Some questions

Sophie Rae

Registered User
Nov 11, 2007
48
0
London
Is there any paticular reson to get dementia?
How many people in the uk have dementia?
Can dementia spread[is it chatching)? :confused:
Can anyone help cure dementia?
How old do you have to be to get dementia?

S.Rae

--------------------------
Sophie Rae aged 8.
Please note Sophie has been given permission by her parents to access Talking Point and is supervised at ALL times!
 
Last edited:

connie

Registered User
Mar 7, 2004
9,519
0
Frinton-on-Sea
Wow, some serious questions here, so I will tell you the little I know.

Is there any paticular reson to get dementia

I don't beleive anyone has the final answer to that. In the same way as there are many forms of dementia, so there could be many possible causes.
I believe Vascular Dementia is caused by strokes, so then we go off on a different tack of what causes a stroke.
Can dementia spread[is it chatching)?

Some form of dementia is thought to be age related.
So that works out that the older you are i.e. 90 plus, the higher your chance of dementia developing.
Can anyone help cure dementia?
Big concerns like the Alzheimer's Society are actively seeking a 'cure' for dementia, or for perhaps some form of immunisation against same.
However this will not be for many years yet, but one day I pray.

Sorry not to have all the answers for you. I am sure another of the members will have something to add.

Thank you for your questions. It does make one stop and think.
Take care.
 

Brucie

Registered User
Jan 31, 2004
12,413
0
near London
Hi Sophie

you are asking some questions very many people would like the answers for! Well done.

The problem is that there are not many answers that help, and nobody on here is an expert who can give a full answer.

We all talk from our own experience with people we love.

Sophie Rae said:
Is there any paticular reson to get dementia?
there are quite a few different kinds of dementia. For at least one there is a definite reason, as far as I know
Sophie Rae said:
How many people in the uk have dementia?
I don't think anybody really knows. The best that can be done is to make educated guesses. The best educated guess is about 700,000.
Sophie Rae said:
Can dementia spread[is it chatching)?
Dementia can't be spread by touch, or by breathing the same air.
Sophie Rae said:
Can anyone help cure dementia?
We all can, by trying to understand it, and by supporting those who are researching the disease. Really it is difficult for ordinary people to do much to find a cure - but everyone can help to make life nicer for the people who have dementia at the moment.
Sophie Rae said:
How old do you have to be to get dementia?
Usually it is people who are older. Most people who have dementia are over 65 years of age.
 

jenniferpa

Registered User
Jun 27, 2006
39,442
0
Hi Sophie

I think the only one of your questions we can provide a definite answer to is the "Is it catching" one, and the answer is a definite NO. And for that I think we can be profoundly grateful.

Numbers of people in the UK with dementia - I think the current figure is 700,000, which means that 1 in every 88 people will have dementia. As you can imagine from the fact that that is a nice round number this is an estimate.

How old do you have to be to get dementia - there is no "rule" about this unfortunately. Most people will get it when they're old, but a very few people will get it when they're much younger. Normally that's because they either have experienced some major head injury, they have caught a disease that causes it or well, no one knows. Sometimes doctors don't know why it happens, just that it happens.

As to why people get dementia and how it can be cured. This is what groups like the Alzheimer's Society is working to find out. Sorry that's not a more helpful answer, but it's a question we would all like to know the answer to.
 

Sophie Rae

Registered User
Nov 11, 2007
48
0
London
dear all thank you for all your replies they really helped. I am back with more questions :) ..... :D

Is there any different reactions to men and women with dementia/alzheimers?

do the carers who care for people with alzheimers have to be specialy trained?

thats it for now
thank you for any replies
Sophie Rae :)xxxxxxxxxxx
 

Norman

Registered User
Oct 9, 2003
4,348
0
Birmingham Hades
Dear Sophie
you have had a lot of answers to you questions,but I thought it would be useful to have some written answers.
There are fact sheets which try to answer questions and give information to people interested in Dementia.
They can be found at: http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/factsheet/400.
Also at :http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/factsheet/401.
Ask Daddy if he thinks they are suitable for you,and if so would he "download" them for you.
Love
Norman
PS. I have 3 granddaughters!!
 

connie

Registered User
Mar 7, 2004
9,519
0
Frinton-on-Sea
Dear Sophie, your first question.
Is there any different reactions to men and women with dementia/alzheimers?
Cannot see why there should be any difference.
From my own perspective, have never noticed a difference.

Your next question;
[QUOTE[do the carers who care for people with alzheimers have to be specialy trained?
/QUOTE]

If we had all the monies at our disposal: maybe yes.

My only reservation from my own perspective is: the one person that knows all there is to know about my man is me.
If I am prepared to continue down the route of his demise into the world of dementia, then I am the best prepared for this.

We, on Talking Point, have this wonderful phrase that(Coined from one of our members)
When you have seen one person with dementia, you have see one person with dementa.

Sophie, what I am trying to say is: dementia, unfortunately is still an unknown science. Carers can only help, trained or otherwise.
I KNOW I am of more help to my Lionel than any trained caer can be. Whether this is born of love, I don't know.
 

BeckyJan

Registered User
Nov 28, 2005
18,971
0
Derbyshire
Hello Sophie:

To answer your question about difference between men and women:
No not really. Each character is different and each dementia is different - so there are a multitude of different reactions to it.

'Do carers have to be specially trained'
This depends on whether they are being cared for at home, or in a special 'home' for dementia patients. Obviously if they are at home then the carer is most likely to be a relative or very close friend (with no official training). If the residence is a Nursing Home then the chances are the carers are 'properly' trained.

I think there is much discussion about whether the Nursing Home carers are actually properly trained. How they are trained is something I cannot answer.

I hope this reply has not confused you too much.

You must be one very special granddaughter.

Jan
 

Louise.D

Registered User
Apr 13, 2007
68
0
Essex
Dear Sophie

You must love your grandad lots and lots to be asking such questions.

I have a little boy called Max and his grandma has dementia, he loves her a lot and it makes no difference. Sometimes grandma cannot remember his name, so they play a little game and when grandma remembers she gets a big hug and a kiss. She also gets to look at photos on his Playstation Portable and loves watching the new Simpsons movie as well as Nanny McPhee and Nania.

Quite a few older people in the UK have dementia, Max's other grandad has dementia as well. Max thinks he's funny as he cannot remember what he does with his glasses, but he knows all about football and is really helpful with football cards. You cannot catch dementia it just happens and maybe one day a doctor will find a cure.

Max loves visiting his grandma (she is looked after by nurses) and he always get chocolates and sweets when he visits. Father Christmas even visited grandma this year and left a few of Max's presents that wouldn't fit down our chimney.

Max sometimes finds it very hard as mummy always seems to be doing things for Grandma. It's his birthday on Wednesday and he is having a party. I talk to him a lot about his grandma and he tells me what he thinks!!!!

I tell Max that grandma has tangles with the strings in her brain, a bit like a puppet on a string. Sometimes they get caught up and sometimes the strings work and sometimes they don't. When she does funny things he says 'Grandma, your brains going wonky again' Everyone is different.

There are lots of caring children like you who help their parents look after grandparents. You are not alone.

Louise

'Mummy to Max age 7'
 

Skye

Registered User
Aug 29, 2006
17,000
0
SW Scotland
Hi Sophie, good to see you back with us!:)

As the others have said, I don't think there is much difference in how men and women react to dementia. Everyone has different symptoms, depending on which area of the brain is affected first. For example, my husband has Primary Progressive Aphasia, which means that the language centre of his brain was the first part to be affected. He began to forget words, and names of things, then he forgot how to read and write, and gradually he stopped being able to speak or understand what is said to him.

That's a rare form of dementia, but it affects both men and women.

As for training, I had two days from out local Alzheimer's branch, but I'v learned much more from TP.

My husband is in a unit for dementia patients now, as I could no longer care for him at home. There are always nurses with mental health qualifications on duty, and the carers have to take NVQ exams. I think there are three levels for that, but I'm not sure how much of the course is specifically for mental health. I'll try and find out for you.

Loke Connie, I fel I know my husband best, and I spend as much time as possible with him in his home.

Love,
 

christine_batch

Registered User
Jul 31, 2007
3,387
0
Buckinghamshire
Dear Sophie,
I find your questions for your age really amazing. With the knowledge that you are obviously taking in, as you get older and the more questions you have to ask and the understanding of the illness, who knows, in time your desire to learn all you can, would hold you in good stead for perhaps working in research, and work on a possible cure.
The Consultant told me once it would take another 20 years of research until they could find a cure.
It might just be you why knows ! Then one day, if that is what you decide to do, here on Talking Point, we would all look back and say "we knew her well".
Good luck and ask as many questions as you need.
Very best wishes to a very special young lady.
"You are so COOL"
Christine
 

Margaret W

Registered User
Apr 28, 2007
3,720
0
North Derbyshire
Dear Sophie

When you have got all the answers you need to your questions, and you have put them into a table or whatever you are doing, please let us have a copy of what you end up with. The work you are doing is very interesting, I wish you well. But we would like to know what you find out.

Much love

Magaret

PS I don't have any grandchildren of your age, but I do have two cats. One is called Tenzing, and he is named after the man who accompanied Sir Edmund Hillary to the top of Everest in ???? Sir Edmund died recently, you might have read about it. He was assisted by "Sherpa" Tenzing Norgay, and our black cat is named after Sherpa Tenzing cos he is a great climber - up trees in particular, walls, fences, you name it!

Well done for your research.

Margaret
 

Grannie G

Volunteer Moderator
Apr 3, 2006
81,455
0
Kent
Dear Sophie.

I`m glad you had so many replies to your questions, and hope you will see that apart from knowing that dementia is not catching, no-one has the answers.

Dementia is one of the most puzzling illnesses there is, and also one of the most upsetting. We can only do our best to take as much care as we can, of the people we love who have dementia, and hope that one day someone is clever enough to understand it and find a cure.

I hope you have a good weekend.

Love xx
 

Sophie Rae

Registered User
Nov 11, 2007
48
0
London
Dear ALL

To me Alzheimer's is new and to you its probly a bit old
but still we all have the same ideas of all the answers
(if you see what i mean!):)

Now i'm a bit older i am starting to under stand how differant
people and personalitys react to Alzheimer's,judging to
Grandads nursing home.To be honest you can kind of tell that
they all have lovely personalitys,even if you don't think
they look it (it's a bit like the phrase don't judge a book
by its cover.):D

All your answers were great and i'll continue with my reasearch
soon!
Best wishes Sophie xxx
 

Grannie G

Volunteer Moderator
Apr 3, 2006
81,455
0
Kent
.To be honest you can kind of tell that
they all have lovely personalitys,even if you don't think
they look it (it's a bit like the phrase don't judge a book
by its cover.):D

xxx

Oh Sophie, if everyone thought like you, the world would be a better place. :)

Love xx
 

Nebiroth

Registered User
Aug 20, 2006
3,510
0
Is there any paticular reson to get dementia?
How many people in the uk have dementia?
Can dementia spread[is it chatching)? :confused:
Can anyone help cure dementia?
How old do you have to be to get dementia?

S.Rae

--------------------------
Sophie Rae aged 8.
Please note Sophie has been given permission by her parents to access Talking Point and is supervised at ALL times!

Hello Sophie. To try to answer your questions.

There are lots of different causes of dementia. Doctors know about some of them, but others are mysterious. Some people just seem to become ill and no-one really understands why this happens.

No one is quite sure how many people in the UK have dementia, because it is very difficult to spot at the beginning. There could be up to 700,000 people known to have it.

To reassure you dementia can't spread and you can't catch it from someone else. It isn't caused by germs or anything like that.

At the moment there is no cure for dementia, although there is a lot of research into this.

Dementia is most common in older people, although it is possible to get it at an earlier age, this is unusual.
 

Skye

Registered User
Aug 29, 2006
17,000
0
SW Scotland
Now i'm a bit older i am starting to under stand how differant
people and personalitys react to Alzheimer's,judging to
Grandads nursing home.To be honest you can kind of tell that
they all have lovely personalitys,even if you don't think
they look it (it's a bit like the phrase don't judge a book
by its cover.):D

Dear Sophie, you've done so well to understand this at such a young age. What an intelligent young lady you are!

I must admit, when my husband first went into his EMI home, we were both very reluctant to go into the lounge, because it was so noisy, with people calling out all the time, and making strange noises.

Now we've got to know the people, and they're lovely. They all have different problems, but they all respond to a bit of love and attention. The carers are wonderful, and I've learned so much from them.

And I'm MUCH older than you!:D

Love,