Over 100 senior citizens attend health workshop on memory problems at Max Hospital Mohali
Author(s): City Air NewsDr Preeti Sahota, Consultant-Neurology at Max Super Speciality Hospital (MSSH), Mohali addressing senior citizens during a health workshop on ‘Memory problems: when to suspect Dementia & Alzheimer ’ held at MSSH,...
cityairnews
Jan 30, 2014 12:30
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Dr Preeti Sahota, Consultant-Neurology at Max Super Speciality Hospital (MSSH), Mohali addressing senior citizens during a health workshop on ‘Memory problems: when to suspect Dementia & Alzheimer ’ held at MSSH, Mohali on Thursday.
Mohali, January 30, 2014: Over 100 senior citizens attended a health workshop on ‘Memory problems: when to suspect Dementia & Alzheimer ’ held at Max Super Speciality Hospital (MSSH), Mohali on Thursday.
Speaking during occasion, Dr Preeti Sahota, Consultant, Neurology, MSSH, Mohali said that memory loss associated with aging was often confused with Dementia. In the normal ageing process, person would typically complain of memory loss or forgetfulness, slower thinking and problem-solving, decreased attention or concentration and slower recall, occasionally searches for words besides pausing to remember directions. Dementia was a collection of symptoms including memory loss, personality change, and impaired intellectual functions resulting from disease or trauma to the brain. These changes were not part of normal aging. With dementia, there would likely be noticeable decline in communication, learning, remembering, and problem solving.”
Elucidating on the difference between Dementia & Alzheimer, Dr Sahota clarified that Alzheimer was the most common form of dementia in which the death of brain cells caused memory loss, confusion, impaired judgment, disorientation and inability to communicate. These changes would start mild and get progressively worsen with time. Since Alzheimer developed for an unknown and a variable amount of time before becoming fully apparent, it could progress undiagnosed for years. Thus it was important for family members to recognize the early symptoms.”
Informing on the ways to deal with this problem which impacts almost 80% of seniors, Dr Sahota said that while there was currently no cure for Alzheimer, early detection was the best way to provide better medical care and outcomes. An emotional support from family & friends along with active medical management could improve the quality of life for Alzheimer patients. The treatment focused on several different aspects including helping people maintain mental function, managing behavioral symptoms, and slowing or delaying the symptoms of the disease.
Talking about disease symptoms, Dr Sahota said that some symptoms like depression, drug interactions, vitamin B12 deficiency or hypothyroidism were reversible and could be serious. They should be treated by a health-care provider as soon as possible, she maintained.
How a family could help a person with Alzheimer, Dr Sahota gave tips to senior citizens. These tips are as under:
? They should be encouraged to always keep a book to record important information like phone numbers, names, appointments, address & directions to home.
? Label cupboards & drawers with words or pictures that describe their contents.
? Place important phone numbers in large print next to the phone and use answering machine.
? Place sticky notes around house to remember important things.
? Use a calendar to keep track of time and important dates.
? Use photos of important people labeled with their names and ask a friend or family member to remind important things like meal and medication times, appointments etc.//punjab news live, punjab news online, punjab news, punjab news headlines, punjab breaking news, india news, punjab news, world news,
