How Can Someone With Alzheimer’s Disorder Stay Healthy?

News Desk

Islamabad: We can manage Alzheimer’s disorder only by looking for early symptoms of dementia, identifying its types, excluding reversible causes of dementia, and rationalising laboratory investigation and neurological imaging.

Rawalpindi Medical University WHO Collaborating Centre Institute of Psychiatry Chairman Prof Asad Tamizuddin Nizami explained in an interview in connection with World Alzheimer’s Day which is being marked worldwide today.

Alzheimer’s disorder and dementia will become serious issues as our life expectancy increases, said Dr Nizami.

Health Expert stressed raising media awareness to manage progressive neurological disorder which is the most common cause of dementia among the 60 and older population, and raised serious concerns that 78 million people will be living with dementia by the year 2030.

Like the rest of the world, the aging population is increasing in Pakistan, where the number of people above 60 years of age would increase by 2050, Prof Asad stated.

Prof Tamizuddin added that the incidence of Alzheimer’s disease is likely to increase in society as it was a disease of elderly people, adding that mostly the disease is linked with aging and, contrary to perception, could be prevented through remedial measures.

Dr Asad said Alzheimer’s disease has been found to affect 50 per cent to 60 per cent of people with dementia, adding that symptoms of Alzheimer’s and other types of dementia have a broad similarity between them. These include declining short-term memory or forgetting events that have happened recently.

Short term & Long-term effects

Alzheimer’s is a disease that affects short-term and long-term memory, emotions, mood, behaviour and language of the patient, Chairman informed, adding further that the disease makes doing usual tasks like cooking, cleanin, and driving difficult for patients, with symptoms worsening over time.

Regarding the prevention of Alzheimer’s, Health Expert told that a good early education of children also has an effect on preventing or eradicating the disease.

The rapid increase in the number of persons with disabilities (PWDs) shows that the world is aging fast, resulting in a huge global impact of dementia on societies globally, he mentioned.

Despite growing aging populations, dementia is a global health issue, yet research and treatment of the disease have progressed slowly in low- and middle-income countries, Prof Asad Nizami added. Agencies/APP