Dear All
What I am about to say may upset some readers but I believe in grasping hard realities.
1) Even if the ten factors successfully eliminated all risk of Dementia it is to late for our loved ones now. In the best of all worlds they would not do so, but even in a dream perfect world it is to late for those dealing with Dementia in a loved one right now. Our concerns are different.
2) Some factors cannot be controlled by the individual no matter how well they tried. My mum has Vascular Dementia. Mum had major heart surgery in 2006 and as a result me and my siblings were offered cholesterol testing every year. My diet was good and I do not smoke or drink. All was well until 2010 when it was found my level had sky rocketed. Nothing else changed in my life style. A second test confirmed the result was not a false reading. Going through 50yo had triggered something to go wrong in my body. I was immediately put on statins and the level fell back to normal. A few years later the same happened to my brother. It must have happened to mum but nearly 40 years ago was missed as there were no such tests. She developed blood pressure and heart problems. In turn her seed of Vascular Dementia was born. The point is someone could follow the ten point plan religiously and still come unstuck. The above problem no doubt runs in other families.
3) I now treat most such articles with a huge dose of mistrust.
@Palerider makes several telling points. On the Internet we have “click bait”, newspapers do false or misleading headlines. When I was young (Can I remember that far back) the Times still had the nickname of “The Thunderer”. when it spoke the ripples of interest rolled out like the sound of thunder. Best I would say now is damp squid, wet day in Skegness.
4) We could all do with some hopeful news, a better perspective on matters. Truth is unless hot air cures Dementia you will not find it in articles like this. The ten points mentioned are not even new. The claims for the flu jab are dubious as
@Palerider has stated.
Research will go on but I doubt there will be any really effective cure for Dementia in my life time. By the time the symptoms show the damage is to great already. We can debate what might save future suffering, but so many factors are in play here. Showing my age here but in 1970 I saw an Horizon documentary about food colourings and additives. it pointed out many were introduced in the 1950s with virtually no testing of the potential long term effects. At the time the belief was they might be contributing to increasing cancer case numbers. What else may have gone on in the last 50years which might be contributing to Dementia starting in the human body in greater numbers? It could just be we are living longer or are there other hidden factors which only have an impact if we live longer, giving them time to fully impact on our bodies. Remove them (If they exist remembering my starting assumption that they are at present hidden) and the number of Dementia cases might be much lower even in an ageing population.. The simple answer is we just do not know with absolute certainty. Decisions made years ago may still be echoing down the years In terms of impact. We may not live to see it but science might find an answer to many Dementia cases from a source not even being considered at present. That is the sometimes random nature of scientific breakthroughs.
And no I am not a conspiracy nut. I offer the above up as one possibility. It would only take one hidden factor like that to demolish the good of these ten points for some people who followed them religiously.
Some day science will come up with a cure. Unfortunately not today, next week, next month, next year. Even if it does we will still be left holding our loved ones as they are. We are not the cure either, but collectively this forum does far more good than an article in The Times. I am glad I found it, my mum has never been on it but it has greatly improved her quality of life by helping me. Everyone who posts, either asking a question, wanting an ear, or answering a thread contributes to this vibrant community. So read the article but I would suggest point eleven should be sign up to this forum. It will not cure but it sure as hell helps.