Tips on Alzheimer’s

Longevity has its drawbacks as only a few lucky ones can live with dignity and independently in the twilight of their lives. Old persons always wish that they may not be a burden to their family members. They are not afraid of dying but are afraid of being bedridden or suffering from a major illness. One such illness of today’s stress­ful life is Alzheimer’s disease. It is a kind of dementia which has snat­ched your loved one from you, the person’s brain being damaged and having lost its thinking power. The affected person needs continous help in dressing, eating, bathing, is not able to speak clearly, and is mostly depressed. That person suffers from loneliness, helplessness and boredom, the three plagues that account for the bulk of suffering in old age.

Before this dreadful disease strikes, beware of the follow­ing 10 symptoms after the age of 60: Loss of memory; misplacing things; asking the same questions again and again or making the same statement repeatedly; inability to do simple work, e.g. switching on a light, tying a belt, turning on a tap; difficulty in talking and reading; not able to recognize family members, neighbors, relatives; inability to identify time and place, wandering during the day or night; using a pencil instead of a knife, a fork instead of a spoon; and person­ality change with mood swings.

A simple test of an Alzheimer’s disease patient can be taken. Ask him questions. What is the date today? What is his residen­tial address? What is his telephone number.

Certain chemical reactions occur in the brain, causing shrinking and the consequent cluttering of the entangled brain cells. If a brain scan is done, this problem can be detected. Medical treatment is in its research stage. The follow­ing are some tips to help Alzheimer’s patients. They have high levels of aluminium in their brain tissue. Do not cook in old aluminiun vessels. Sweets, fried food, red meat, organ meats and excess salt should be avoided. Excessive intake of zinc and copper in the diet should be avoided. Foods containing zinc are oysters, whole grain, avocados and pears. An ideal diet for Alzheimer’s patients is the intake of magnesium which is needed for the functioning of the brain. Foods rich in magnesium are wheat bran, soya beans, shell fish, dried dates and dried figs. Foods rich in antioxidants and foods having vitamin A, C and E protect the brain’s nerve cells from damage. Vitamin A can be had from milk and eggs, Vitamin C from beetroot, sweet potato, sprouts, tomatoes and citrus fruits and Vitamin E from nuts, green leafy vegetables, carrots, pumpkin, mango and papaya.

Alzheimer’s is a progressive disease, with no medical cure. The cure is given by the caregiver. A husband, a wife, a son or a daugh­ter, a brother or a sister can be the caregiver. That caring person makes the long journey bearable for the patient. It is the care­giver who gives the healing touch. The caregiver plays the part of a doctor or a nurse, understands the patient’s needs. The caregiver should take heed of the following tips: Make your home a safe place; install safety locks on doors and windows; encourage the patient to be clean and hygienic; encourage the patient to listen to music, watch TV, read books and newspapers; take the patient to visit friends and relatives; regular exercise calms the patient; climb stairs, do not use the lift; most important is to take short walks, to release en­dorphine hormones which help in mood elevation.

The human touch is the most healing touch. Holding hands, a pat on the back, an embrace works wonders. As a mother looks after a baby, with love and tender care, in the same way a care­giver should look after an Alzh­eimer’s patient. For old age is like a second childhood.

ROSHAN MANECK BULSARA