HOPE FOR DEMENTIA
YOU South Africa|13 June 2024
More than 55 million people worldwide live with dementia and it's estimated this number will double every 20 years. But researchers believe there's light at the end of the tunnel
SARAH MARINOS
HOPE FOR DEMENTIA

IT BEGINS subtly. A loved one becomes more forgetful, finding it harder to remember things they once had no trouble recalling. They misplace everyday items, like car keys or phones, and become confused doing routine tasks such as supermarket shopping, managing money or preparing dinner.

Sometimes people become withdrawn and their moods veer from happy to unexpectedly angry and frustrated.

Gradually, these changes become more debilitating and entrenched.

For the person experiencing these symptoms, and for the family who loves them, the effects are devastating.

Dementia is not a specific disease but rather a group of symptoms affecting memory, thinking, reasoning, mood and behaviour. The most common form of dementia is Alzheimer's disease, which accounts for about 70 percent of cases.

Worldwide, around 10 million new cases are diagnosed each year, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). That's one person diagnosed every three seconds.

The statistics paint a grim picture, but in recent years there have been signs the tables are being turned on the rise of dementia.

DIAGNOSIS IS BECOMING MORE EFFECTIVE

There's no cure for dementia, although researchers are optimistic they will eventually discover the holy grail that will stop dementia in its tracks.

An online tool to identify early dementia is being developed by Associate Professor Simone Reppermund from the Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing at the University of New South Wales in Australia.

The tool assesses how well people perform everyday activities such as shopping for items on a list, finding their doctor's contact details online, calling their GP to make an appointment, managing their finances and renewing a prescription.

This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM YOU SOUTH AFRICAView all
BALLON IN THE BAG
YOU South Africa

BALLON IN THE BAG

Manchester City midfielder Rodrigo Hernandez Cascante says his Ballon d'Or win is a victory for Spanish football

time-read
4 mins  |
14 November 2024
IT WAS ALL A LIE
YOU South Africa

IT WAS ALL A LIE

A new doccie exposes the Grey's Anatomy writer who fabricated her life story

time-read
5 mins  |
14 November 2024
'I WILL NEVER GIVE UP'
YOU South Africa

'I WILL NEVER GIVE UP'

After her husband, anticorruption activist Alexei Navalny, was poisoned and murdered by the Kremlin, she became the public face of Russia's opposition. In this candid interview Yulia Navalnaya opens up about life on the run, her perilous family life and why she's continuing her husband's fight to save their country

time-read
10+ mins  |
14 November 2024
AGREE TO DISAGREE
YOU South Africa

AGREE TO DISAGREE

Trevor Noah on how his childhood squabbles with his mother inspired his delightful new book

time-read
4 mins  |
14 November 2024
PAUSE THE CLOCK
YOU South Africa

PAUSE THE CLOCK

Researchers have discovered that the ageing process spikes at 44 and 60. Here's what you can do to slow it down

time-read
5 mins  |
14 November 2024
MPOOMY ON TOP
YOU South Africa

MPOOMY ON TOP

We chat to SA's most popular female podcaster about love, loss and her booming success

time-read
4 mins  |
14 November 2024
MY BROTHER IS NOT TO BLAME
YOU South Africa

MY BROTHER IS NOT TO BLAME

Tinus Drotské says his sibling, ex Bok Nǎka, is the victim in the brawl with a neighbour that landed up in court

time-read
4 mins  |
14 November 2024
MATT THE RECLUSE
YOU South Africa

MATT THE RECLUSE

A year after his friend's tragic death, the actor continues to shun the spotlight

time-read
4 mins  |
14 November 2024
A LEAP OF FAITH
YOU South Africa

A LEAP OF FAITH

After her husband tried to kill her by tampering with her parachute she thought she'd never trust a man again-but now she's found love

time-read
5 mins  |
14 November 2024
THEY'RE MY KIDS!
YOU South Africa

THEY'RE MY KIDS!

This West Coast woman treats her monkeys as iftheyre humans and animal activists are not happy about it

time-read
4 mins  |
14 November 2024