Erika (74) has Alzheimer’s. That has been clear for three weeks.
BILD accompanied Erika to the Clarification of the disease at the University Hospital in Essen: “Actually, I wanted to prove to my children that I don’t have dementia. Now I’m going to prove that I can live with that.”
The cerebrospinal fluid examination and several neurological tests revealed that Erika has Alzheimer’s at an early stage. “I’m not stressing myself. I’m still me,” says the 74-year-old.
Erika reacts calmly to the diagnosis
Can Erika explain what Alzheimer’s actually is? “I think you start not recognizing things properly and forgetting them,” she says thoughtfully. Then Erika laughs: “It would be a shame about my memories, I like to brag about them!”
An eventful life: Read the box to find out which things Erika particularly likes to remember
In everyday life, Erika sometimes notices that her short-term memory is failing: “I want to go down to the basement to get a bottle of water, but suddenly I’m upstairs. Or: I have to keep looking for something because I forget where I put it,” she says, adding: “Sometimes that makes me really angry.”
In order to have all the appointments ready, Erika now takes particular care of her calendar: “I actually always entered everything, but now I have to look at it more often”
However, she is not afraid of the disease: “I’m lucky to have my two daughters and grandchildren to take care of me. I know they are there for me, so I can look to the future with confidence – even with Alzheimer’s.”
Can Alzheimer’s be prevented at a young age?
A little more than 1.5 million people in Germany suffer from Alzheimer’s. This is the most common form of dementia. Alzheimer’s disease results from the loss of nerve cells and brain tissue from protein deposits in the brain. In other forms of dementia, for example, a circulatory disorder can lead to memory loss.
The good news: “You can prevent the disease at a young age,” says Prof. Christoph Kleinschnitz, Director of Neurology at the University Hospital Essen
In BILD he explains what to look out for.
► Good sleep: Studies have shown that poor sleep increases the risk of dementia. Because sleep acts like a garbage chute – the protein deposits that lead to Alzheimer’s disease are transported out of the brain during sleep. If you sleep for less than six to seven hours for longer periods, the protein deposits remain in the brain – this increases the risk of dementia.
► Social activities: Preventing loneliness and depression, which increase the risk of developing dementia!
► Avoid being overweight: Sport and a healthy diet (Mediterranean diet) reduce the risk of dementia.
► Set blood pressure: “Correctly adjusted blood pressure is one of the most effective measures against Alzheimer’s,” says Prof. Kleinschnitz.
► See a doctor if you have hearing or vision problems: Poor hearing and vision increase the risk of dementia.