Elderly lady
Maybe it is because we have just had Alzheimer’s Awareness Week but there does seem to be a constant flow of information on Alzheimer’s Disease and other forms of Dementia, but the story is very mixed.
I know from the Community Gathering events that we hold that dementia is a greater fear for many as they age than even cancer. The spectre of loss of mental function and of any control of our life is too much for us to contemplate. We also don’t want our families and loved ones to have to suffer the onerous task of being our carers.
The current statistics show that the incidence of dementia will keep on growing as the population continues to age although there is some evidence from the UK that the growth itself has plateaued. However despite the huge amount invested in research for a “cure” the results are not good as this article from the UK demonstrates.
But the news is not all bad. We all know that exercise is good for us in helping to prevent heart disease, depression and diabetes but now new research show that exercise can also help protect against Alzheimer’s in those at increased risk. You can read the research study here.
Alzheimer’s is a fatal illness with a life expectancy of, on average, eight years so how do we explain the case of Christine Bryden who continues to baffle doctors after 20 years. Christine told her story last week on Australian Story and it raises so many questions and offers the prospect that we can impact the trajectory of the disease.
Hence the title of this post, “The Complex News on Dementia.” There is still so much more to learn and understand and I would love to hear your stories.
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