MBOMBELA – Nancy Grover is a professional counsellor who has been dealing with those affected by dementia for years. On Saturday Grover shared the knowledge and experience that she has gained since her husband was recently diagnosed with this illness.
“I used to deal with dementia from my head. Ever since my husband, Geoff, was diagnosed with it, I’ve come to really know dementia. From here,” she said while she pointed to her heart. Nancy started by explaining that Alzheimer’s was a type of dementia. “This causes problems with memory, thinking and behaviour. It may take between eight and 10 years between a patient portraying the first symptoms of the disease to their death.”
She explained that the symptoms of Alzheimer’s did not come down to someone who was “just getting old.” Dementia attacked the sufferer’s functionality. This was marked by a consistent display of poor judgement and decision-making skills. Although a person who is merely ageing may experience that they are less functional than they used to be, the symptoms of Alzheimer’s are more intense. A list of 10 warning signs and symptoms were indicated to assist in detecting the disease.
• A memory problem not caused by alcohol abuse or a head injury, which worsens over time.
• Language problems. Difficulty in naming objects or finding the right word to use in a sentence.
• Zips and buttons. Patients find it hard to dress themselves.
• Hygiene. Patients may not care about how they look or not want to bath.
• Extreme mood swings. A change in mood for no reason – they could be calm and then suddenly scared or angry and aggressive, within minutes.
• Impaired judgement. Strange behaviour – for example, putting underclothes over top clothes or taking clothes off in public.
• Many people with dementia get lost in familiar places such as their own neighbourhood.
• Even recognition of their own family and friends becomes difficult.
• Recall memories of childhood at times, but cannot remember anything that happened the same day.
• Suspicious of other people and may accuse them of stealing and hiding things. In short, Grover explained that acceptance and unconditional support were the keys to communicating with somebody who had dementia.
“They need to know that you are there for them.” When the patient’s words or behaviour does not make sense, an accepting “go-with-the-flow” approach is prescribed. For those living with an Alzheimer’s patient, Grover’s positive outlook serves as an example of how best to approach the situation. “After psychiatrist Dr Leif Breuteseth carefully explained Geoff’s condition to us, we had a clear understanding of what to expect. Now we want to live fully with every day as it is one more day that he is doing fine. If we receive suggestions that may help us to alleviate or slow down the systems, we follow them. We do what we can from our side. We live life fully.”
