BY OLEBOGENG MOLALE
21 September is World Alzheimer’s day. Roma Nna spoke to Tanya van der Walt, a Social Worker from Alzheimer`s SA in the Northern Cape.
Dementia is a term used for various brain disorders that cause problems with our cognition and memory. Dementia is the umbrella term for disorder and diseases such as Alzheimer`s disease, Vascular Dementia, or even HIV & AIDS Dementia. Thus, we need to know that Alzheimer`s is a form of a Dementia disease.
What is Alzheimer`s?
It is a brain disorder that slowly destroys memory, thinking skills and the ability to carry out the simplest tasks. It can manifest itself in two fold, the early and late onset. The late onset is most common among older generation in their mid 60s and the early onset is rare it occurs in persons between 30 and 60 years old.
What are the symptoms?
Memory loss is the key symptom of Alzheimer’s disease. An early sign of the disease is usually difficulty remembering recent events or conversations. As the disease progresses, memory impairments worsen and other symptoms develop. At first, a person with Alzheimer’s disease may be aware of having difficulty with remembering things and organizing thoughts.
Who is most vulnerable to getting Alzheimer`s and can it be cured?
The hard reality is anyone can develop Alzheimer`s. It is a progressive disease that cannot be prevented or cured. Other forms of dementia can be prevented by healthy lifestyle choices such as a healthy diet, exercise, and very important: taking treatment accordingly for any other terminal health conditions.
What efforts do you do to create awareness?
We hold talks throughout the year at our clinics, schools, and old age facilities. As a result of the pandemic, we are restricted to distributing pamphlets, radio talks and social media.
Do you have any facilities or resources where families and caregivers can find information and tips on how to care for people with Alzheimer`s?
We have offices in all nine provinces. The Northern Cape office is located at Caritas Therapy Centre in Kimberley. Our office hours are Tuesday to Thursday from 08:00 to 16:00 and Friday from 08:00 to 13:00. Our telephone number is 0871505058.Because our services are toward a vulnerable group, we now make use of telephone, email, and WhatsApp consultations. In emergency cases, social workers will conduct home visits and render the needed services.
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