To recognize World Alzheimer’s Day (WAD), Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) is encouraging residents of Qatar to learn how to spot signs of Alzheimer’s disease and also to support those living with the condition.
On September 21 each year, WAD represents an international campaign that aims to raise awareness about Alzheimer’s and reduce associated stigma.
The theme for this year’s campaign is “Remember Me” urging individuals not to forget those affected with Alzheimer’s and those who may have passed away due to the disease.
Alzheimer’s is the most common form of dementia – referred to as different brain disorders that affect memory, thinking, behavior and emotion – and accounts for about 60 percent of all dementia cases. The World Alzheimer Report 2015 estimates that there are currently 46.8 million people living with dementia around the world.
Although the majority of the people affected with Alzheimer’s are 65 years and older, according to The Alzheimer’s Association, up to five percent of people with the disease have early onset Alzheimer’s, which can appear in their 40s and 50s.
Consultant Psychiatrist and Director of the Older Adult Psychiatry Services at HMC, Dr. Mohammad Al Banna, said the disease is progressive and worsens with time. However, timely diagnosis can enable those affected, their families, and caregivers to learn more about the condition, understand the potential changes, and develop a management plan.
“Early symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease may include difficulties with language, significant memory loss especially short-term memory, difficulty performing familiar tasks, changes in personality including evident signs of depression, aggression, and lack of interest and motivation,” Dr. Al Banna said.
Dr. Al Banna added that people with Alzheimer’s may have difficulty with day-to-day living, and may exhibit many different kinds of effects, such as an inability to remember names and events, becoming extremely dependent on others for tasks like cooking, shopping, bathing and dressing, and having difficulty eating or walking.
Dealing with Alzheimer’s places great financial, emotional, and physical stress on the affected individuals and on their families, said Dr. Al Banna, adding that family and caregiver support play a crucial role in ensuring the affected individuals retain their sense of dignity.
“People should know that when a person is experiencing a decline in their mental abilities, they often become vulnerable and require ongoing reassurance and, most importantly, the attention of their loved ones. Families and caregivers must collaborate to improve the quality of life for these individuals,” he said.
HMC Older Adults Psychiatry Outreach Program was launched in 2011 in conjunction with Qatar National Mental Health Strategy and Implementation Plan 2013-15 to establish community-based mental health services on par with international standards and aiming to remove stigma, reduce incidence, prevalence and severity of mental illness in Qatar. A range of services are offered under this program.
Patients suspected of having Alzheimer’s and dementias are offered support at the older adult outpatient clinics at the Psychiatry Department. These clinics are run by geriatric consultant psychiatrists and training fellows and serve as the main referral point for assessment, diagnosis, and other services for patients with dementia and their families.
Additionally, for acute conditions, the older adult psychiatry team admits them to male and female units at the department for further specialist assessment and treatment.
Dr. Al Banna highlighted that although dementia cannot be prevented completely, the risks can be reduced by adopting a health-promoting lifestyle. Some simple steps, recommended by Alzheimer’s Disease International include:
- Quitting smoking as smokers have a 45 percent higher risk of developing dementia than non-smokers
- Being physically active simply by walking daily
- Following a healthy diet high in cereals, fish, legumes, vegetables
- Challenging the brain as lots of mental activity can help prevent shrinkage of hippocampus (the part of the brain responsible for memory and often the first to be damaged in Alzheimer’s disease)
- Enjoying social activities
