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“Old age” is not equal to “dementia”
The Telesem magazine and the Wday.ru website became information partners of the event for testing elderly people, which was held by the Academy of Memory.
February 21 in the conference hall of the hotel “Volgograd” in the framework of the project a meeting was held with the doctor, head of the laboratory of neurogeriatrics Helen Araikovna Mkhitaryan. Seniors were invited to the event to be screened for signs of dementia. More than 50 men and women came to take advantage of this unique opportunity, because age-related memory problems are really a problem.
Gifts from the Telesem magazine to all those present
Dementia is an acquired dementia, a persistent decrease in cognitive activity with a loss to one degree or another of previously acquired knowledge and practical skills and the difficulty or impossibility of acquiring new ones. To understand whether there are prerequisites for the development of dementia in people who came to the meeting, the subjects were asked to take a test. Those who did not cope with the test or coped with the inaccuracy could individually talk with neurologists and receive personalized recommendations.
Helen Araikovna Mkhitaryan, Head of the Laboratory of Neurogeriatrics and Cognitive Disorders, Candidate of Medical Sciences, neurologist
First bells
The most important thing is that at any age a person can do without outside help. Have you noticed how mom is looking for some thing for half a day, and dad forgot the name of a famous artist? This is how an insidious disease creeps in – dementia.
At first, everything can look pretty innocent – you think, the book was not found. However, over time, this disease can provoke dangerous situations: the grandmother turned on the burner, but forgot to bring a match, the gas enters the apartment. It’s good if vigilant neighbors smell and warn you in time. And if not?
Now in Russia there are more than 1,5 million families facing dementia, in the world – 50 million. In our country, only 5% of patients begin to receive treatment on time. This is because a certain stereotype is at work: memory impairment is a normal aging process, and poor health becomes inevitable with age. But any specialist will tell you that this is not a pattern at all. There are only a few reasons for dementia.
Test brochures to check memory
Dementia causes
1. Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and other diseases of the nervous system, leading to the death of nerve cells in the brain.
2. Circulatory disorders of the brain (stroke, chronic cerebral ischemia).
3. Metabolic disorders (respiratory / hepatic, renal failure, hypoglycemia, hypothyroidism, deficiency of vitamins B1, B12, folic acid).
4. Brain infections (HIV, meningitis, encephalitis)
5. Multiple sclerosis.
6. Traumatic brain injury.
7. Tumors of the brain.
8. Normotensive hydrocephalus.
9. Poisoning with metal salts, drugs.
10. Alcoholism.
Neurologists conducted individual consultations based on the test results
If suddenly your loved ones show signs of dementia, this is a signal to start treatment and not bring the disease to a severe form. What to look for:
– A person forgets current events, which interferes with coping with matters in everyday life (forgot why he came).
– There are problems with orientation in time and space.
– Small difficulties in everyday life begin.
– A person loses interest in complex activities.
– Remains self-serving, but needs reminders.
– A person remembers words, titles, names for a long time.
– Aggression appeared in behavior.
More than 50 people came to take care of their health
“To prevent memory deterioration, first of all, it is necessary to reduce risk factors,” says Elen Araikovna. – These are low physical activity, low education, smoking, hypertension, high cholesterol, diabetes, obesity, depression. All this can lead to memory impairments. ” According to the doctor, those who watch TV more than 4 hours a day are also at risk.
How to keep your mind healthy:
– regular communication with a wide circle of acquaintances;
– getting an education, constant mental activity (reading books, solving Sudoku);
– stop taking medications “just in case”, “for prevention.” Medicines must be prescribed by a physician;
– physical activity for at least 30 minutes a day (walking in the fresh air, regular gymnastics);
– acquisition of new skills (drawing, modeling, computer literacy);
– focusing on time and date (doctors recommend hanging a clock with a dial and a calendar with a movable window at home).
Curators of the “Memini” project
Read more on the website .