Just recently I saw a couple at a restaurant and was touched to see them. They were very old and the lady was suffering from Dementia.
She would keep repeating different names as if she was calling out the names of all her childhood siblings or friends. She did not know much how to feed herself.
The husband would feed her and every time he does that, she would call him ‘Moma’ (mother). The best thing was he had ordered a baby meal so that his wife gets a toy.
It was so nice to see humanity and love in one person towards the other. This gives me a topic to talk about.
This is the time when we all are aware of this condition – ‘Dementia’ and understand what kind of care a person needs.
What is Dementia?
It usually happens in your 60s, when the person becomes too forgetful about things around him/her.
Forgetting things can be a common thing as it can occur due to stress, age, tiredness, etc. and in such cases, you need not worry.
You need to worry about this forgetfulness if it starts bothering your day to day activities. It would be the right time to consult a doctor.
Symptoms of Dementia:
People with dementia lose interest in their day to day activities and are unable to manage themselves well. Some of the common symptoms are:
- Memory Loss
- Language Problem
- Personality Differs
- Loss of Understanding
- Loss of Judgement
- Mental Agility
- Misplacing Things
- Mood Changes
- Communication Problem
Causes of Dementia?
Dementia is mostly found in elderly people. Some of the causes of dementia are:
- Brain Cell Dead
- Head Injury
- Brain Tumor
- Stroke
- HIV Infection
Its recommended consulting a doctor if any of your loved ones is facing any above symptoms to understand the possible cause of the problem. Treatment can be laid down accordingly.
Treatment of Dementia:
There is usually no treatment for most types of dementia, however, if diagnosed at an early stage, your doctor could help you find the cause of the problem and this can help the patient to stop the brain cell damage further.
Caring for Someone with Dementia:
People with dementia need your support, your affection. They need the treatment – the same you would give to your child. It is really difficult to handle such people sometimes or keeping a balance between your personal life and between their care, however, this should not stop you to treat them properly. They don’t have many senses and are not going to judge you, however, you are a better judge yourself.
Here are some of the resources which you will help you deal with such patients in the right manner:
Caring for a person with dementia
https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/Caring_for_someone_with_dementia/