Don’t forget to remember me
Memory... is the diary we all carry with us: Oscar Wilde
Oscar Wilde once wrote that “Memory... is the diary that we all carry with us”; however for many of the elderly in our community the pages of that diary are fading fast, as they grapple with the symptoms of dementia. North Colombo Teaching Hospital Consultant and Lanka Alzheimer’s Foundation Board Member Dr. Shehan Williams and Lanka Alzheimer’s Foundation President Lorraine Yu spoke to Daily Mirror on the increasing incidents of dementia among the elderly and the support required by the families of the patients who suffer from this disease, which affects the lives of more than 35.6 million people worldwide (according to WHO statistics for 2012).
“Losing your memory is seen by many as part of aging, but it is not necessarily the case, dementia is a disease. When dementia sets in there is a rapid loss of memory, unlike the loss of memory that comes with ageing,” Dr. Williams said.
There are a number of reasons for this rapid memory loss, and loss of cognitive functions. “Dementia can be caused by heart disease or a stroke, known as vascular dementia, HIV could also cause dementia, along with a host of other reasons,” he said and explained that one of the primary means of preventing the early signs of dementia is to keep the mind and body active.
“Some people have a genetic risk of developing dementia. At the same time lifestyle plays a prominent role, the healthier you eat and the more you keep your mind and body active by exercising and also doing things that are cognitively challenging, you reduce the risk of developing dementia. As people age they must use their brains, as the saying goes, use it or lose it,” Dr. Williams said.
He said he believed that the medical establishment in Sri Lanka was underprepared to cope with the de- mands of an ageing population.
“By 2020, nearly 20 per cent of Sri Lanka’s population will be over 60 years of age. This is a significant number. Because dementia affects the elderly, we need to be ready to care for them—however the current healthcare system is not equipped to handle this imminent hurdle,” Dr. Williams said.
Those with parents suffering from dementia are quick to delegate the care of their loved ones to third parties, through elders’ homes or hospitals. However Dr. Williams notes that patients with dementia are best cared for in their homes and familiar surroundings.
“People with dementia get very confused when their surroundings are changed or they have to interact with people who they are not famil- iar with. When they are fed, or given medication or washed and dressed by people they don’t know, it can be terrifying for a person who is already losing his or her memory. It is a very frightening period and elderly people can often get depressed. They need to be surrounded by their children and grandchildren,” he said.
Dr. Williams dismisses the claim that the best means of protecting the elderly, who are losing their cognitive functions, is to isolate them from everyday activities.
“It is important for them to be involved in the everyday activities of the house and to help with the grandchildren. Because they need to feel loved and involved,” he said.
Dr. Williams adopts a philosophy of personal care and attention in- stead of over-medication and sedation of dementia patients.
“These older people need to be cared for and those who care for them must also be given adequate support. The solution is not over-medication and keeping these people drugged,” he said and added that there had been reports of many incidents of elders being neglected by their children and about the inadequate legal protection that the elderly have against this type of abuse.
Dr. Williams said the medical and social services establishments need to be rejuvenated to provide the correct care for the aging population of Sri Lanka.
“We need to take care of the elderly in a dignified manner, for this reason there needs to be another sector in the health services that provides practical advice to the care givers and this can be done by utilizing the existing services provided by the Ministry of Health services,” he said.
Dr. Williams said what was equally important was the support given for care-givers through community-based initiatives.
“Care-givers at times feel frustrated and trapped by their responsibilities. Therefore they too need support and advice from the medical establishment about the best means of caring for the elderly. There is a need for care-groups that get involved in awareness, advocacy and support for each other” he said.
The Lanka Alzheimer’s Foundation was established for the purpose of providing a safe haven for those who suffer from dementia and provide some form of relief to their care-givers.
Its President Lorraine Yu founded the not-for-profit establishment 12 years ago at her home and has maintained the Foundation entirely on a voluntary basis without the support of any international, cor- porate or government donors.
The Foundation provides two open days of the week-ie Monday and Wednesday-from 9.00 a.m. to 3.00 p.m. at its Centre in Colombo 10, where those suffering from dementia are cared for. “When elderly people come here, they are entertained, they get to sing a song or get involved in an activity. We give them lunch and they are very happy. In addition it gives their caregivers some relief and a day to attend to their other duties or just to relax,” Ms. Yu said.
She said the Centre was run at no charge and the only commitment on the part of the family was to bring their loved ones to the Centre on the given days.
“All we require is a family commitment, they need to drop and pick up the clients. For those who cannot afford the transport costs we reimburse their travelling expenses as well,” she said adding that the centre provided all its clients with the dementia drug at a subsidized rate.
Ms. Yu said one of her primary objectives is to create community awareness and thereby combat the stigma that surrouns dementia.
“I want to create a dementiafriendly environment within the Centre and in the community,” she said.
Although the Centre is run by volunteers, Ms. Yu does not entertain a lethargic approach from her volunteers; she demands that they are committed and consistent with their approach to volunteerism.
“We need a sustained commitment from our volunteers; because our clients need to have a secure and comfortable environment, because of the need to form a strong bond with the volunteers. Our clients are going through a challenging period and they need the constant assurance of feeling safe and comfortable,” she said.
Ms. Yu carries on the foundation based on fund-raising activities and a recently-opened handicrafts store that is on the premises of the Centre.
She explains that there are a number of opportunities for people to get involved either at the Centre or from their own homes; however she is quick to note that regardless of where her volunteers might be she expects unwavering commitment from them.
As a means of sustaining the good work that she has begun Ms. Yu hopes to create an endowment fund of Rs.100 Million.
“I have a sustainable plan for the future, because I understand the value of caring for patients in the future, especially as our population is aging. Therefore the corporate sector must also buy into the idea of protecting the future of our elderly,” she said.
The Lanka Alzheimer’s Foundation can be contacted on: Helpline 011 2667080, General Lines: 011 2667082, 2667084 or visit its website at www.alzlanka.org