Living well with dementia

DEMENTIA – the very word fills people with dread. It is a disease the over 50s fear more than any other, including cancer, according to a recent survey.

Perhaps this explains why so many people have a tendency to bury their heads in the sand if they begin to notice signs of memory loss.

In doing so, however, they are missing out on vital services that would not only help them to cope with the condition, but enhance their quality of life.

This is why the Alzheimer’s Society is using Dementia Awareness Week (May 15 – 21) to urge people to confront their fears head on.

But what does it mean to confront dementia – a seemingly invisible foe that attacks the very essence of who we are?

In the first instance, it means biting the bullet and seeking a diagnosis – not least of all because there’s every chance the forgetfulness you’re experiencing is nothing to be unduly concerned about.

Because forgetfulness does not equal dementia – and dementia is not a natural part of ageing.

All dementias, including the most common form, Alzheimer’s disease, are both progressive and, currently, incurable.

That being the case, you might be tempted to ask where the benefit lies in knowing whether or not you have it.

The answer is twofold. Firstly, a diagnosis could very well allay your fears.

It’s true that there are 850,000 people living with dementia in the UK, around 35,000 of them in the North-East.

And this already scary national figure will soar to one million by 2025, and two million by 2051.

But you might be surprised to discover that, currently, only one in five people over the age of 80 has the condition – so it follows that the majority of us, despite what you may have been led to believe, are not destined to end our days battling dementia.

And, secondly, if you do have dementia, the sooner you are diagnosed, the sooner you can get the help you need.

There’s no denying that a positive diagnosis can be devastating, not only for the individual concerned but for loved ones too.

However, life does not end when dementia begins.

There’s plenty of evidence to demonstrate that, with countless examples of people who continue to be active in their communities and enjoy life, often with support from the Alzheimer’s Society.

One such person in County Durham is Ernie Malt. The 69-year-old was diagnosed with vascular dementia more than two years ago. To complicate matters further, he also has Type 1 diabetes, meaning he has to take regular insulin injections.

Ernie isn’t living in a care home, or even being looked after by relatives.

Far from it. This fiercely independent and proud man continues to live alone with his faithful dog Shadow.

And he is the driving force behind a new Dementia Café to be launched in his village of Evenwood, near Bishop Auckland, on May 19.

In short, Ernie is proof that you can live well with dementia – one of the often repeated mantras of our dedicated and caring dementia support workers.

They are among our frontline staff who set up and help to run dementia cafes, advisory services, as well as Singing for the Brain and Games for the Brain groups that use music therapy and physical activity to keep people stimulated and engaged.

We’re also growing our befriending service, where volunteers give their time to enable a person with dementia to continue enjoying a favourite pastime or activity.

As well as providing services that enable people with dementia to live well and get the most out of life, the charity is on a mission to challenge preconceptions and raise awareness of the problems faced by those with the condition.

We engage with public and private organisations, encouraging them to learn more and to become Dementia Friends – a first step towards our goal of creating truly dementia friendly communities.

This week alone has seen the North East Ambulance Service signing a ‘Dementia Friendly Pledge’ – an initiative that will result in its entire 2,500 workforce undergoing special training to learn more about the condition.

Meanwhile, Virgin Trains is working with the Alzheimer’s Society to facilitate an ‘assisted journey’ on May 19 from Darlington to Durham for people with dementia, who will then go on to visit Beamish Open Air Museum.

So the help is out there. Yet our research suggests many people who experience signs of memory loss put off making an appointment with their GP – for up to a year in the worst cases.

Sadly, if dementia is present, procrastination won’t make it vanish. What it will do, however, is make matters worse by delaying access to vital support.

Our message, therefore, is clear. If you are experiencing symptoms of memory loss, seek medical advice at the earliest opportunity.

A positive diagnosis – as devastating as it might seem at first – does not mean your life is as good as over.

People can, and do, live well with dementia…so confront it head on.