[Curiosities] Is There A Brighter Future For Those Suffering With Dementia?

[The GodFather]

 

 

 

Rabat- I sat on the ancient faded green sofa sipping a lumpy nescafe coffee out of a china mug older than me, looking at my 88-year old grandmother, who I had been talking with for the past hour. I braced myself as a vacant look came across her face she stared at me and said “do you remember your father?” 

This would be a normal question, except for the fact that my father is very much alive and also visits my grandmother every week. I left that day upset as I frantically tried to fill my head with happier memories of the “nanny” that took me swimming every weekend when I was younger, who taught me how to paint, the woman who has 13 published books, a qualified engineer, a World War II survivor, and a mother to six children.  

Now there is just a shell of a person left behind, whose condition is only worsening each time I see her. Dementia is a cruel disease that robs someone of not only their memory but also their dignity, leaving them unable to live out the last decade or two of their life in a functioning way. At the same time, their families have to provide full-time care whilst witnessing the slow decline of their loved ones.

The disease that still has no cure was named the 7th leading cause of death in the world, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). Their report stated, “the global cost of medical, social, and informal care associated with dementia in 2019 was estimated to be more than $1.3 trillion and this cost is expected to exceed $2.8 trillion by 2030.”

The dementia diagnosis 
Dementia is usually prevalent in older adults, as we see life expectancy rising, the likelihood that a person lives long enough to develop dementia is similarly on the rise.

The diagnosis means someone is experiencing neurodegeneration and cognitive decline. Due to the nature of the disease, whose symptoms closely resemble those of regular aging, makes the disease more difficult to detect. In summary, dementia remains poorly understood.  

Dementia not only affects the person’s cognitive ability but also alters the person’s behavior and takes away their independence. The WHO explains that “dementia causes a significant burden on individuals and their families as well as on health, social welfare, and financial systems in all countries.”

Morocco’s advance in dementia care
Rabat is home to one of the first Alzheimer's Day Care Centers of its kind in North Africa. The Maroc Alzheimers Association (AMA) works alongside the government to create a space where they can treat those living with the condition, and support families by providing some respite care by occupying their patients with brain-stimulating activities. 

Mohamed Taiebine, a Moroccan speech and language therapist and neuropsychologist at the center, highlights in a report that “there is an urgent need for a significant research effort to help promote and inform consideration of dementia in national health agendas.”

In a bold move forward, the report based on the Moroccan center discusses facilitating the care they provide in the patient's home. Treating patients at home is hugely beneficial to their health as they are in an environment where they are comfortable, while reducing care costs. 

Citing data from the WHO, “approximately 55.2 million people have dementia worldwide, over 60% of whom live in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) ... the number of people living with dementia is expected to rise to 78 million by 2030.”

A brighter future
In September, a new dementia drug made headlines as it showed promising effects in medical trials. Patients with early-stage dementia took the latest drug Lecanemab developed by Eisai and Biogen showed the participants taking the drug declined 27% less than those who were given a placebo. 

Some may see this percentage as a small advance, but it is the first time a dementia drug trial has shown a clear positive effect. 

The WHO has recognized the need for research on this slow-killing illness. In October the organization released its first-ever blueprint directed at international agencies and governmental and private organizations. They seek to work in collaboration with those stakeholder groups “addressing the challenges to make scientific advances.”

Considering the recent developments it appears there is light at the end of the tunnel. Increasing funding for research and further advances in drug trials could provide a promising outlook for future patients. 

 

 

https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2022/10/351989/is-there-a-brighter-future-for-those-suffering-with-dementia