and what were the early symptoms? In the year 2008 when she was 70. The early symptoms were forgetfulness, repetitive talking and temper tantrums. Is there a history of Alzheimer’s in the family? No, at least it has not been diagnosed. What is the present condition? She is rapidly losing her…
  • ‘Caring for my wife is my only job’
    Dr (Prof) Nandi, 83 is a full time caregiver for his wife, Dr Gita Nandi, who has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. He shares his experience of a caregiver in this personal account. My wife is a doctor herself and she has been suffering from Alzheimer’s for the last six and a half years. The first symptoms were that she started having breathing trouble. I admitted her to the Railway Hospital. She used to be a senior doctor with the Railways and we also used to live in the Railway quarters in…
  • Stanford Medicine: Arts and Humanities in Medicine
    The world of medicine is beginning to increasingly acknowledge the potential of expressive arts therapies such as art, music, drama, dance/movement, poetry/creative writing and play in the context of healing, treatment, psychotherapy, counselling and rehabilitation. Activities such as drawing, drumming, creative movement and play acting allow individuals of all ages to express deep-seated thoughts and feelings, improve physical, mental and emotional well-being and boost self-esteem and…
  • Never Too Old to Sing
    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…
  • How to cope when your Spouse has Dementia
    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…
  • My Mother’s Hairdresser: Dementia friendly or not?
    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,…
  • Profile picture of Daksha Bhat, a dementia information advocate in a green top
    5 Challenges of Dementia Care in Gujarat
    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…
  • Speech and Hearing Disorders in an Aging Population
    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…