Hello Everyone,
I hope this week has treated you well.
IT is known that when an individual is suffering from any sort of illness, the family suffers along with them. Alzheimer’s offers no exception. I have been seeing more and more individuals (along with their friends/family) suffering from this disease in Guyana. Even worse, the families have a lack of understanding of the disease as well as a lack of knowledge of the help available within our community. I hope to remedy this today.
Firstly, what is Alzheimer’s disease?

It is a degenerative brain disorder that severely damages cognitive functioning over a period of time. This can range from anything such as memory issues to language problems. Sadly, it is a very common cause of death among the elderly population.
Alzheimer’s is commonly linked with dementia, which is a common cause of the disease. Dementia is loss of all basic cognitive functioning such as memory and reasoning skills.
What are the signs/ symptoms of Alzheimer’s? There are both outward and inward signs of Alzheimer’s. Inward symptoms include shrinking of brain tissue, particularly in the hippocampus; the part of the brain mostly responsible for memory functioning.

Typically, the first outward sign of this disease is memory issues. We all often forget where we put our keys or whether we’ve turned off appliances before we left home; but when does it become a problem? This happens when the memory loss is so severe that it starts to affect our daily lives and overall functioning. One may not be able to drive one’s self anymore as he/she cannot remember where certain places are — even though they have been frequently visited. The individual may even forget the names of the people closest to them.

Short- term memory is usually the first to go. Alzheimer’s patients may remember things from their childhoods, but not in the last few months.
Other common symptoms include wandering and getting lost, impaired judgement, reasoning and communication skills. These symptoms all lead to heavy stress, aggression, anxiety as well as suicidal thoughts and behaviours.
There are different stages that come with different symptoms. These are mild, moderate and severe Alzheimer’s.

During the mild stage of Alzheimer’s, the individual may start to repeat questions, lose items and take longer to complete regular daily tasks such as cooking, cleaning, paying bills etc. They may require help to do these things.
If the individual is experiencing moderate Alzheimer’s, there is damage in the areas of the brain that are responsible for memory, language and reasoning. The memory issues are more severe, whereas the individual may no longer recognise people or places that were once close to him/her.

They will get lost often and therefore lose motivation to do anything. This loss of productivity and efficiency will result in mood swings as well as isolation from friends and family. Hallucinations and delusions are possible during this stage and the individual needs help during most routine activities.

During severe Alzheimer’s, the brain tissue in the hippocampus significantly shrinks,which results in the inability to form any kind of new memories. The individual will not be able to learn anything new, effectively communicate, take his or her medication on his or her own or basic self-care. The progression of the disease would result in a loss of ability to read or write and basically anything else that stimulates the mind. During this stage, the patients will typically spend most of their time in bed. It will be almost impossible for them to live alone at this point. More often than not, he or she will require around-the-clock care.

Who can develop Alzheimer’s?
There is no one cause for Alzheimer’s, but rather a number of factors that make certain individuals more likely than others to develop the disease.
Alzheimer’s is typically developed among elderly people– around mid 60s. Therefore, age in itself is a risk factor. There is the possibility of early on-set Alzheimer’s, which usually develops around the mid 30s. However, this happens only in about 10% of all people with Alzheimer’s.

Like most mental illnesses, genetics play a significant role in its development. This means that an individual is more at risk of developing the disease if a first-degree relative (parent/sibling) has been diagnosed with it. However, this does not mean that Alzheimer’s is inescapable, one can still reduce their risk by living a healthy lifestyle — even with a genetic downfall.
Some individuals are also born with a genetic mutation that is usually the cause of development.

Individuals who have a personal history of head injuries, sleep disorders, depression, addiction and overall poor physical health are more likely to develop Alzheimer’s. Gender is also considered a risk factor, as women are more likely to develop the disease than men.

How is Alzheimer’s prevented and treated?
Alzheimer’s disease cannot be cured, but can be treated and managed. There are medications, counselling and brain activities that can help the individual better manage the physical, mental and behavioural symptoms, as well as delay further symptoms of the disease.

Individuals who increase intellectual activities such as word/memory games, chess, reading or any creative crafts have been shown to slow progression of their disease. Those who have increased hobbies and social activities have done so as well.
An individual diagnosed with Alzheimer’s is medicated (exact one depends on the patient). They may go through various methods of counselling before they find which is right for them. A popular one, Reminiscence therapy (RT), involves deep discussion of the patient’s history and past experiences. They are shown pictures, home videos or old letters – anything that can spark memories. Music can also help.
We feel helpless as friends/ family in these situations but there are small things that we can do to help.

Keep items used daily (keys, medication, phone etc.) in the same place at all times. Clean and de-clutter the house. Keep pictures (associated with good memories) all around the home. Play productive and learning games with them. Label all the items in the house that they may be forgetting. Help them with daily chores or show them easier ways to go about them. Follow them to all doctor’s appointments. All of the above slow progression of the disease, increases patience, lowers frustration and decreases the chances of isolation for the individual suffering from Alzheimer’s.

Caring for an individual with Alzheimer’s is not an easy task. It is very physically, mentally, emotionally and financially taxing. There are inpatient services available within our community that can help.
Inpatient services are offered by Mercy Hospital Resident Care. This means that the patient lives and is taken care of by people within the centre, who are specially trained in these areas.
Address: Lot 3 Pere Street Kitty, Georgetown
Contact: 227-1100, 225-3185

If you feel as though you or a loved one might be suffering from Alzheimer’s, please visit your nearest health centre to share your concerns.

Thank you for reading and please send in any topics to caitlinvieira@gmail.com. Also please remember when you can come see me.

Georgetown Public Hospital :Monday- Friday – 8am- 12pm
Woodlands Hospital: Outpatient Department
Drug and Alcohol group meetings – Mondays 4:00pm
Good mental health group meetings- Wednesdays 4:00pm
Say Yes to Life and No to Drugs! Always!