Alzheimer's Day aims to raise our awareness

September 21 is international Alzheimer’s Day. We spoke to the former clinical manager for Alzheimer’s at King Edward Hospital, Kathy Albuoy, about the signs, symptoms causes and preventatives of this, the most common form of dementia.
More often than not, as the body grows older and slower the brain follows suit.

Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form of ­dementia, speeds up that process and it is important that family and friends are fully aware of the symptoms in order to understand them help them as much as possible. According to the Alzheimer’s ­Association, the disease ­saffects twice as many people of African American descent than white people.

International Alzheimer’s Day on ­September 21 aims to raise awareness of Alzheimer’s disease and there will be a special fundraising walk in Bermuda to help raise funds locally. It starts at the parking lot for the continuing care unit at the old hospital at 6pm on September 21 and will go to Tee Street and back. In Bermuda one in 20, 65 to 80 year-olds have the disease and one in five 80-year-olds. The figures are comparable to most other countries though numbers are less in India — it is believed the curcumin, from which turmeric is made, used in many Indian curries, helps to prevent Alzheimer’s.

Alzheimer’s disease is a brain disorder named after German physician Alois Alzheimer who first described it in 1906. It is a ­progressive disease which kills brain cells, causing memory loss and as well as behavioural problems. There is currently no cure for Alzheimer’s but there is an accelerating effort to find better ways to treat it, delay its onset and prevent it from developing.

Kathy Albuoy is clinical manager for the Cooper Ward and used to be clinical manager for the Alzheimer’s Unit.

She said: “We suggest that families and friends of those with Alzheimer’s learn about the disease. People tend to think because someone is older, it is just them being forgetful. It can take between one and three years before you begin to see manifestation such as the forgetfulness. They may start not showing up to work or forgetting to change clothing or put clothing on top of clothing. We suggest that they do a log.

“Someone with Alzheimer’s may not do things they used to do but that is because they can’t help it. Alzheimer’s can cause you not only just to forget to pick up your keys but also to forget what they are for. It affects your short-term memory loss — people tend to remember things from a long time ago but not necessarily something that has happened just five minutes ago.”

Here are some of the fact about Alzheimer’s disease and some useful information for those affected by it.

Symptoms:

Early Stage

- Memory loss: Changes in short-term memory

Family and friends may feel "something is wrong"

Daily routines and ability to function affected.

Patient attempts to "cover up" the problems.

- Personality changes:

Anxious or withdrawn

Loss of interest, loss of initiative.

- Calculations:

Difficulty working with numbers.

Trouble paying bills, making change, balancing a checkbook: executive functions.

- Communication:

Difficulty finding words

Use the wrong word when communicating.

- Judgment:

May make bad decisions

May be easily persuaded to buy things or make ­unwise financial choices.

- Daily living:

Difficulty with routine activities

Takes longer to complete everyday tasks.

- Concentration:

Attention span is shorter.

Middle Stage

- Memory loss:

Increases dramatically.

- Sleep disturbances.

- Wondering:

Gets lost easily, even in ­familiar places. Help is needed in activities of daily living (ADLs).

- Behaviour:

Agitated behaviours, ­suspicious, anxious, angry outbursts.

Late Stage

- Motor skills:

Walking, independent eating abilities are lost

- Toileting:

Loss of bladder and ­bowel incontinence

- Swallowing problems.

- Recognition:

Not recognizing one’s self or family.

Ms Albuoy also said that Alzheimer’s sufferers may become suspicious against other people thinking that other people are taking your money or belongings.

They also have a tendency to go wandering off.

In the later stages you ­become more susceptible to fatal illnesses such as pneumonia and hearth attacks.

Preventative measures

- Eating turmeric: Professor Murali Doraiswamy, ­director of the Mental ­Fitness Laboratory at the Department of Psychiatry, Duke University Medical Center, Carolina told a conference that curcumin, from which turmeric is made, prevented the spread plaque found in the brains of Alzheimer's patients.

- Keeping the brain active: Doing puzzles such as crosswords and soduku puzzles can help to keep the brain active and could delay the onset of the disease.

- Physical exercise: Keeping active is believed to help prevent the disease.

Medication

Although there is no cure for Alzheimer’s Disease, there are preventative medicines.

- Aricept: Can be taken in the first stage of Alzheimer’s.

- Namenda: This can be used in the second and third stages.

- Risperdone: Is used for agitation experienced by some sufferers.

Support

Julie Kay Darrell runs the Alzeimer’s Support Group out of the continuing care unit at King ­Edwards Hospital. She is on: 238-2168.

The Resident Family Counsel is another group at the unit that continually meet. [email protected]

Reccommended website is HBO’s Alzheimer’s website. The Alzheimer’s Project. That started last summer. There is lots of information about the signs and symptoms the medications, new research, presentation for kids whose grandparents have it – children interviewing their grandparents. Interactive visuals that show the changes on the brain.

The pharmacies have the medical alert bracelets.

There is also a company ICSS that sells medi-pendants. If you fall or anything happens there is a button that will alert an ambulance. 737-0941. 

Anyone interested in taking place in the fundraising walking event can call the Alzheimer’s Unit at the hospital on: 239-1943 or can call Ms Albuoy on: 239-1800.