7 habits to ward off dementia

I read this once. Forgetting where you put your keys is nothing to worry about, forgetting what they are for is.

I haven't read Zelma's email as it has been deleted but my statements are supported by information published by the government and the Alzheimers Society.

The rate of dementia in each age group has fallen by 20% www.dementiablog.org/behind-the-headlines-a-20-drop-in-uk-dementia-incidence-rates/ , but dementia rates rise with age and as more people are living into their 90s and 100s, (The number of centenarians has quadrupled in the last 2 decades www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-37505339 )

As people living to this age are more likely to have dementia than a 70 year old, the total number of people with dementia is rising. Both statements are compatible, it just depends on whether you are talking about incidence by age or population as a whole. I was talking about incidence by age, but also acknowledged that the total number of people with dementia was rising for the reasons given above.

Monica says the rate of dementia is falling Zelma says the rate of dementia is growing You can’t both be right It’s a lottery because they don’t know what causes it, it could even be exposure to some chemicals or it could be genetic, it could be anything and they just don’t know so try for all round good health in old age We have all seen alcoholic smokers with a poor poor diet who live to be elderly it’s very much the luck of the draw

Message deleted by Gransnet. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Thank you for this really lucid and useful summary.

Dementia can be due to numerous things. Keep in mind, too, that there are different causes of dementia:

-Alzheimer's disease is one of the most common forms of dementia. Alzheimer's disease is characterized by a literal reversal of normal development. The first thing you lose is your judgement skills. The last thing you lose (if you live long enough) is the ability to smile.

-Vascular dementia is another common form of dementia. This is caused by one or more strokes, including small strokes that the patient may not even realize they have experienced. The clinical course of vascular dementia can vary widely because it will depend on the parts of the brain that have been affected.

-Frontotemporal lobe dementia tends to affect younger people (usually in their 50s). This cause a loss of judgement skills and inhibition, and may cause early personality changes.

-Lewy body dementia, relatively rare, causes problems such as hallucinations and parkinsonism (tremors and rigidity similar to those seen in people with Parkinson's disease).

-Mixed dementia occurs when people have more than one type of dementia together.

Again, as already stated, these habits lower risk. They don't necessarily eliminate it. In fact, one of the best ways to lower your children's risk for dementia is to read to them. I recognize that many here are already grands, but you can encourage your children to read to your grandchildren (or read to your grandchildren yourself). This seems to be protective against dementia later in life.

Definitely, keeping mentally active also helps a lot. Keep in mind, too, that just because you may have a "senior moment" or develop "hereafter syndrome" (i.e. you go somewhere and go, "Now what am I here after?"), you may not have dementia. In order for dementia to be diagnosed you must have impairment in memory AND at least one other cognitive domain. Losing your car keys is one thing. Forgetting the way to the grocery store where you've been shopping for 30 years is something else again.

I am sorry I disagree, there is nothing about these articles that suggests dementia is the fault of the sufferer. They all make it clear that it cuts the risk, not removes it completely.

Everybody understands that if you take statins it will reduce but not eliminate the probability of you having a stroke or heart attack. It is exactly the same with dementia. You cannot blame those reporting the research if the readers choose to completely misinterpret it.

These kind of articles anger me with the hidden message about dementia somehow being the fault of the sufferer. My DF was slim, fit, intelligent, articulate, etc., etc, and still ended his days terrified as Alzheimer's disease engulfed him.

The original post, with the comment "I should be fine then," carries an implication that following this advice would somehow insure the writer against dementia. It also implies that failure to do all these things increases the risk, which is very distressing for all those experiencing the results of this awful disease. I think we are all aware that the perfect lifestyle is the goal - we are constantly bombarded with this drivel advice. The problem is that most of us don't achieve it and are therefore deemed to have 'failed' in some way whenever illness strikes. This attitude is unfortunately becoming increasingly common.
The fact is, that no-one actually knows what causes dementia, and until a cause is found, advice such as staying slim, being active and eating well is meaningless. A study of just over 6000 people is a small study anyway.

The older you are the greater the probability you will develop dementia BUT, recent research has shown that the proportion of people getting dementia at any given age is actually falling. This has been explained by higher levels of education that means people maintain a higher level of mentally stimulating activity through old age and that the older people live, the better their lifestyle is likely to have been, so they reap the benefit of those 7 habits that reduce the probability of dementia.

So while numbers of people in the population with dementia will grow as longevity increases, the chances of an individual developing dementia will fall.

It crossed my mind that if one is fit and healthy then life expectancy would be longer. More chance of getting dementia?
I do know, sadly, it affects younger people too but it generally associated with greater age.
Now someone will tell me I’m wrong!

Why should anyone think they had 'failed' in someway or not had a good lifestyle just because they are diagnosed with dementia? All these articles talk about reducing risk, not removing risk, so people who have lived lives of blameless perfection still have a chance of getting dementia, but less of chance than people whose life styles are deplorable.

jenpax as smoking has reduced so have illnesses related to smoking: cancer, heart attacks and strokes. If keeping your weight down is the new smoking, then keeping your weight down will definitely have good effects.

Why is staying slim brought into every health issue these days? it’s become the new smoking. I am not convinced that it’s as simple as the doctors make out!

Why did fit turn into for?

I don't care how much the "experts" tell us what to do to ward off dementia, it's a complete lottery. As I mentioned on the previous thread on this subject, I worked in a unit for people with dementia. We looked after the wife of a labour peer. She had been a wonderful woman. Every year on her birthday she received a huge bouquet of flowers from the university she used to lecture in. She was a languages professor, taught Russian and Spanish. They were a very for couple, and walked extensively in the Lake district and Scotland. The longer we live the higher the chances of us succumbing to dementia. It is a very cruel disease.

With regard to Mrs Thatcher, she always wearing smart shoes and I don't think she walked very much. Also was famous for only sleeping for a few hours each night. Contrast. that with the Queen who is known to spend a lot time walking round Balmoral

That was precisely my point on the other thread (TAAT oops!)

I agree, Chewbacca about making people feel as though they have failed. It feels like victim-blaming, really. Our closest friend is succumbing to the darkness of dementia at only 70yo. He's led a blameless life but this foul disease will get him regardless.

I am always reminded that the extremely bright, well read and thin Margaret Thatcher ended her days not knowing who anybody was, or where she was.

She may have been an alcoholic, junk food eater with Type 2 diabetes and a 40 Woodbine a day habit but I doubt it somehow.

I think it may be luck of the draw or a genetic disposition maybe. My late MIL walked every day, read, had opinions about everything and ate healthily. She started becoming confused at the age of 69 and ended her days (18 years later) bedridden, silent and unaware of anything or anyone. It's very sad.

I try to keep my brain active and read and do crosswords and other puzzles and must admit I fret a bit when those words on the tip of my tongue won't come out! This is a fairly new experience but my friends assure me it happens to them too.

Completely agree Greyduster. It only serves to make us feel as though our loved ones, who suffer from dementia, have failed in some way. My lovely neighbour is 71; fit as a flea; walks miles each day with her Labrador dog; plays bridge with different groups; never smoked in her life, and has just this week been diagnosed with dementia. Where did she fail?

www.gransnet.com/forums/health/1251316-How-to-prevent-dementia
We had a thread just the other week where I agreed with OP that while all the health advice is admirable, medical research has not yet found how to prevent dementia any more than it has found a cure for the common cold and trite articles such as “Seven habits” etc with glib “advice” do sufferers and their families a very real disservice.

The research reported, in other papers as well, did not say that doing these things would mean you would not get dementia. It said it would reduce the risk of getting dementia. So some people doing all these things will develop dementia but fewer than in a similar sample from the population as a whole, regardless of life style.

My sister in law fits into all the above criteria, has just been diagnosed with dementia and, even within a short time, her behaviour is giving cause for much concern. I wish they wouldn’t trot out this stuff. It helps no-one.

loopyloo "correcting hearing loss".
That must be important. I'll have to go for another test. Not hearing cuts you off from people.

My mum did all the above, plus speaking two languages well but sadly it didn’t help her avoid dementia, 10 years of hell and torment.