Dementia in Elderly Women: An issue that goes unnoticed

Dementia is one of the leading causes of poor quality of life worldwide. It is a broad term used to describe symptoms such as declining memory, cognitive skills, reasoning and thinking abilities. About 60–80% of all cases of dementia are caused by Alzheimer's disease.

Dementia cases are increasing every year and are expected to affect the global population of approximately 130 million by 2050. And what is surprising to many is that cases are disproportionately higher in women. And yet in women's health it is not talked about as much as breast cancer, which affects a similar number of patients each year.

According to the Alzheimer's Research Group in the UK, the risk of developing dementia in women over the age of 60 is twice that of breast cancer. Of the 8,50,000 dementia patients in Britain, more than 5 lakh are women. After age 65 the risk doubles every 5 years.

Although there are many contributors to this higher risk in women, age is one of the most important factors. Women live longer than men and hence, they live with dementia during their old age. Physical exercise ratio, changes in blood pressure and hormonal factors (estrogen) are also some of the factors contributing to this increased risk in women. Another reason is their role as caregivers. In most low- and middle-income countries, approximately 90% of professional and family caregivers of dementia patients are women. They receive less support during this time and this isolation is one of the major risk factors for decline in their memory and thinking skills.

It aims to promote brain health among women and spread awareness about dementia in the pink gender. Although there is no cure for this disease yet, some basic lifestyle changes can help reduce the chances of women developing this disease.

1. Healthy DietA balanced diet rich in fiber, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins is known to be anti-oxidative and helps promote brain health.
2. ExerciseRegular exercise of 30 minutes of walking at least 5 times a week is known to help blood circulation and prevent cognitive impairment.
3. obesityAll researchers have found a direct relationship between hip/waist ratio and dementia. Along with a healthy lifestyle, especially after pregnancy, women should maintain a normal body weight to reduce their chances of developing dementia.
4. substancesSmoking and excessive alcohol consumption are linked to deteriorating brain health.
5. SleepChronic lack of sleep is believed to increase the risk of developing dementia and other diseases. Women should try to get 7-8 hours of quality sleep every night.
6. regular health checkupIt is known that women do not comply with their own preventive health checkups. A research has also shown that women are 46% less proactive about their health checkups compared to taking care of their partners/family members. Every woman must visit her doctor once a year to rule out any medical conditions.

It is important to spread awareness about dementia among women, as most of these cases go undiagnosed and when diagnosed later, they are in advanced stages. We should work on strengthening home-based care for dementia patients because 52% of the caregivers are family members (and most of them are women) who need physical, psychological and emotional support during this stage. . Training caregivers and involving professional staff helps relieve stress on family members and improve overall quality of life.