Tackling Alzheimer's starts with 'awareness and lifestyle'

Experts warn that delaying dementia diagnosis by mistaking symptoms for normal aging limits the impact of treatment and care

- Mariecar Jara-Puyod, Senior Reporter

Two specialists, in their respective fields at least in the past 15 years, said that the growing global incidence of dementia, and particularly Alzheimer's disease, shall only be precluded when the public do away with the "just getting older" mentality. If families retrain themselves in appreciating healthy lifestyle.

The number one “recurring challenge,” that neurologists face, according to Medcare Royal Hospital (Sharjah) Neurology consultant, Dr Ahmed Ebied, is the “late presentation” whereby “many patients and families normalise early symptoms as 'just getting older' and so they come to us after a significant decline only.”

"This limits the impact of lifestyle changes, rehabilitation, and available therapies like a team-based caregiver-centred clinic of neurologists, geriatricians, psychologists, nurse educators, social workers, and occupational therapists who reduce caregiver burnout, anticipate behavioural symptoms, and align medical and social support to reduce crises and improve quality of life,” Ebied explained.

NMC Specialty Hospital (Al Nahda, Dubai)-Department of Dietetics head Dr. Fiji Antony was asked on how diet and nutrition from pregnancy to adulthood help prevent even the onset of the commonest form of dementia, characterised by reasoning and memory loss.