World Alzheimer's Day experts warn of dementia

World Alzheimer's Day: Experts warn dementia. New alternatives to the care of dementia patients are required. So there are residential communities for dementia patients. In the WG´s are cared for by the sick. Today is World Alzheimer's Day.

(21.09.2010) Approximately 1.2 million people in Germany suffer from Alzheimer's, the most common form of dementia. Experts use today's World Alzheimer's Day to raise awareness of the topic in society and to give those affected some tips and assistance in dealing with the disease. More than 35 million people worldwide are affected by the incurable disease: the trend is rising rapidly.

Every year 250,000 new dementia diseases

In Germany alone, about 250,000 people fall ill each year, and by 2050 the experts expect more than 110 million people with dementia worldwide. Dementia is on the way to widespread disease. Therefore, experts such as Hans Gutzmann, President of the Society for Gerontological Psychiatry, also use the World Alzheimer's Day to give the patient some basic recommendations. So Gutzmann recommends that anyone who recognizes the first signs of a disease to himself, urgently seek medical attention. Many patients try in his view too long to inconspicuously live with the symptoms and shy away from the diagnosis by the doctor. However, an early diagnosis could not only help to slow down the disease, but also offer a chance to gain time in the interests of those affected, so that they can clarify the regulation of legal and nursing issues independently. The renowned Cologne neurologist Prof. Gereon Fink also emphasizes how important early diagnosis is, because if treatment is initiated in good time, he says that up to three years can be gained for the patients in whom they will stay fit for longer. So far, according to Hans Gutzmann only a quarter of those affected to the specialist. Many simply hesitate to go to the doctor for fear of the feared diagnosis, the specialist emphasized.

Internet information portal signpost dementia

The Federal Minister of Family Affairs Kristina Schröder has also used the World Alzheimer's Day as an opportunity to interest a larger public on the topic and the new Internet information portal „Signpost dementia“ (www.wegweiser-demenz.de) as well as the reform plans of the federal government to the nursing service to introduce. While the information portal was greeted from all sides, as here for the first time comprehensively information and assistance offers in Germany for dementia patients as well as their family members are provided, the approaches to the reform of the care were quite controversial. According to experts such as Prof. Fink or Sabine Jansen of the German Alzheimer's Association (DAlzG), there are still considerable deficits in nursing, so that a new regulation seems urgently needed. But whether the path that the federal government proposes is the right one is doubted by the chairman of the German Alzheimer's Society, Heike von Lützau-Hohlbein. On Monday she vigorously criticized the draft reform of the Federal Minister of the Family.

60 percent of dementia patients cared for at home

Becoming current „According to estimates (...) about 60 percent of dementia patients cared for at home, sometimes for years“ Sabine Jansen explained what happened „Suffering for the relatives (be) that they often fall ill themselves.“ The average length of care for dementia patients is currently about nine years. However, housing in a care facility is not an alternative for many relatives, as there are still considerable deficits in outpatient care and in homes. „You expect people who are familiar with the disease, but unfortunately this is often not given by the training“, explained Sabine Jansen from the DAlzG. Therefore, according to the DAlzG chairman, Heike von Lützau-Hohlbein, the relatives of dementia patients with the currently planned reform also not really helped. The bill takes into account „the life situation of the nurses too little“, because the caring family members are today mostly older than 60 years old and usually no longer fully employed, according to the DAlzG chairman. Therefore, part-time leave and a 25% wage waiver often offer no relief or financial benefits to those affected. It would be fatal if a reform of the statutory nursing would increase so in the end, the poverty among women, explained by Lützau-Hohlbein.

First residential community for dementia patients

Nursing homes are required: The first residential communities for people with dementia are already very successful. In any case, in the opinion of Prof. Fink, the care institutions must also take on a greater share of responsibility in order to relieve the relatives of their care in future. And the professionals in the care sector themselves see acute need for action here. „When it comes to dementia, we will have to do much more in Germany. That's the biggest challenge we face“, emphasized, for example, Maria Hanisch, care expert of the charitable organization Caritas in Cologne, because you already meet „in the inpatient care (...) almost only on dementia.“ Prof. Gereon Fink also stated that unfortunately our society so far „not well prepared for the vastness and growing dimension of the problem.“ However, a first positive approach is provided by the newly established residential communities for dementia patients. According to the experts, these are very popular because they resemble their own domestic living environment and living together brings clear advantages for the patients. However, the existing supply can not cover the huge demand, said Maria Hanisch from Caritas.

Early diagnosis crucial

In dementia patients, more and more brain cells are dying out, causing memories and learned knowledge to be lost and, in some cases, changing the personality of those affected. The most common symptoms include, for example, lack of concentration, temporal and spatial loss of orientation, passivity and helplessness. If the disease is severe, people with dementia must be cared for around the clock. A treatment method that promises healing does not yet exist. However, with early diagnosis, the use of drugs and various brain activity stimulation therapies can often provide patients with a few years of recovery „normal“ Everyday life can live. In the diagnosis, for example, procedures such as „clock test“ Everyone can do it at home. In the psychometric test, those affected are asked to draw in a given circle the twelve digits of a clock and the position of the hands of a given time. Dementia patients have considerable problems here. In this way, a doctor can not only determine whether dementia is present but also determine their severity based on the result.

Healing not in sight: Prevention counts

Since dementia is still incurable, prevention is even more important. For example, according to Prof. Gereon Fink, many have „Studies have (...) that a high level of education“ and „a lively mental activity“ protects against dementia. Also „regular sports and exercise“ is according to the expert for dementia prevention important. Diabetes, obesity and other lipid metabolism disorders are considered as risk factors. Therapeutic treatment is currently exploring a variety of approaches, ranging from the regular administration of vitamin B to the use of enzymes to prevent protein deposits in the brain to the fight against Alzheimer's disease with insulin or with the help of antibodies from donated blood. However, it may take decades for experts and physicians to wait for a promising procedure to be approved. The anti-dementia drugs currently in use only serve to reduce the mental deterioration or the slowing down of the course of the disease. However, they can only be fully effective if they are diagnosed early enough. (Fp)

Also read:
Dementia becomes a common disease
Age dementia in Germany on the rise
Alzheimer's: Vitamin B can prevent dementia
Men more often affected by memory impairment

Picture: Rainer Sturm