SeptemberWorld
Alzheimer’sMonthDementia:
a journey of caring

www.alz.co.uk/WAM

What is dementia?
Dementia is a term used to describe any
condition that causes deterioration overtime of a variety of different brain functions
such as memory, thinking, recognition,language, planning and personality.
Alzheimer’s disease accounts for 50-60% ofcases of dementia. Other types of dementia
include vascular dementia, dementia with
Lewy bodies and fronto-temporal dementia.
Most kinds of dementia have similar
symptoms including:• Loss of memory• Problems with thinking and planning• Difficulties with language• Failure to recognise people or objects• A change of personality
There are currently more than 38 million
people with dementia worldwide. By 2030
this number is expected to have risen toalmost 66 million and to around 115 million
by 2050.

A journey of caring
At some stage in the processof the condition most, if not all,people with dementia require
some form of care. Caring for a
person with dementia is mostoften an extended processwith more and more care being
required as time passes. Thetime a person lives with dementiavaries, with some living for many
years while others progress
through the stages of thecondition much faster.
While there are many positive
aspects of caring, carers ofpeople with dementia are very
likely to experience strain. 40-75% have significant psychologicalillness, and 15-32% major depression. There may also be physicalhealth consequences – strained carers have less immunity toillnesses and a higher mortality rate.
Carers require a great deal of support to enable them to continue
to care effectively. Help is available for carers from Alzheimer
associations worldwide. To contact your national association visit
www.alz.co.uk/associations.

Virginia, Honduras:
An important decision I took was to know more about thisdisease. I searched for information. We arranged family
meetings with our neurologist to know more about what toexpect and be prepared. We never tried to look away from thisreality. We told all of our friends and relatives what was goingon, and it turned out we had themnear at every moment, especiallyin the most difficult.

‘’

Elli and Ester, Indonesia:
In the beginning, living withpeople with dementia is verydifficult and full of surprises.
Almost every day unexpectedthings would suddenly happen.

‘’

María, Costa Rica:
I understand that it is impossible not to feel sorrow, seeing her
going away little by little over time,
and that I could not do anything
to avoid it. I knew that all I could
do was give her all my love,understanding and support.

‘’‘

Yoshio, Japan:
Even though I understood that
it was her illness that made her
behave thus, there were times
when I would find her savage
words and irrational behaviour
unbearable.

Raymond, Sint Maarten:
We all got involved in trying to prevent Edna from doing harmfulthings. I got the night shift, because my wife and the kids had to
go to school during the day.

Federico, Mexico:
My father and his illness allowed
me to appreciate what life isabout, knowing that, despite thebad days and the bad times, theendless hours of anguish, anger
and anxiety, there was always
something to learn from that
beloved person even though he
had lost his cognitive abilities.

‘’‘

’’

Frances, USA:
When I was a caregiver for my mother, I saw two normal worlds
between us, hers and mine. Once I acknowledged that her
world was as normal to her as mine was to me, I stopped using
reason and logic to bring her into my world.

‘’Maureen, Scotland:
W ith the diagnosis came my role as carer. Not something that I
was asked if I wanted to do, but something that was assumed Iwould. This was not an easy task considering that by this time I
had come to hate James. However, I was married to this man insickness and in health, so I stuck it out. I am glad I perseveredas, with support, things improved.

‘’World Alzheimer’s MonthFinding help
Support and information isavailable worldwide fromAlzheimer associations inmore than 80 countries. These
associations exist to provide
advice for both carers andpeople with dementia.
To find your national
Alzheimer association visit
www.alz.co.uk/associations

September is World Alzheimer’s Month, aninternational campaign to raise awareness andchallenge stigma.
Since 1994, World Alzheimer’s DayTM – on
21 September each year – has been the only dayon the calendar to unite people with dementia,carers, and Alzheimer associations around theworld. World Alzheimer’s Month was introduced
in 2012 and offers Alzheimer associations theopportunity to reach more individuals and groups
and increase their efforts to call for improved
support services for people with dementia andtheir carers.

World Alzheimer’s Month
Hong Kong SAR 2012

Dieketseng, South Africa
With Alzheimer’s South
Africa’s help the people left
behind were in a position
to deal a lot better witheverything that led up to
the day he passed away.

‘’Made possible by a grant fromWorld Alzheimer’s Day and Monthare coordinated by Alzheimer’s
Disease International (ADI), theworldwide federation of Alzheimer
associations.
Pictures courtesy of: Alzheimer’s Association/Barbara
Kinney, Cathy Greenblat, Iran Alzheimer Association, Elías
Nahum Portes Ruiz and Hong Kong Alzheimer’s DiseaseAssociation