AM I JUST FORGETFUL OR DO I HAVE DEMENTIA?

Me, my mom, my elder daughter and my
mom's four great-grandkids at Dementia
Homecare Centre during a recent CNY visit,

When the doctor told me last March that my mother had dementia, the news wasn't exactly a shock. My mother had become increasingly forgetful over the past months, and acting peculiar. Initially I put it down as part of ageing. After all, she was 85 at the time. Moreover, she could answer all three questions I asked her. This was a tip from my neighbour, a retired registered nurse. If my mom could give her age, full name and the names of all her children, she was okay.

My mom passed this simple test, and so I let the matter rest. Everything changed after she fell and broke her hip on 6 March 2011. During her 10-day stay at the hospital after the hip surgery, the doctors and nurses noticed signs of dementia in my mother. One of her doctors recommended that she see a geriatrician. To cut the story short, Dr Philip Poi of UMSC confirmed my mom had dementia.

My mother was subjected to several tests. One of them was the clock test. It's simple and can be done at home. If you suspect your elderly parent might have AD, ask him to draw a clock and fill in all the numbers. You may be surprised at the result.

If you have noticed certain signs of absent-mindedness, but you are not quite sure of these are early signs of Alzheimer's, you can take this test below. A ‘yes’ is given a score of one or two and a ‘no’ always scores zero, giving a maximum possible score of 27.

A score of less than five suggests there is no cause for concern, five to 14 suggests mild cognitive impairment or early stages of Alzheimer's, and a score higher than 14 could denote the person may already have AD.

21-question test for Alzheimer's. Click on Daily Mail for a bigger and clearer image.

By the way, what's the difference between dementia and Alzheimer's Disease? Dementia refers to symptoms of forgetfulness that may impact a person's daily functioning (see table above). AD is a specific type of dementia. It is the most common and affects mainly people aged 65 and above.

In my mom's case, she was constantly checking the calendar and the clock, wandering around the house even in the middle of the night and repeating stories umpteen times to the extent I had to rescue whoever she happened to be chatting with. She couldn't remember if she had taken her pills, showered or washed her hair. She forgot where she kept her things and often blamed the maid for stealing them. Fortunately the maid took her accusations as a symptom of dementia. These were some of the changes I noticed in my mom as her dementia progressed.

AD is incurable. But there are ways to slow down the advance. Do a Google or Youtube search, and you will be inundated by the number of links and videos that show up. The challenge is finding the most reliable recommendation. I can only share what the doctors have recommended for my mother.

You can check out the daycare centre where my mom spent three months last year at the link below. Lots of pictures of the place. If you have a loved one who has dementia, I highly recommend this centre in PJ. It is in Section 11, across the road from Universiti Hospital. Email me at seniorsaloud@gmail.com if you want to know more about the facilities and the caregiving services there.

The centre is holding a talk by a caregiver this Saturday at its premises. It is a good opportunity to learn more about dementia and AD, and also check out the place.

Related articles:

A DAYCARE CENTRE THAT'S LIKE A SECOND HOME

AGE-PROOF YOUR BRAIN

Of late I’ve noticed that my 82-year old mother has become increasingly forgetful. She can’t remember what day it is and where she put her things. She can’t remember the names of the younger family members, and how they are related to her.

Watching her, I often wonder when I’ll be just like her and forget even simple everyday things. We all dread AD or Alzheimer's Disease. Is it the inevitable follow-up to memory loss? Yet there are people older than my mother who have retained their sharpness of mind like Singapore Minister Mentor, Lee Kuan Yew, 85, Royal Professor Ungku Abdul Aziz, 87, and supercentenarian, Teresa Hsu, 110.

Naturally I was very excited when I came across Tony Buzan’s “Age-Proof Your Brain”. According to him, “It’s a misconception that your brain automatically deteriorates with age, and there is science to prove it. What is true is that you need to look after your brain...to keep it performing well for you.”

His book is packed with plenty of intellectually stimulating exercises designed to sharpen our mind and boost our memory. Part One of the book introduces the reader to The 7-Day Get Sharp Plan, while Part Two focuses on The 7-Week Stay Sharp Plan.

If you are not into reading, there are other things you can do for brain fitness.

Add brain-food to your diet. Antioxidents, omega-3 fatty acids, unsaturated fats, fruits, vegatables, and moderate alcohol consumption are all linked to a healthy brain.

Exercise regularly. You don't have to join a gym. Try walking more, using the stairs, doing housework and babysitting toddlers! Better still, take up qigong or tai-chi which combines both physical exercise and mental relaxation /meditation.

Doing qigong in Lake Gardens.

Learn new skills - photography, calligraphy, line-dancing (even lion-dancing!). I find blogging, including doing research for the articles, mentally and intellectually stimulating.

Line-dancing can be both fun and good for health.

Do something different for a change. If you have always avoided taking public transport, try it. Take the bus or train to town. Participate in a competition. Give a speech. Climb a mountain.

Giving a public talk.

Challenge your mental agility by doing crossword puzzles and sudoku. In China, mahjong is very popular with the seniors as it encourages thinking as well as keeps the fingers flexible. Electronic games are fast gaining popularity too. A 30-minute game of tennis on my grandson's Wii can leave me sweating and panting for breath!

Seniors enjoying a game of mahjong.

Sweating it out in a game of Wii.

Sudoku can be mentally challenging.

Exercise the brain by doing crossword puzzles.

Our brain cells are like muscles - use them or lose them!