The connection between Alzheimer's disease and our health habits

Does your elderly parent, grandparent, or relative forget things? Do they often complain that they can't remember things like past events, names, or directions? We often think, "Oh... that's just how it is when you get older." But not all memory loss is just a normal part of aging. It could be an early sign of a condition like Alzheimer's. Let's talk about this today.

What is Alzheimer's disease and why is it important to us?

Simply put, Alzheimer's is a progressive disease that affects the brain. It is characterized by a loss of memory, thinking skills, and the ability to perform daily tasks. It is the most common type of dementia.

Recent international research has found that some groups of people are at a much higher risk of developing this disease. The reason for this is not only genetics, but also their lifestyle and other diseases they have. Now, let's see how common these risk factors are for people in our country. Therefore, it is very important for us to be aware of this.

Our health problems that increase the risk of Alzheimer's

Many people think that Alzheimer's is genetic, meaning it's something that runs in families. While there is some truth to that, it's not entirely true. Other diseases and lifestyle factors that we can control can also significantly increase the risk of Alzheimer's.

Research shows that the following health problems are more likely to cause Alzheimer's than certain genetic factors (for example, the APOE-e4 gene). These are very common in our country.

Why don't we take these symptoms into account?

Due to certain attitudes and practical issues in our society, many people are reluctant to seek medical advice for memory-related problems like this.

• "That's just how it is when you get older" attitude: Many people think that memory loss is a normal part of aging, so they don't think it's anything to worry about seeing a doctor about.
• Fear of medical treatment: Some people are afraid of going to the hospital or getting tests. They hide their symptoms for fear of being diagnosed with a serious illness.
• Economic and practical issues: Many people put off seeking treatment due to factors such as the cost of seeing a doctor, the distance to the hospital, lack of transportation, and queues at clinics.

These reasons result in missing the opportunity to diagnose the disease at a manageable stage.

Challenges for a Caregiver

Taking care of an Alzheimer's patient is not an easy task. It is physically and mentally exhausting. In our culture, this responsibility falls on a family member, especially a daughter, daughter-in-law, or wife. There are several major challenges they face.

• Intense mental and physical strain: The caregiver is under a lot of stress from having to check on everything about the patient, dealing with their changing behavior, and having to take care of them without sleep at night.
• Financial difficulties: The patient spends a lot of money on things like medicine, special diets, and medical fees. This is a big burden on the family's finances.
• Reluctance to ask for help: Many people are reluctant to ask for outside help or to seek out services from a hospital or other institution because of the feeling that "we have to take care of our mother/father ourselves."
• Forgetting about one's own life: The caregiver loses time to look after their own job, children's work, and their own health.

How do we deal with this situation?

First and foremost, don't ignore memory problems . If you or someone in your family has these symptoms, be sure to see a doctor for advice.

• Early detection: If the disease is detected early, there are medications that can control symptoms and slow the progression of the disease.
• Control risk factors: If you have conditions like diabetes or high blood pressure, taking your medications, eating a healthy diet, and exercising regularly is the biggest investment you can make in your brain health.
• Importance of Medical Research: Research is being conducted on such diseases in our country as well. If we get to participate in such an event, it will be of great help in finding suitable treatments for our own people. Because, a medicine that works for one nation may not work the same way for another nation.

In conclusion, although Alzheimer's is a serious disease, we can minimize the damage it can cause by being aware of it, controlling risk factors, and seeking timely medical advice.