Dementia: Love and care can make a difference

Dementia, which marks various stages and levels of cognitive decline, currently lacks a cure, emphasizing the importance of prevention and supportive care. Individuals coping with this condition often struggle to communicate their needs and experiences, leaving them at a higher risk of abuse and neglect. Each year, on Sept 21, the World Alzheimer’s Day (WAD) shines a spotlight on this issue, aiming to raise awareness and drive action to protect elderly individuals, especially those suffering from dementia. Officially recognized by the United Nations General Assembly in Dec 2011, WAD underscores the need for global recognition and response to dementia, which transcends socioeconomic, societal, religious and cultural boundaries.

From my experiences, I’ve found that elders who suffered from dementia often fall into various categories of abuse. Dementia, which manifests in different stages and levels of cognitive decline, currently has no cure. The most effective approach involves focusing on prevention, understanding their daily habits and assisting them in managing the condition, as patients themselves lack the capacity to do so. In the clinic, I primarily deal with dementia patients, and whenever I discuss with their families, it becomes apparent that these patients face some sort of neglect or verbal abuse. This is evident through their behaviors and expressions during discussions about the patient. I can see the negative impact of misunderstanding at home on the patient.

Based on this, I counsel family caretakers about the factors that trigger negative behaviors in dementia patients. I educate family members on these trigger points to help control the factors so that dementia patients do not exhibit problematic behaviors. Since dementia patients are unable to control their behavior or the situation, only family members can manage these trigger points. These are the aspects I focus on when counseling my patients' family caretakers.

As family caretakers are often unaware of these factors and trigger points, their patience and tolerance can quickly run out, leading to a negative social environment. Hence, awareness is crucial for both the patients and their family members to maintain a positive environment at home.

After counseling, I’ve received positive feedback from the family members and witnessed the positive impact on the patients themselves. Family members have mentioned that the social environment is much more positive, and it has become much easier to care for the patients. Therefore, I strongly recommend spreading awareness of these trigger factors, not just for the well-being of the patients but also for the family members taking care of them.