Tips for caregivers of Alzheimer’ s disease

DETERIORATING very long time and gradually is a decade long investment on the caregivers.

University of Malaya Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medicine director Professor Dr Tan Maw Ping stressed that for patients with Alzheimer’ s, what makes a difference is caregiving.

“ These are ingrained in us as parents of a young child. It just need to be translated to someone who is losing

CREDIT: HALABEDI. EUS ability and try to promote the independence and the routine, so that they can become very functional throughout their disease.”

“ Do everything to promote their self-worth and independence. Talk openly to parents who have dementia even in the presence of friends that they would follow suite.”

“ In many cases, their friends would join along and take the parent with dementia out and walk along,” she said.

She stressed that caregivers need to have confidence that it is not shame on the family, that dementia is a normal condition and that the person is very there even if they forget.

“ If they forget to eat, remind them to eat and eat with them, so that they would follow suite rather than force them to eat.”

“ If they forget to use the toilet, rather than put them in diapers, help them recognise the sensation and go to the toilet. They would probably need to pre-empt and remind them that they need to go to the toilet; perhaps half-anhour after a cup of coffee.”

“ Once it becomes a routine, they would go to the toilet themselves at the same time every day whether they have the urge or not.”

CREDIT: ORGANIC LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

Food to prevent from Alzheimer’ s disease

HERE are foods that may reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’ s disease.

• Omega-3 fatty acids found in fatty fish, walnuts, flaxseed and olive oil.

Higher risk of Alzheimer’ s for person’ s 60 above

Alzheimer’ s disease is a neuro degenerative condition which progresses very slowly.

Dance away to good health

DANCING has been proven to help in reducing stress, anxiety and insomnia. A study published in the journal Gerontology said that a few weeks of salsa dance classes can seriously increase an older adult’ s strength and balance. In addition, older adults with knee and hip discomfort may want to swap their pain medications for dancing shoes which inadvertently helps in move around unassisted. Meanwhile, people with chronic heart failure may derive the same aerobic health advantages from learning how to waltz.

However, it’ s important to always check with a doctor before embarking on a rigorous dancing regime.

Dr Tan Maw Ping.

LZHEIMER’ S disease is quite

A common in Malaysia with an estimated 100,000 dementia sufferers. University of Malaya Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medicine director Professor Dr Tan Maw Ping highlighted that population wise, the chances of getting dementia for persons 60 years and below is very low.

“ Unless a person has an inherited form of dementia which is very rare, the likelihood of getting dementia is very small. However, the minute a person turns 60, the risk of dementia increases dramatically. By 80, the risk of getting dementia is 20 per cent, so one in five persons over 80 has dementia.”

She explained that Alzheimer’ s disease is actually a form of dementia where the older person experiences deterioration in not just memory but also other parts of their brain function.

“ They might have altered moods, problems with speaking which eventually leads to losing the ability to do things for themselves.”

“ Alzheimer’ s disease is a neuro degenerative condition which progresses very slowly. A person who has lived for seven years after the diagnosis deteriorate very slowly over that time, so they need a lot of care, support and treatment.”

There are other types of dementia; strokes can cause dementia known as vascular dementia while Lewy body dementia is linked to Parkinson’ s disease.

“ Those types of dementia, the patients tend not to have such a prolonged cause of disease which is why it has less attention on itself.”

• Foods rich in vitamin C like red peppers, currants, broccoli and strawberries and vitamin E such as almonds.

• Flavonoid-rich fruits such as apples, blueberries, cranberries, grapefruit, asparagus, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, garlic, kale, kidney and lima beans, onions, peas and spinach.

• Studies on curry powder which contains curcumin have shown to boost brain performance.

• Folate from foods like dark leafy greens and dried beans to slow cognitive decline.

• One French study showed that drinking 4-ounce glasses of wine per day reduced the risk of Alzheimer’ s disease by 75 per cent.

Umami increases food taste for elderly

JAPAN may be the first country that faced an“ elderly boom,” but this segment of the population is increasing all around the world. From France, where a quarter of the population is over 60 years of age to the countries of Southeast Asia, where the average reached 9.6 per cent in 2016, the world is turning its attention to the care of its most senior members.

According to Ajinomoto Company, Japan has spearheaded the concept of the healthy lifespan of nurturing the idea of longevity where the elderly can be happy, active, productive and self-sufficient. However, countries like Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia are considering how to keep food appetising for their elderly members who experience a decrease in appetite.

Umami, the basic taste of monosodium glutamate( MSG), may help by increasing the palatability of food which encourages greater uptake of nutrition. It helps digestion of protein, such as by regulating salivation and gastric juice and helps stimulate viscous salivation which helps with swallowing and relieves“ dry mouth.”

The HEALTH : July 2018 | Page 26

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