In February 2018, my father passed away after suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease.
We discovered many families had walked the Alzheimer’s path but rarely shared their stories, especially in the Asian community. I’ve since dedicated time to raising awareness, fundraising and sharing learnings.
šSEPTEMBER IS WORLD ALZHEIMER’S MONTH
World Alzheimer’s Month shineās a light on Alzheimer’s Disease & other forms of dementia to remove the stigma and lack of understanding about the disease.
In the spirit of raising awareness:
š§ WHAT IS IT?
– Alzheimer’s is the most prevalent form of dementia, affecting 50-60% of cases.
– It robs patients of memory, mobility, communication, self-care, and dignity before a slow death
š 6 LESSER-KNOWN FACTS
1. The Numbers: (from the NGO, Alzheimer’s Disease International)
– Dementia is the 7th leading cause of death worldwide
– 55 million globally with Dementia, which is expected to rise to 139 million-people by 2050
– 1 in 4 people think there is nothing we can do to prevent dementia
– Yet 40% of cases of dementia could be delayed or reduced
– And 75% of people globally with dementia are undiagnosed
– 85% of people living with dementia are not receiving post-diagnostic support
2. Not Always Hereditary:
– Family history raises risk but usually less than assumed. Only 1% have the gene causing early onset AD. Later-onset AD is multifactorial – various genetics, environment, and lifestyle factors at play.
3. It develops early:
– Alzheimer’s can develop 20-30 years before symptoms arise. Lifestyle choices today impact future risk. Poor sleep, stress, bad diet, poor nutrition, lack of exercise & isolation being risk factors.
– So in the āWellbeing at Workāā conversation why are we not discussing future cognitive decline?
4. Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF)
– BDNF is a protein that promotes growth of new brain cells, countering Alzheimer’s risk
– We can boost BDNF with regular cardio exercise and fasting.
5. Playing Old Music:
– Playing nostalgic Bollywood music from the 1950s/60s helped to engage my father & āāawaken his brainā. A testament to how the brain’s music-processing area is one of the last to be affected by Alzheimer. Watch this inspiring video about old music and Dementia patients.
6. Long Term Vs. Short Term Memory:
– My father could remember people, places & events from 60 years ago when he lived in Uganda (below pic from in Uganda). But he couldnāt recall what he ate for breakfast or what we spoke about an hour ago.
– Long-term memory is one of last to be damaged by Alzheimerās. So engage AD patients by discussing events from years ago & watch their eyes light up as it fires up the long-term memory brain cells.
Alzheimer’s is a horrific disease without a cure. To learn more, watch this 3-min video which provides a simplified summary.
Disclaimer: I am NOT a doctor/nutritionist. Just sharing my learnings.