With around 980,000 people living with dementia in the UK alone – and as many as 55 million worldwide – it’s sadly something many families in our fire services community will have been impacted by in some way.
But how much do you know about dementia?
Our Welfare Services Lead, Carrie Pearce, has shared a brief overview of some of the key information around dementia, as well as where to find help and support:
What is dementia?
Dementia is collective term used to describe a number of neurodegenerative conditions or diseases of the brain. These usually cause a decline in cognitive ability, affecting how you think, reason or rationalise, as well as affecting memory.
Over time, all of these symptoms can have a massive effect on everyday life.
What causes dementia?
Generally affecting people over the age of 85 years, dementia usually stems from damage to brain cells which may be due to various causes – the most common being Alzheimer’s disease.
Tips for caring for someone with Alzheimer’s disease
Some of the other causes can include family history, Parkinson’s disease, Lewy body dementia, and frontotemporal dementia.
What are the stages of dementia?
To help to understand the progression of dementia and the changes that happen, we can talk about the different stages of dementia, or, the dementia journey.
Early Stage: This is usually when a person starts to notice subtle changes happening and may begin to experience some symptoms, all of which cause them to feel concerned or anxious about their ability to function normally. Some signs can include:
- Reading something and retaining very little of what they’ve just read
- Losing items of importance or forgetting where they have put things
- Having trouble concentrating and performing more complex tasks
- Frequently forgetting words and sometime the names of family members and close friends.
Middle stage: This is the stage where there is a noticeable decline in the way that a person functions independently and an increased reliance on others for the help and support needed to manage certain aspects of their daily living.
The way in which a person presents themselves may also change, as they experience changes in behaviour such as: agitation, anxiety, paranoia or even becoming obsessive and repeating tasks over and over. Symptoms might include:
- Difficulty remembering important details such as their address or phone number
- Some confusion regarding the date, day of the week, or time of day – they may turn night into day
- Trouble with making decisions
- Prompts to perform certain personal care tasks
- Help needed with eating and drinking.
Late Stage: This is the final stage in the dementia journey and is the hardest stage of all to witness, especially when the person with dementia is a loved one. It is at this point that the brain and the body stop talking to each other and begin to shut down. The person with dementia can no longer function for themselves and they are completely reliant on another person for all their care needs.
Is it possible to slow the progression of dementia?
There is no way to predict how quickly dementia will progress, however, there are some things that may help to delay or prolong the ability to preform certain task or functions.
For example, it can be helpful to:
- Accept support from other people
- Eat and sleep well
- Avoid smoking and drinking too much alcohol
- Take part in physical, mental and social activities
It is also important for a person with dementia to try to keep healthy by:
- Managing any existing health conditions as well as possible
- Having regular health check-ups
- Receiving regular jabs for things like flu and pneumococcal infection (that can lead to bronchitis or pneumonia).
Where can I find help and information?
Understanding and living with dementia is particularly difficult, and making sure you have all the information help and support to hand is crucial. There are a number of recognised organisations that you can contact for practical, emotional and financial support, as well as engaging with your GP and other statutory services:
- NHS
- Alzheimer’s Society
- Dementia Care UK
- UK Dementia Directory – guide to local resources and support groups
How we can help?
Our team of friendly Welfare Caseworkers are available to offer a range of help and support including:
- Information, and signposting, to specialist services
- Referrals to statutory services
- Financial support – help to purchase specialist equipment (subject to financial circumstances)
- Help with claiming Welfare Benefits
- Social support – regular keep in touch calls
Call our Support Line now on 0800 3898820 or visit www.firefighterscharity.org.uk/support.
