Should we classify dementia as an illness?

[Jo1958]

Hi, I've always thought that dementia was a sympton of various diseases, Alzheimer's, Picks, etc.
Like a growth or lump can be a sympton of cancer.
But with Lewy Body or Vascular Dementia the sympton is in the name but the dementia is only part of the problems with these diseases.
I am more than pleased to be corrected though, best wishes, Jo

 

[Tender Face]

Well done Dozy Doris! (Sure you picked the right username?)

Must say a lot of comments have had me thinking – but then – as I do – cheated and went on Wikipedia (Simple English version!) and found this definition:

An illness (sometimes called ill-health or ail) is when a person has poor health. Most illnesses are bad because they usually kill or damage parts of a body. Many illnesses are caused by disease or disorders.

Much as I was dying to find a reason to say ‘No’ (JPG1) I have voted ‘yes’.

Hope you might enlighten us sometime about the poll and its purpose, but it has thrown up some very interesting comments. I really wanted to quote Lost perci’s comments (post # 29) and the very valid point about being needs driven when it comes to funding .... but can’t ‘vote and quote’ at same time?????

Love, Karen, x

 

[Maggiemay]

I've voted yes, imo dementia is definitely an illness...

 

[miss cool]

HI i just read the thread, maybe you should ask people who suffer and i mean suffer from this ILLNESS, also people who care for ther loved ones. as for is your head being an illness

PLEASEEEEEEEE. love miss cool.

 

[alex]

Hi

When my partner was in Intensive Care they wanted to switch the life support off but i wouldn't let them. I had a meeting with the consultant in charge of the ICU and the hospital management. I told them i would not let them switch the life support off as (apart from a lung problem) his major organs (heart, kidneys etc)were not in failure, the consultant looked at me as if i was stupid (and i most certainly was) he replied "My dear, he has the worse organ failure you can have, he has brain failure!!!! thats what dementia is and like all major organ failure it will eventually result in death"

If the consultant is right and it is organ failure resulting in death then it has to be an illness and therefore my vote is a very BIG YES.

Alex x

 

[sunny]

The mode of being healthy includes, as defined by the World Health Organization, " [...] a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity". [4] When these conditions are not fulfilled, then one can be considered to have an illness or be ill

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so I vote yes for illness.

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Its surprising when funding seems to be an issue that the english language is brought into question by the funders, it reminds me of insurance and all its pitfalls.

Splitting hairs so money is not paid out.

 

[Jancis]

If not an illness what is it?

Hi JPG1

I'm not sure I understand. What would it be if not an illness?
Kathy

Hi JPG1,
Me again! I don't think some of us understand the question? Could you elaborate a bit more on this so we understand what dementia is being classified as if it is not an illness. Sorry if this is a dumb quesion and has already been answered. I recently read that some people take offence if blindness or deafness is classified as an "illness". So guess that if something is not an "illness" then it is a "disability"?

 

[JPG1]

With apologies for my absence since attempting – and failing! – to create this poll. And thanks to DozyDoris (I agree with Tender Face about your choice of username!!) for doing what I failed to do, with my mini-band internet connection. (It is still mini-band, so I’m writing this before attempting to copy and paste it! I may well fail again.)

My reason for posing the original question? A few people here – local to me – are having great trouble accessing any kind of dementia support service, be it day centre, domiciliary care, or anything else, and are constantly being told that ‘dementia’ is a problem of ageing, that it’s not a health problem but a ‘social care’ problem and that dementia is not an illness.

So I thought it might be worth asking TPers whether they see dementia in whatever form as an illness, a disease, a disorder of the brain – or anything that could be classified as ‘an illness’. I was planning to try to put more options into the poll, but for now, mini-band wins!

Yes, dementia is an umbrella term, and the word chosen to describe the numerous and often varying ‘symptoms’ caused by diseases/illnesses. But ‘dementia’ is the only word we’ve got at the moment.

According to Alex’s consultant (and I’m not doubting him for one moment!) the brain is a major organ of the body, so ‘brain failure’ would perhaps be a better term to describe it all. Or brain disorder. Or disease of the brain.

Human Anatomy – organs: http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/humanbody/body/factfiles/organs_anatomy.shtml
The nervous system: http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/humanbody/body/factfiles/nervous_anatomy.shtml

The brain is the complex and complicated centre of the nervous system, controlling all other organs of the body. Clinically, death is defined as an absence of measurable brain activity, the cessation of all vital functions of the body including the heartbeat, brain activity (including the brain stem), and breathing.

http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Clinical+death

My original thinking wasn’t to do with funding, but to do with attitudes to dementia. But this very day, Stephen Dorrell (the new chairman of the House of Commons health committee) has been commenting on the way in which patients with conditions such as dementia used to get free care in NHS geriatric hospitals, but are now being pushed into a means-tested social care system where they are being charged for treatment. All because of the redrawing of the boundaries that has been allowed to creep in without debate or scrutiny. He is urging politicians to face up to the issue.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-11429779

And I can't help thinking that the reason so many people have to fight so hard to access any kind of dementia support is because of the creation of this artificial boundary. Most uninvolved people don't understand dementia at all, and just think it's a bit of memory loss!

"What's it all about, Alfie?" could be due for a revival.

I’ll post that last link in the ‘Raising Awareness’ section of the forum too, if I can!

So, that’s all for now, and where this bit of self-indulgent thinking will go, Tender Face, I have no idea – but it will go somewhere! If only into the ether!

45 TPers consider dementia to be an illness, so that’s a good start.

Sorry for long post - blame it on my mini-band connection.

 

[Contrary Mary]

I shall have to catch up with what Stephen Dorrell has been saying when I get a chance.

I, too, was thinking about times a generation ago and now that I am having real problems with Mum was talking to my aunt (Mum's sister) about my grandmother.

When Aunt hit crisis point, the GP was summoned and within 24 hours Nan was in a geriatric ward, on the NHS, where she remained until she died, and all at public expense.

When Mum first received care 5 years ago things happened rather quicker than would be the case for a normal referral these days.
And she didn't have dementia then, but was still offered care.

So, is this progress? I have grave doubts

 

[Sandy]

I shall have to catch up with what Stephen Dorrell has been saying when I get a chance.

Yes, I heard him this morning on the Today programme and it was very refreshing.

Here's the news story on the BBC website:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-11429779