A Peek into Dementia

This week, we will be taking a peek into Dementia.

Why dementia? Because dementia is on the rise and one of the major reasons why maintaining brain health across the lifespan is being advocated globally. The rise in the number of people with dementia is not a statistic “cooked up” somewhere, we are seeing it increasingly in clinical practice. Some schools of thought suggest that if we all live long enough, we will eventually develop dementia, largely because ageing is the single most important risk factor. Others disagree, arguing that dementia is not an inevitable part of ageing.

What is clear, however, is this: dementia is becoming more common, and it affects far more than memory alone. It isn’t simply about forgetting names or misplacing items. It is much more than that. To understand this better, read the piece ''A reflection on Dementia''. Afterwards, we’ll reflect on what it teaches us about dementia.

"Dementia is becoming more common and affects far more than memory."

A Reflection on Dementia

A loved one who is with you, yet no longer with you—Mourning a loss while they are still alive.

It starts slowly—forgetting a little, here and there.

Forgetting conversations, a little here and there.

Repeating the same stories, a little here and there.

Misplacing objects, a little here and there.

Then it becomes more than “a little.”

The gaps in conversation grow wider.

The repeated words grow frequent.

The misplaced objects stay lost.