To find dementia statistics frightening

[Collins567]

Having done some reading yesterday , it was stated that approx 1 in 1000 under 65s will develop it. That's really quite a high number, pretty much one pupil from each high school roughly.
After 65, that number shoots up, I think it was 1 in 20, which is terrifying.
65 is really no age at all.
I am thinking about Fiona Phillips who has recently revealed her diagnosis, and I have known of a 56 year old lady with late-stage dementia.
I have worked in dementia care homes so know exactly what it is, I have seen a lot of things that wouldn't be very pleasant to describe.
It just seems like a bit of a lottery. My Grandma currently has it and my other grandma who is no longer with us was starting with it before she died at 84, she became vey paranoid.
As it's in the family, it makes me even more worried.
I don't smoke, don't drink, exercise and so on.
Does anyone else worry about this a lot? I know there are now treatments which are supposed to really slow the prognosis but still no cure.

State pension was supposed to cover approximately two years between end of work and end of life. I'd give you a reference for that but it was thirty years ago that I read it and my memory is going a bit...

My dad is 91 and has 'Mild Dementia' if you read the FAST scale.
I am 65. I've read a lot about it and I know I have early indications.

I have an exit strategy.

Those living with dementia for years are the minority.

This is simply not true. People live 4-8 years after diagnosis, often much longer, the notable phrase here being 'AFTER diagnosis'. People generally spend many years in denial about their symptoms. My mum began to display symptoms at 76 and is now 90. She wasn't diagnosed until five years ago and she is definitely not in the end stages yet, despite needing 4 care calls a day, being doubly incontinent and not being able to do anything other than watch TV and do puzzles.

Voting is 44% YABU???

Can’t understand that for the life of me. Do they think they won’t get it or aren’t bothered if they do or what …

@LMNT what foods should you avoid please? What’s a UPF….

Dementia scares me more than cancer. I would want an exit strategy and would hope the law changes regarding euthanisia. I don’t want to be washed, fed, scared, paranoid etc.

My DM had dementia. She was diagnosed in her early eighties although with hindsight I can see there were signs earlier. She was 93 when she died. Her initiative gradually deserted her until she was unable to do anything for herself though she recognised people until the end. I do worry of course, but OTOH my mother was on blood pressure medication by the time she was my age (62) and my blood pressure is low side of normal. I’m trying to live as healthily as I can.

For women the latest research indicates that HRT can reduce your chances of getting it by up to 50%.

Yep it's frightening. I've recently found out that as I have hypothyroidism I'm at a much bigger risk of dementia. I work in hospital so see patients daily with dementia and it really scares me.

www.alzheimersresearchuk.org/thyroid-problems-in-later-life-linked-to-increased-risk-of-dementia/

Oh shit. I have have hypothyroidism too.

I’m finding this bit of that link confusing though

What did the scientists find?

People aged 65 and over with a history of hypothyroidism – meaning their thyroid gland is underactive so they are not producing enough thyroid hormone – had an 81% increased risk of developing dementia compared to people without thyroid problems.

Those aged between 50 and 65 years with hypothyroidism did not have an increased risk of dementia.

People who had hypothyroidism and took medication for this had the strongest association with an increased risk of dementia.

people don’t realise how detrimental modern food and lifestyle is
💯%

@Missingmyusername Ultra Processed Food. Basically anything in the center aisles of the supermarket.

A whole food, low carb diet is essential. Dementia is called Type 3 diabetes in the medical profession. Sugar, starches and all grains and cereals should be minimised as much as possible. That doesn’t necessarily mean keto levels of carbs but around 100g a day.

If there is a family history of any metabolic diseases like cancer, heart disease, high blood pressure or dementia then I recommend no higher than 60g a day.

I agree with others a big factor is people being kept alive for longer than years gone by (I would say living longer but sadly often people survive on a cocktail of tablets with little quality of life which is cruel in many cases). I lost a family member to a stroke and although it was heartbreaking of course, it was also a sweet release for them as they were suffering with dementia which was getting worse at an alarming rate. I don't actively worry about getting it because sadly there isn't much that can be done beside looking after your body as much as you can.

I am 65. I've read a lot about it and I know I have early indications
@StopStartStop
I'm so sorry 🙏
That must be very hard to cope with, but are you sure, could the indications be explained as something else?

Thank you. I don't usually mention it. I've spoken to the GP but they 'aren't worried about me yet.'

No, there are no other explanations. I have a number of indicators, all specifically dementia.

The worst thing about dementia is that it doesn’t tend to kill you.

Having watched a family member suffer for several years with likely many years to come, spending all their money on care, I’ll be joining those of you on the flight to Switzerland if it comes for me. I want my children to have happy memories of me and be able to leave money to them.

@StopStartStop sorry for your diagnosis.

Have you heard of ketogenic metabolic therapy? It combined with intermittent fasting and ketone supplements do wonders for slowing progression.

I don’t personally know of any practitioners in the UK but it will be worth looking into it. Take care of yourself.

Continuing this, I was diagnosed hypothyroid before I was 40. Is it people who were diagnosed later in life they are talking about? It really isn’t clear.

It's a self-diagnosis.
But I'll look into the therapy, thank you.

@LMNT thank you for replying, really helpful thank you.
Have dementia, cancer and diabetes in the family.

This is a really interesting thread.
I was thinking of going keto and this has spurred me on. Dementia terrifies me.
MIL has it, late 80s. She's refusing help but luckily DH and her dgd have power of attorney over health care. She's declining rapidly in her own home.
My DM didn't have it but she had signs of minor strokes. Lost most of her sight and struggled to walk. She still wanted to keep living though in her late 80s.

@KimberleyClark yes I find the wording and the findings difficult to interpret too. I started another thread about it but we're all equally as stumped.

I found study and had a read of it https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8936176/

The study only finds a correlation between Alzheimer’s and thyroid disorders. When you understand that 1 in 8 women will have a thyroid problem in their lifetime this correlation doesn’t seem to be statistically significant.

A clinical trial would be needed to prove a sting link.

@Tessisme , my DM had it for around 15 years altogether. She was pretty bad by the time she moved to a care home at 89 - by then there was no practical alternative - she needed 24/7 care and supervision - and was there for almost exactly 8 years until she died at 97.

IMO it’s a testament to the excellent care she received that she lasted so long, though frankly a swifter end would have been more merciful - her former self would have been horrified at the pitiful wreck she’d become.

I know she was unusual, though. 2-4 years was a more usual time frame in that (specialist dementia) care home.

My DGM was working full time well into her mid 80s keeping her mind active. The dementia diagnosis meant her driving license was taken from her and that ended her career. She also took daily exercise and ate a good diet. Didn’t drink or smoke. It’s a terrifying and heartbreaking disease.

Something which hasn't been mentioned is the link between not using a hearing aid (if needed) and dementia (see here.

My mum should have worn a hearing aid for the last 15 years. She lasted about a month, didn't like it and wasn't convinced she needed it so gave up. Not only did it make conversations with her increasingly frustrating, but I'm convinced it hastened her diagnosis. As soon as I'm offered one I'm taking it. And using it.

The only mercy people with late stage of dementia have is they don't know they have it. I also work with people with dementia, its sole destroying to know that it could happen to anyone. One man I looked after was only in his 50s and had a brain infection which lead to dementia.
I've told my kids the minute I show signs of dementia don't come visit me anymore, I'm gone. Want to save them from seeing that.
I can't blame you for being worried about your future its such a cruel disease to family members to watch their loved ones become a shell. Let us hope for the sake of the elderly that social care improves by time we get old.