Dementia is one of the biggest health issues in Australia, it is the second leading cause of death of Australians and the leading cause of death of Australian women. Currently there is an estimated 487,500 Australians living with dementia and it is expected to more than double by 2058 if a medical breakthrough does not happen.
Dementia can cause changes in a personโs behaviour, such as:
- Reduced or confused communication
- Anxious or agitated states
- Hallucinations and false ideas
- Loss of inhibition
- Aggression
- Wandering
- Depression
The causes of dementia can be anything from blood vessel damage, the mutation of genes, clumps of proteins or the breakdown of nerve cells and their connections to the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain.[2]
There are things you can do to reduce the risk of being diagnosed with dementia.
Eating a healthy diet (the Mayo Clinic recommends the Mediterranean diet, rich in produce, whole grains, nuts, and seeds), reducing your alcohol intake and smoking habits as well as exercising regularly can help reduce the risk of dementia.
Want to know more? Dementia Australia has several resources available at dementia.org.au
References
Australian Government. (n.d.). Caring for someone with dementia. Caring for someone with dementia | My Aged Care. Retrieved June 21, 2022, from https://www.myagedcare.gov.au/caring-someone-living-dementia
Dementia – Symptoms and causes. (2021, June 17). Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/dementia/symptoms-causes/syc-20352013
