Dementia is a disease that can creep up, unnoticed at first. It is a condition that is taking a grip on more and more families in the UK.
But how do you know if someone close to you may be suffering from the disease and it’s not just old age setting in?
It is commonly understood that dementia brings with it a problem with memory but there are other effects too, such as loss of communication and swallowing difficulties. This is why speech and language therapists have an important role in the care of dementia sufferers.
Through the Alzheimer’s Society website James Beddard tells his story of how the disease affected his nan and how it brought with it short term memory loss, confusion and fear.
“We’re sitting in the pub of the Village Hotel, just outside Dudley. The soundtrack in the background of the conversation is darling of the NME, Azealia Banks, machine-gunning out her expletive-littered lyrics-the offending words having been tippexed out by silence- at an impressive rate. I’m contemplating nicking another one of my Nan’s Quavers when she turns to me and says:
“Is that your Grandad singing?”
Following a slightly stifled giggle, I tell her that it’s not.
Before any wild rumours start I’ll put them to bed: Azealia Banks is not my Grandad. My Grandad was called Thomas, made his living as a mechanic (a rather brilliant one, my Nan will tell you), and if still with us now would be more likely to still be a fan of Engelbert Humperdinck’s velvety baritone rather than the Hip Hop rantings of Miss Banks. I say if he was still with us, because my Grandad passed away seven years ago. My Nan has silver candy floss hair, and an infectious laugh which – when she forgets her false teeth – reveals a set of dentures not too dissimilar to the front row of a Guess Who game after you ask the classic question ‘Do you wear glasses?’. She’s old school. She values hard work, is fiercely loyal and loving, and her advice, if ever attacked by a man, is to deliver a swift kick to your assailant’s nether regions. She has Alzheimer’s disease.
Diagnosed in 2005, the progression has been slow, as if there’s been a memory thief in her head for the past seven years running through her mind. Firstly there was the delight of extra sweet tea as she forgot that she’d already put the sugar in, as well as the not quite so pleasant salty carrots with your Sunday roast. Even memory loss has its swings and roundabouts. As things progressed her short term memory was being eroded away; the sea of Dementia washing away the sandstone of her mind; different images, feelings and sounds falling off the cliff edge every day, never to be seen again. When my Grandad passed away my Mom left her job and began to pretty much be her full time carer, spending most of her time making sure her Mom was okay.
When we unexpectedly lost my Mom five years ago (of which I will not go into – for some things there are no adequate words), we had to get some extra help. Not that she wanted it, mind. Carers would visit her three times a day to check on her, ask her if she needed any housework doing- help she would always refuse- and make sure that she was eating. I’d often pick her up on the way home from work and she’d spend all night at our house before I’d take her back for the night. Then usually we’d get a phone call or two which went along the lines of…..
“Where’s Eric?”
“Nan- he’s dead”
“Never…”
“Nan, you know this. He died two years ago.”
Just imagine that. To be told multiple times a day for the first time that your husband is dead.
As is the case with many Alzheimer’s sufferers, her long term memory is excellent. Ask her what she had for her lunch an hour ago, and she’ll more than likely say she hasn’t eaten. Ask her about working for Mr Goodwin fifty years ago, however, and she’ll real off a stream of detailed anecdotes without you being able to get a word in…..”
Speech and language therapists are key in distinguishing the different types of dementia as certain types have specific language impairments. For example semantic dementia is characterised by a progressive loss of the understanding of the meaning of words. There are other types such as vascular dementia which can have lots of different symptoms including memory problems and a difficulty in thinking of words
See next week’s posts for more information on the different types of dementia.
To read the end of James’s story and for more real life stories go to: www.alzheimers.org.uk
Written by Rachel Harrison
Speech and Language Therapist
On behalf of Integrated Treatment Services. www.integratedtreatmentservices.co.uk
May 2014
Image Rights by Pixabay
