“A moment lasts for seconds but a memory lasts forever”
All of us at some point in life tend to forget certain things. But, have you ever imagined how it feels when memories begin to vanish permanently from our brains? We understand that it is hard to imagine and much harder to live with something like this. Forgetting things could be a part of our life but is more common as people age.
The condition that affects older people is known as Alzheimer’s, which causes the brain cells and their connections to degenerate and die destroying memory and other mental functions. This disease is irreversible, however, with medications and treatment, these symptoms can be improved temporarily.
Alzheimer’s is named after Dr Alois Alzheimer who in 1906 noticed brain tissues of a woman who passed away with symptoms like memory loss, language problems, and different behavioral issues. Some of the common symptoms of Alzheimer’s could be:
Decline in memory: Not only loss in short term memory but Alzheimer’s can affect parts of the brain associated with living in the present
Behavior changes: Since Alzheimer’s is a progressive disease meaning that its symptoms usually worsen over the period, this causes the person to become depressed over time and feel withdrawal from society
Wandering around: Some people with Alzheimer’s might be found wandering out away from their home without the knowledge or recollection of how they got there
Affected reasoning: Apart from the memory, Alzheimer’s can also affect people with their ability to reasoning and handle cognitive and abstract thinking
Motor dysfunction: Alzheimer’s can also cause motor impairments like being unable to walk or sense of touch along with it
Family, friends, and relatives around the senior citizens should keep a track on the symptoms as early detection can help cure the symptoms with effective treatment.
How can you help people with Alzheimer’s?
Avoid any explanation at the moment, give some space to recollect, and try again later
Agree to their versions or distract them on another topic or activity
Pardon them with the same patience and affection
Learn to accept the blame even if it is in a fantasy
Do keep a note for residential address and emergency contact numbers if they lose their path mistakenly
If they live alone, keep their medications in a well-labeled medicine box with day, time and dosage clearly mentioned on it
How can Alzheimer’s be treated?
As mentioned above, it is unlikely that drugs or other interventions can treat it completely. The correct way to manage Alzheimer’s is to assist people maintain brain functions and postpone loss of memory.
This year’s theme for World Alzheimer’s Day is ‘Let talk about Dementia’ where the conversation around dementia which is one of the causes for Alzheimer’s is encouraged.
Talking about its impact, treatment, and spreading awareness about it can help people diagnosed with it in coping with their symptoms and loneliness and also make the people around them more equipped with handling them.
The recent development of Neuralink by Elon Musk aims to cure Alzheimer’s. Neuralink is a wireless implant with thousands of electrodes that can access the brain and its neural connections and has the potential to treat neurological disorders as claimed. With innovations like these, we expect a day to come where people would not have to bear the trauma and challenges faced due to Alzheimer’s and will be able to lead a normal life.
Disclaimer: Indian Health Bureau does not claim any responsibility for the information contained in this article. The information may not hold good for everyone. The post is for general awareness only and should not be construed as a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Please consult your doctor to know what is good for you.
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