
Prevent Dementia
Dementia is said to be the cruellest disease because it causes two deaths: The slow extinction of the personality, followed by departure from life.
- In 2016, dementia became the leading cause of deaths among females, surpassing even heart disease.
- About 10% over-65s, 30% of over-85s, and 52% of aged-care residents have dementia.
- Dementia is the single greatest cause of disability in seniors and the 3rd leading cause of disability burden.
If your family member has dementia, you CAN make a huge difference. Read on.
Effective support is rewarding
Supporting a parent with dementia can be difficult and traumatic, but it can also be rewarding. University of Pittsburgh scientists Dr T. Inagaki and Dr. E. Orehek identified in a 2016 CDPS article that when support is perceived to be effective, the support can also benefit the caregiver, leading to reduced stress, increased happiness, and increased sense of social connectedness.
It can even forge a powerful influence on your outlook.
This article will convince you that your social engagement with your loved one is vital — especially if they are at risk of dementia.
5 Comments. Leave new
From the UK: A University of Exeter study increased the daily social interaction of nursing home residents (who had dementia) from 2 minutes to 10 minutes. This improved wellbeing and had sustained benefits! The study involved 280 residents and care staff in 24 care homes over nine months.
This is further evidence of the importance of daily social interaction!
Read here: https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-07/uoe-jtm072518.php
My son was only 42 when diagnosed with young dementia was so healthy in his body eating and exercise daily passed away July 30 2018 aged 48 most horrific illness
I’m very sorry to hear about your loss, Carole. Thanks for taking the time to reply to our article. My own mother had dementia during her last couple of years and it was a difficult time for all of us. She was one of two people who were… how do I say it… the reasons for starting Konnekt, and why we are passionate about helping others who are faced with dementia. I cannot begin to imagine how it must feel losing one’s son to dementia.
I’ve shared stories from several other families here: https://www.konnekt.com.au/testimonials/
Any one suffering brain fog ,memory loss,,,Depression,falls,tremors,swallowing problems,incontinence should be screened for a vitamin b12 deficiency.How many folks in nursing homes if we’re screened ,& treated could be back home in the own environment living a full life.Unfortunately there is a world wide epidemic occurring due to a lack of medical knowledge & a flawed low range serum vitamin b12 .In Japan any serum B12 below 500 is treated resulting in very little dementia .In comparison to Australia’s low range B12 has decreased to 135 pmol/l at some laboratories which is appalling.My hubby & I are both victims with permanent nerve damage thanks to misdiagnosis.View videos on b12awareness.org to see cases of misdiagnosis & the devastation vitamin B12 deficiency causes in not only the elderly but the young folk as well.
Hi Marilyn,
Thanks for writing.
I do not have a medical background but my reading confirms your observations, as follows:
1. Internationally, the “low level” of B12 varies from 130 and 258 pmol/l while in Australia, most serum labs test for a “low level” of 220 pmol/l.
2. The incidence of B12 deficiency increases with age (>65 years).
3. Signs and symptoms of B12 deficiency can include dementia, as well as depression, fatigue and personality change.
4. There are now guidelines that recommend B12 level testing where there are signs of MCI or dementia in elderly patients.
5. Between 15% and 40% of patients with a low serum B12 reading do not actually have a B12 deficiency upon further investigation. As a result, a relatively new assay now measures active vitamin B12 levels.
6. It’s extremely rare to overdose on B12. (This is in contrast to some other vitamins, such as vitamin A, where higher doses may lead to health problems). You’d need to take over 1,000 times the recommended daily requirement.
7. Dietary vitamin B12 is obtained from animal products (dairy, meat, eggs, fish and seafood). A small amount may be obtained from bacteria found on unwashed, unpeeled, dried shitake mushrooms (as opposed to most other sorts), fermented soybean (specifically tempe), and dried purple laver (nori, or algae).
8. The authors of the article were surprised that vegans and those addicted to alcohol are not mentioned in the new guidelines.
9. There are two different units (like metric cm and imperial inches) for measuring B12 serum levels: pmol/l and pg/ml. Be careful not to mix them up.
10. Japan raised its B12 reference range to 500 – 1300 pmol/l in 1980s.
11. Some research studies suggest that in some cases, a B12 deficiency may cause a reversible type of dementia (very different from dementia caused by Alzheimer’s Disease) in elderly patients.
Sources:
Australia: https://www.healthed.com.au/clinical-articles/vitamin-b12-deficiency/ and https://mthfrsupport.com.au/2015/03/vitamin-b12-reference-range-level-set-low/
USA: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15681626
My take on this: Always consult a GP/physician about your health concerns. Read respected medical websites, but never ever rely on advice that you read on the Internet. If you are a vegan or you consume a large amount of alcohol, tell your physician; he/she may recommend B12 supplements. For most of us, most of the time, we get more than enough B12 in our diets.
To repeat my disclaimer: I do not have a medical background. Always consult your GP/physician for medical advice.