Health
The health status of one of Nigeria’s best actors, who recently received the Lifetime Achievement Award, during the Africa International Film Festival, AFRIFF, once again reminded Nigerians of the need to pay more attention to the health sector of the country. Although the federal government announced in September 2020 that six regional geriatric centres would be established in tertiary hospitals, Nigerians are hoping that this promise will be fulfilled on time to improve the management of persons suffering from dementia.
By Anthony Isibor
THE recent disclosure by Joke Silva, the ace Nigerian actress about the health status of Olu Jacobs, the 79-year-old actor and husband of hers is battling with dementia has again brought to the fore the increasing cases of the ailment in the country.
Silva, while reacting to her husband’s perceived inability to truly grasp what was happening at the just concluded Africa International Film Festival, AFRIFF, where Olu Jacobs received a Lifetime Achievement Award, said her husband had been struggling with the ailment “for a couple of years” and “doesn’t understand what is going on.”
According to the World Health Organization, WHO, about 55 million people worldwide have dementia with over 60% living in low and middle-income countries. The organization said the number is expected to rise to 78 million in 2030 and 139 million in 2050 as the proportion of older people is increasing in almost every country.
There is often lack of awareness and understanding of dementia, which result in stigmatization and barriers to diagnosis and care for victims.
Some of the facts about dementia published by The Cable include the fact that Dementia is not a singular disease and that it is not a disease on its own, but a general name used to describe a group of symptoms affecting one’s ability to process thought, which is severe enough to interfere with your daily life.
There are different forms of dementia such as Alzheimer’s disease, which accounts for a majority of cases, vascular dementia, Lewy body dementia, mixed dementia, and front temporal dementia.
The severity of symptoms differs from person to person, beginning from the mildest stage — when it is just beginning to affect a person’s functioning — to the most severe stage when the person must depend completely on others for basic activities of living.
Dementia is more than just memory loss: When most people hear the word dementia, the first thing that comes to mind is memory loss, but dementia is not just about memory loss. It can also affect people in a variety of ways such as the way they think, learn, speak, perceive things, feel and behave.
There are some other symptoms asides from general memory loss which include, changes in behavior, confusion and disorientation, delusions and hallucinations, difficulty communicating, problems judging speeds and distances,
Problems with balance and movement, difficulty in comprehension of things that are seen, problems focusing, difficulty in performing basic tasks like getting dressed etc.
Dementia is not a normal part of aging: Although dementia is more common as people grow older, it is not a normal part of aging so not everyone will experience dementia as they grow older. Older persons generally experience some age-related memory changes such as forgetting recent events and occasionally misplacing car keys, but many will live their entire lives without developing dementia.
The difference between normal aging and dementia is that someone with the former may misplace their car keys, but someone with dementia can forget what car keys are used for.
Dementia is not a mental illness: Dementia is not a mental illness but a brain condition. People with dementia may exhibit similar traits as those with mental illness, but they are not classified as the same.
Since dementia is a brain condition and our brain is our control centre, those with dementia will have problems with actions, including remembering, speaking, understanding and learning new skills.
Although there are currently no known cure for dementia, and treatment options for it are also limited, there are medications available to try to reduce the symptoms, but they do not cure the person.
Physical exercise has been shown to be of some benefit in helping to maintain cognition. Staying engaged and participating in social events may also be of some help.
The Lancet Commission on dementia prevention, intervention and care has said that 40 percent of dementia cases could be prevented or delayed by targeting 12 risk factors throughout life adding excessive alcohol intake, head injury and air pollution to nine previously identified modifiable risks and presented at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC 2020).
Part of the nine risk factors previously identified by the commission in 2017 include, less education early in life, mid-life hearing loss, hypertension and obesity, and smoking, depression, social isolation, physical inactivity and diabetes later in life (65 and up).
“Dementia affects some 50 million people globally, a number that is expected to more than triple by 2050, particularly in low- and middle-income countries where approximately two-thirds of people with dementia live, according to the report. Women are also more likely to develop dementia than men as stated by Lon Schneider, commission member and AAIC presenter , and also the MD, co-director of the USC Alzheimer Disease Research Center’s clinical core and
professor of psychiatry and the behavioral sciences and neurology at the Keck School of Medicine of USC,.
However, in certain countries, such as the United States, England and France, the proportion of older people with dementia has fallen, probably in part due to lifestyle changes, demonstrating the possibility of reducing dementia through preventative measures, Schneider says.
Schneider, adds that the tactics to avoid dementia must begin early and continue throughout life, “So it’s never too early or too late to take action, he said.
In February 2020, Al Jazeera reported the story of Elizabeth Mustafa, then 66, who was suffering from dementia and urged care-givers and medical professionals to confront the growing problem with love, patience and medication.
According to the story, Elizabeth had lost her memory a few years, shortly after the amputation due to diabetes. She had suddenly asked: “Where am I? What am I doing here? What’s the name of this town?”
According to Victoria Mustafa, Elizabeth’s daughter in-law and care giver, she enjoyed telling stories from years ago.
“She remembers things from long ago. All others are pockets of memory,” Victoria said.
“It can be frustrating, repeating the same thing over and over again and the person does not remember,” says Victoria. “It takes a toll.”
It is not just those suffering from dementia that carries the burden of the disease. The stress it puts on caregivers is also a concern.
“As Elizabeth’s primary caregiver, Victoria is responsible for her welfare, including checking her blood sugar at least twice a week, ensuring that the doors in the house are open for ease of movement and that there are no objects around with which she could harm herself.
According to Olayinka Ajomale, a consultant geriatric social worker and the executive director of the Centre on Ageing, Development and the Rights of Older Persons in Ibadan, love and support from family and early medical intervention can help improve the living standards of people with dementia.
Ajomale, however, sadly adds that the geriatric care is at an early stage in Nigeria.
“UCH is the only hospital in Nigeria with a full-fledged geriatric care centre.
“Every year, experts in different aspects of gerontology are invited to conduct training sessions for doctors from across the country at the UCH’s geriatric care centre.
“All tertiary institutions should have centers like this, not just units,” says Ajomale.
In September last year, the federal government announced a plan to establish six regional geriatric centres in tertiary hospitals.
– Nov. 28, 2021 @ 12:18 GMT |
A.I
Tags: Dementia Olu Jacobs
