September 18, 2019

Number of patients is expected to reach 150 million by the year 2050

“NUMBER OF DEMENTIA PATIENTS DOUBLES EVERY 20 YEARS IN THE WORLD”

Turkey Alzheimer Association met the patients and their relatives on the occasion of September 21st World Alzheimer Day. In the event organized in Şişli Day Care Center with unconditional support of Abdi İbrahim, patients came together with preschoolers and had moments of pleasure and exhibited their own handiworks.

In his speech given in the meeting, “Number of dementia patients doubles every 20 years. Thus, number of dementia patients, being around 50 million today, is expected to reach 150 million by the year 2050. Good care of Alzheimer patients makes positive effects on recovery of the disease. At this point, Alzheimer day care centers make the lives of both patients and their relatives easier. Such activities as dancing, exercise, music and handiworks organized under supervision of experts do not only make positive contributions to recovery of disease, but also give moral support to patients and their relatives,” says Prof. Dr. Haşmet Hanağası, Turkey Alzheimer Association Chairperson.

On the occasion of September 21st World Alzheimer Day aiming to create an awareness in society and to increase the level of success in prevention and treatment of Alzheimer disease, Turkey Alzheimer Association organized an activity for patients and their relatives with the support of Abdi İbrahim. In the meeting attended by Şişli Mayor Muammer Keskin, Turkey Alzheimer Association Honorary Chairperson Prof. Dr. Murat Emre, Turkey Alzheimer Association Chairperson Prof. Dr. Haşmet Hanağası, Turkey Alzheimer Association Member of Board of Directors Assoc. Prof. Dr. Başar Bilgiç, Turkey Alzheimer Association Vice Chairperson Ayşin Ekşioğlu, Turkey Alzheimer Association Member of Board of Directors Prof. Işın Baral Kulaksızoğlu and Turkey Alzheimer Association Member of Board of Directors Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nil Tekin, information is given about the disease and its treatment processes. In addition, importance of Alzheimer day care centers is emphasized, and patients came together with preschoolers and had moments of pleasure. After the activity, patients exhibited their handiworks.

Number of dementia patients doubles every 20 years

In his speech given in the meeting, Turkey Alzheimer Association Chairperson Prof. Dr. Haşmet Hanağası said that number of dementia patients doubled every 20 years in the world, and that number of dementia patients, being around 50 million today, was expected to reach 150 million by the year 2050. “Alzheimer disease and other dementia (mental decline) diseases constitute a common healthcare problem particularly in rapidly aging populations like our country. Alzheimer patients account for around 60-70 percent of all dementia patients. Dementia diseases, though being observed more frequently after 65 years of age, may also be seen at earlier ages. In populations with rapidly increasing elderly like our country, number of dementia patients is expected to increase up to 5 times in 20 years,” says Hanağası.

Care is greatly important in Alzheimer disease

Underlining the importance of good care after diagnosis of Alzheimer and other dementia diseases, Prof. Dr. Haşmet Hanağası continued to say: “Dementia patients may, at the starting period of disease, continue to live alone if they are visited regularly in certain time intervals and are helped in meeting some of their needs. However, with the progression of disease, when the amnesia (absentmindedness) level reaches a degree endangering the security of patient, 7/24 accompaniment and supervision by a caregiver will be better. At this stage, through correct guidance and incentives, patient may socialize, and be attentive to his/her self-care and health, and correctly express his/her feelings and thoughts, and deal with such hobbies as cooking, painting and knitting. However, family members in charge of 7/24 care of patients are not generally fully informed of the care requirements, and even if they are well informed, they may not be able to spare time for it.”

Patients are socializing in Alzheimer day care centers

Drawing attention to importance of Alzheimer day care centers, Turkey Alzheimer Association Chairperson Prof. Dr. Haşmet Hanağası said that these centers created a social environment coupling Alzheimer patients to life, enabling them to have a good quality life, providing them with life energy through various activities, and giving moments of pleasure to them. “These initiatives taken so as to be helpful for patients are extremely effective also for their caregivers. Particularly patient relatives can spare time for themselves feeling peaceful by handing their patients over to professionals in a venue where they will live moments of pleasure even though for a short while. Furthermore, patient relatives can also take part in the activities organized at the day care center and make friends with other patient relatives. Such activities as dancing, exercise, music and handiworks organized under supervision of experts do not only make positive contributions to recovery of disease, but also give moral support to patients and their relatives,” says Hanağası.

Both patients and their relatives have their spirits lifted

Reminding that Alzheimer patients may have such problems as depression, anxiety, sleep disorders, bad temper, dreams, crotchets, confusion, failure to recognize people and failure to find a way, and that patient relatives may feel such feelings as tiredness, physical diseases, dispiritedness and exhausting, Hanağası pointed out the importance of care support for both patients and their relatives. Also saying that depression and anxiety problems diminish in patients if they are continuously communicated with smiling face and in a friendly manner, Hanağası emphasized the requirement of taking a special training on communication with Alzheimer patients.

Alzheimer disease incidence is higher in non-working women

Alzheimer disease incidence is higher in women than men. Saying that after 65 years of age 1 of every 6 women is an Alzheimer patient, Turkey Alzheimer Association Member of Board of Directors Assoc. Prof. Dr. Başar Bilgiç added that Alzheimer risk in a woman after 60 years of age is 2 times more than the risk of breast cancer, being a nightmare of women. “Recent scientific studies are focused on finding out why the incidence of this disease is higher in women. A study on the roles of women in family and business life reveals that in old ages of women who have not worked in any professional job in period of fertility, memory functions are worse than that of working women. This study demonstrates that women’s being in business life makes positive effects on their mental processes in old ages. Being in business life helps women to protect their mental health in old ages by providing mental stimulus, financial benefits and opportunities to develop social relations,” says Bilgiç.

To which extent are the methods of protection from mental decline useful?

Saying that Alzheimer disease does not yet have a curative treatment, Bilgiç continued to say: “Studies focused on treatment are also being continued. A study performed on 2351 subjects in the United States revealed that changing life style reduces Alzheimer risk by more than half (60%). There are five factors reducing the risk, and at the top of the list is healthy nutrition. Physical activity for minimum 150 minutes a week, no smoking and non-use of tobacco products, no excessive alcohol consumption, and no mental stimulating activities are also among the factors reducing the risk.”

Adding that the suggested life style is not only useful for brain, but also reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases and cancer, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Başar Bilgiç reminded the importance of taking into account the general healthcare suggestions for protection from Alzheimer and dementia, and also added: “There are two additional important points for mental decline. A recent study demonstrated that increase of risk is doubled in elderly who have both visual and hearing impairment problems at the same time. We do not yet have adequate data showing whether the correction of visual and hearing impairment problems reduces the risk of dementia or not, but it will in any case be surely useful to take the necessary corrective actions for both of these problems creating the risk of dementia.”

Genetic risk is not in any case our fate

“Genetic risks are at the top of the list of sources of risk for this disease,” says Bilgiç. “Just at the time of conception, whether a person is prone to or resistant against dementia in old age is already determined through our genes. Until recently, it was believed that the risk of dementia caused by our genes was a fate and could not be reduced by any method. However, a study conducted on around 200,000 subjects showed that even in elderly included in genetically high risk group, the healthy life suggestions may reduce the risk of medical decline by up to 32%. Thus, even if one has genes creating disadvantages in old age, it is in his own hands to normalize these disadvantages partially.”