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Just a Thought

How often over the course of our lives do we misplace car keys, forget an appointment or birthday, or make a wrong turn while driving? Until recently, most of us would not have been concerned about the everyday things that can slip from our awareness. Fears of developing Alzheimer's disease may now overshadow what were once issues of little concern. Some of us may now create a bit of paranoia as we experience the occasional "senior moments." This is not to say that Alzheimer's is trivial or not a real issue.

Alzheimer's Australia is the national peak body for people living with dementia, their families and carers. It provides leadership in policy and services, encourages and participates in research initiatives, and aims to extend the knowledge and skills of others working with people with dementia, their families and carers. September 2005 is designated Dementia Awareness Month . During this month branches of Alzheimer's Australia provide state-wide responsive and innovative services to inform the community on:

• Support
• Information
• Education
• Community advocacy

In 2004, Alzheimer's Australia commissioned Access Economics to provide future projections for Australia using data for previous years. The survey, conducted in collaboration with Professor Anthony Jorm and his colleagues from the Centre for Mental Health Research, Australian National University, published its findings in a report ( released in February 2005) entitled Dementia Estimates & Projections[1] .

Findings in this report indicate that:

• 52,000 people will be newly diagnosed with dementia in 2005; that is, 1000 people every week.
• By 2050, over 175,000 new cases of dementia are projected every year, which is more than the total number of people with dementia in Australia in 2000.
• One in 3 Australians (around 70,000) with dementia live in New South Wales. This number is projected to increase to 227,200 by 2050.

These new figures have significant implications for all sectors of health and aged care systems. Consequently, the government has committed to Dementia as a National Health Priority in 2005, reinforcing preventive activities. In particular, preventive activities will include research to delay the onset of dementia. The aim is to improve Australians' quality of life and to cut the cost of dementia to the public purse.

At present there is no single diagnosis for Alzheimer's disease but leading health experts believe that, if research is adequately resourced, prevention and early intervention strategies will be possible to drastically reduce the number of people diagnosed with dementia in the coming years. Current research indicates that some lifestyle and genetic factors can increase the risk of dementia. There is also evidence that mental activity and healthy lifestyle may provide a degree of protection against dementia. Some medications can reduce symptoms and improve a patient's quality of life, but they do not stop progression of the disease.

What is Alzheimer's?

Alzheimer's is an organic change to the brain that makes it hard for people to remember, think, and use language. The disease is more common in older adults and it affects all races. About 1 in 10 people over the age of 65 has Alzheimer's, and as many as 5 in 10 people over the age of 85 suffer from this illness. Yet, many of the causes of forgetfulness are far less ominous and may have some applicable solutions that are surprisingly simple.

There are at least four other possible causes for difficulty in remembering[2]:

1. Distraction: Although "multi-tasking" is the rage, going in several directions at one time means that there is a greater likelihood that details will be overlooked and often forgotten due to a lack of focus.
2. Depression: Many people suffering with memory loss are in the throes of depression. When one is depressed, inattention can result, with memory loss as one of the symptoms.
3. Deafness: The onset of deafness can be insidious with ageing and other environmental factors, such as, loud radio and music or work-related noise. As a consequence, the ability to discri
4. minate speech is diminished, resulting in wrong answers to questions which might be interpreted as early dementia.
5. Delayed Recall: The time needed to recall detailed information can increase with ageing which is often interpreted as forgetfulness when what is really going on is a search through one's "mental archives," which can take a little longer.

So, before jumping to the conclusion that we are literally "losing our minds," researchers suggest that we consider other possibilities and take some responsibility for our own health.

First, do not purchase over-the-counter memory aids as doing so may prevent or delay you from looking for some of the deeper causes of memory loss.

Second, do take some quiet time at the beginning of the day and reflect on what you want to accomplish, and plan your tasks. Making a list is a helpful way of keeping some order. If memory loss is associated with sleep disturbances, changes in appetite, feelings of worthlessness or hopelessness or thoughts of suicide, see your health professional. It may be caused by depression.

Having a hearing test by a professional audiologist is helpful. If speech cannot be properly discriminated you may miss-hear what people are saying and respond inappropriately. Be patient with yourself. If you cannot recall something immediately take a few minutes to remember or reflect. The lost bit of data often turns up and diminishes one's consequent anxiety.

The Bottom Line: For the vast majority of us, dementia should not be the first thing that we think of when our memory temporarily fails. Take some time first to do a personal inventory.

There is a growing body of evidence that one key way to keep oneself sharp is to exercise one's mind. Read, write, play complicated games that require memory. If work is technically demanding, think twice about retirement and instead structure a slowdown in the work schedule rather than total cessation. And finally, consult your doctor if you have any further concerns.

Footnotes

1. National Report Dementia Estimates & Projections: Access Economics Report: National Feb 2005), http://www.alzheimers.org.au/content.cfm?infopageid=1926
2. Adapted from biweekly column of medical advice by Dr. Russell Robertson, Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs and Associate Professor of Family and Community Medicine at the Medical College of Wisconsin. His biweekly column of medical advice also appears in the CNI Community Newspapers throughout metropolitan Milwaukee. Ref: http://healthlink.mcw.edu/article/1031002415.html

BOOK REVIEW

Using It While Losing It
Irving and Suzanne Sarnoff, Universe, 2005, ISBN: 0595790607.

As the title of this book suggests, there are ways of dealing with "losing it", whatever "it" might be - retiring, moving, redecorating or aches and pains. These engaging autobiographical stories describe how Irving and Suzanne Sarnoff overcome some of the troubling features of this stage of life. Beginning at the peak of their co-career, with a hilarious account of their appearance on the David Letterman Show, the authors go on to portray their resistance to being identified as senior citizens and their loss of occupational roles and routines. Using It While Losing It conveys a hopeful message. By mobilising the will to laugh at themselves, the Sarnoffs avoided stagnation in self-pitying despair, sustained their intimacy, and continued to cooperate in new creative work.

READER FEEDBACK

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Wishing you a peaceful and relaxing week!

Monika

Monika Bhatia
Project Manager and Editor
9 September 2005

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