Caregivers of dementia patients to receive support

The South African Depression and Anxiety Group (Sadag) is hosting a #FacebookFriday event to provide caregivers with a better understanding of how to support patients with dementia and alzheimer’s on 25 September.

The discussion will take place between 1pm and 2pm by dementia counsellor Mignon Groenewald and between 7pm and 8pm by Dementia SA founder and executive director Karen Borochwitz. Find the discussion on The South African Depression and Anxiety Group Facebook page or login via www.sadag.org.za

September is World Alzheimer’s Month, aimed to create awareness around the challenge and stigma surrounding dementia.

Over 50 million people worldwide live with dementia, a figure which is likely to treble in the next 30 years.

Smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, diabetes, hypertension and air pollution are among 12 risk factors for dementia identified by the medical journal The Lancet’s commission on dementia in July this year.

Alzheimer’s disease is one of the most common forms of dementia affecting memory, thinking behaviour and emotion.

Dr Sihle Nhlabathi of the South African Society of Psychiatrists said the risk factors were interlinked, making it important to address healthy lifestyle choices as a whole from an early age.

Though dementia mainly affects people over 65, about one in 1 000 people can be affected from as early as their 40s. Nhlabathi said this could be more common due to the global increase in sedentary lifestyles and unhealthy diet choices.

According to The Lancet’s report, although behaviour change is difficult, individuals still have huge potential to reduce their dementia risk.

The report said that the potential for preventing dementia through modifying risks was even greater in low- and middle-income countries such as South Africa, which have a higher rate of dementia and where rates of hypertension, obesity, diabetes and smoking are higher.

Symptoms include memory loss, difficulty performing familiar tasks, struggling to find the right words, disorientation, personality and mood changes.

There is no known cure for dementia but some medications can slow the progress of the disease and control symptoms. The Lancet commission recommends that physical health is important to maintain cognitive abilities in patients with dementia.

Caregivers are often at risk for anxiety, depression and burnout. Nhlabathi advises caregivers to engage the patient’s healthcare team and become informed about the nature of the condition and how it progresses and seek advice from organisations such as Alzheimer’s South Africa and Dementia SA.