What is Dementia
There are many forms of dementia for example, Alzheimer’s which is most common, Vascular Dementia, Dementia with Lewy bodies, Frontotemporal Dementia, Mixed Dementia and young onset Dementia. One common cause of Alzheimer’s is CJD, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. Noticing changes in your loved one of any kind no matter how small please get them checked by your doctor as early detection can often lead to better prognosis.
Patients may lose their ability to carry out daily activities like making decisions suffering from memory loss or forgetting names. This is a general observation but there are other factors that you can research as to the possible cause and effects of dementia.
What is Alzheimer’s
Alzheimer’s is a progressive disease of the brain and is the most common form of dementia that over time destroys memory and language and in time will affect the patient’s capabilities to do even the basic daily tasks.
The lifespan of a person living with Dementia on average is 8 years. However, some patients have lived up to 20 years after diagnosis.
Brief explanation of dementia
Dementia is not a specific illness but more a general umbrella term referring to the onset of impaired thinking, memory or reasoning loss, eventually effecting people’s ability to function. Many older people suffer from loss of memory however in the case of Dementia patients decline occurs with greater acceleration.
LGBTQ people needing care because of Dementia
Whether your straight or gay Alzheimer’s which is the most common form of Dementia will in the main create the same symptoms for both genders. Whilst living their lives LGBTQ people have often lived a more flamboyant, intuitive, sensitive and welcoming lifestyle, and often show great individuality, dare I say for some an airy- fairy O T T lifestyle (Not always mind). The point being that most LGBTQ members have a totally different lifestyle than those of their straight counterparts, and this must be considered when assessing their care needs.
Three stages of Alzheimer’s
1. Early-stage Alzheimer’s
This is where a patient may well retain most of their faculties. However, small signs of change are becoming noticeable. They may still carry on life as normal and carry on driving, working and retaining a social life however, mild memory loss along with location recognition may start to occur.
2. Middle-stage Alzheimer’s
This can be the longest stage of the illness, lasting a different length of time for each patient during the course of progression. At this point the professionals recommend that they should not be left alone. The symptoms are now more obvious to family and friends. Patients can become more forgetful, or may find it difficult to retain information, solving problems or recognising loved ones, family or friends. They may suffer bouts of depression, or become irritable, not wanting to bath or shower, suffering erratic sleep patterns or wandering off. At this point Granny found things starting to get difficult.
3. Late-stage Alzheimer’s
This is the most severe stage of the illness and the most difficult to care for. The patient’s mobility may be severely impaired which in turn can cause other medical problems. Incontinence may become challenging. Your doctor or your medical team can advise you on the actions you may need to take. The patient may have lost control of their speech and may just be able to mumble words, you must be patient with them and try and understand what it is they are trying to say or simply just agree with them, Granny found that easier. At this stage you will probably have asked for some kind of support to cope with everyday activities and bathroom duties. You will find in some cases they have less of an appetite and on occasion they may have difficulty swallowing (contact your medical team if you are concerned). It is good practice to always keep an eye out for the unexpected.
The Final Few Weeks
You may notice a rapid decline in the patient’s health. What to look out for:
- The hands that were once warm and loving may turn cold.
- Regular restlessness.
- Swallowing, as Granny previously mentioned can be difficult. Always seek the advice of your doctor or your medical team if you are concerned.
- Breathing can be noisy and challenging.
- Unable to go to the toilet.
- The patient may well be bed ridden at this point.
Most likely you will have health care professionals on board at this point to enable you to support the patient and to ensure they are as comfortable as possible. Hospital or palliative care may be advised by your medical team at this stage; however, some people like to keep their loved ones at home till the very end which is a personal decision that must be taken on an individual basis.
Everything regarding Dementia care is extremely personal to each individual case, and from Granny’s personal experience at this stage, along with their prescribed medication, the best medicine that you can give is as much love and kindness as possible.
Here at GGAT we can only hope that this will become the norm or the given across the world.
It’s not the patient’s fault that they suffer from the illness, it’s just one of many unwanted issues that mother nature gives our worldwide teams of research scientists the opportunity to solve.
Extremely informative link on Dementia/ type fact sheet, click below to read more
https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/about-dementia/types-dementia/what-is-dementia
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Lasting Power of Attorney and Wills
This is a very important subject for everyone living with Dementia.
Benefits
If you are living with dementia, or caring for someone with the condition, you may be eligible for some benefits if dementia affects your ability to work, or if you have extra costs because of it.
