Campaign to recognise Dementia a serious medical issue instead of a problem   |11 July 2022

The workshop in full swing (Photos: Thomas Meriton)

Raising awareness of Dementia and Alzheimer's can help people recognise the early signs. Therefore, the new way forward to better deal with the illness in Seychelles is to start a sensitisation campaign.

The above was among the recommendations made by Michael Meme, a Seychellois who is in charge of dementia centre in Scotland, during a special workshop for caregivers held on Saturday at the Exiles Club in Victoria.

The workshop was organised by the Seychelles Alzheimer’s Foundation with the aim of boosting the knowledge of the personnel in giving quality care for a senior suffering from dementia, including general daily responsibilities.

Dementia is the general term for any memory loss disorder, and experts still aren’t sure what causes or leads to dementia, but they do know it’s associated with changes in the brain.

It is a progressive disease, meaning its symptoms get worse over time, while the earliest signs of dementia include short-term memory loss, forgetfulness, and also confusion in familiar places.

The early stages of dementia are accompanied with slow cognitive and mental decline, but the individual still has the ability to do many life tasks independently.

However, as time progresses, dementia can start to affect motor functions, and most people with dementia eventually need assistance with bathing and dressing, eating, walking and moving around.

The progressive nature of dementia is what creates the greatest challenge for family caregivers, and through the one-day workshop, Mr Meme walked the participants through the various techniques and methods that should be adopted and practice while dealing with people suffering from such condition.

He said dementia should not be looked at as a problem, but rather be recognised as a serious medical issue.

Mr Meme also explained that there are many different forms of dementia, while the Alzheimer's disease is the most common form and may contribute to 60-70 percent of cases.

Other major forms include vascular dementia, dementia with Lewy bodies (abnormal aggregates of protein that develop inside nerve cells), and a group of diseases that contribute to frontotemporal dementia (degeneration of the frontal lobe of the brain).

Dementia may also develop after a stroke or in the context of certain infections such as HIV, harmful use of alcohol, repetitive physical injuries to the brain (known as chronic traumatic encephalopathy) or nutritional deficiencies.

The boundaries between different forms of dementia are indistinct and mixed forms often co-exist.

Roland Duval