Dementia: Knowing earlier makes a difference

LETTER: We often think of dementia as a disease of forgetting. But sometimes, the first signs are not simply about memory.

They can appear as small changes in everyday life, like experiencing cooking difficulties despite knowing the recipe for a long time.

These changes can be gradual, they may easily be overlooked or simply put down to getting older.

Ageing, stress, tiredness, or other health conditions can affect memory and thinking. Not every change means dementia, and these signs alone cannot confirm a diagnosis.

But when these changes persist and begin to affect everyday life, they are worth noticing rather than simply being dismissed as normal ageing.

Speaking to a healthcare professional can help determine what may be happening.

This World Alzheimer's Month, the campaign carries a simple but important message: "The Earlier You Know, The More You Can Do: A Dementia Diagnosis Matters."

Report says that 8.5 per cent of older adults (about 260,000 people) live with dementia in Malaysia, projected to reach 590,000 by 2050.

Although dementia cannot be reversed or cured, an early diagnosis gives individuals and families more time to understand what is happening, explore available support and treatment options, and prepare for what lies ahead.

It can also help the person living with dementia maintain independence and live as well as possible for as long as possible.

Dementia also affects the people who love and care for them. As dementia progresses, communication can become more difficult. A person may struggle to find the right words, follow a conversation or express what they need.

For families and caregivers, adapting to these changes can be challenging. When communication changes, we need to change the way we communicate - not the relationship.

This might mean using simpler words, allowing more time for an answer, or offering reassurance instead of correcting.

It may mean finding a different way to approach a difficult moment and meeting where they are, rather than expecting them to communicate as they once did.

Memories may fade, and dementia may change the conversation, but the need to feel loved, understood and connected remains.

On World Alzheimer's Day today (Sept 21st), let's start by noticing the changes and learning to listen differently because the earlier we know, the more we can help the person living with dementia.

In that way, we can assist the people who care for them, and for the relationships, choices, and moments that matter most.