Dementia is actually a collective name for more than fifty diseases in which the brain can no longer process information properly. One of the most well-known diseases is Alzheimer’s. About 70 percent of people with dementia have Alzheimer’s. Dementia is not always Alzheimer’s, but Alzheimer’s is always dementia.
According to Bekkenkamp, dementia can best be described as: “A decrease in mental capacity, as a result of which people slowly lose control of their own lives. Dementia is therefore much more than forgetting, which is often thought of.”
Risk factors
Bekkenkamp says that there are seven important risk factors that influence the development of Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. “Overweight, smoking, high blood pressure, diabetes, too little exercise and too little mental and social activity are all risk factors that influence the development of dementia. It is a fact that people after their 65th birthday have an increased risk of dementia. Dementia is an insidious disease. It takes decades for dementia to develop. With a healthy lifestyle you can slow down the process, so you can sometimes even postpone it until after death.”
But why do these factors influence the course of the disease? “There are miles of blood vessels in your brain. If these become damaged, clogged or burst, the brain cells are deprived of oxygen and die. Staying mentally and socially active actually has a protective effect. Your brain has, as it were, more spare capacity. That is why it is so important that you continue to challenge the brain.”
According to Bekkenkamp, people also often fear that genes have a major influence. If several (grand)parents had dementia, people quickly think that it runs in the family. “Dementia is genetically a complex disease. It plays a role, but this role is less than you would expect. If your parents develop dementia after the age of 65, the risk for you only increases by a few percent. When your parents get dementia before they turn 65, however, this is a different story. If several people in your family get dementia at a young age, there is a chance that it is a hereditary variant. Fortunately, this is very rare.”
Word puzzle
A healthy lifestyle has a major influence on the course of the disease. Worldwide research even shows that 30 percent of the number of dementia cases can be prevented by a healthier lifestyle. But what should you think about? “It is important that you remain curious, eat healthy and exercise enough. It’s good to do activities that demand a lot from your brain. Completing a word puzzle every day will not help. Social activities are particularly effective because they are complex. You use many different parts of your brain. For example, you could go to a chess club every week or volunteer. Don’t ever think it’s too late for anything. For example, people who stop smoking before the age of 65 already have an equal risk of dementia as people who have never smoked.”
Reduce chance
According to Bekkenkamp, there are no specific foods that can prevent dementia. “It is claimed that blueberries, apples and coffee could have an influence, but that has not yet been sufficiently investigated and is not our advice. The most important thing is a complete and healthy diet. The Mediterranean diet seems to be good for your brain and to have a protective effect against dementia. It is therefore important that you eat enough fresh vegetables, fruit, legumes, nuts, fish and poultry.”
“Making healthier choices is difficult and it is even more difficult to persevere,” says Bekkenkamp. “Still, there are mental tricks and smarts that can help you. For example, remember not only that you want to exercise more, but also when and in which daily situation. It is best to specify it by saying, for example, “I go for a half hour walk every day after dinner.” This way you can keep it up more easily.”
Want to know more about dementia?
Earlier we spoke to Dieuwertje, her mother developed dementia when Dieuwertje was only sixteen years old. We also shared Simone’s reader column. Her mother has dementia and lives in a care facility. She would like it to remain a little livable for her mother there.
Don’t want to miss anything from VROUW?
Especially for the most loyal readers, we send an email every day with all our daily highlights. Subscribe here.