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Living with Dementia - old, lonely, and forgotten


therock
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(edited)

1 in 10 may have it above 60...

 

And this was something I mentioned:

 

This statistic is very frightening, and some of us know someone or even might have it..

 

If we are in this forum, we are probably a little above average and we should be aware of this ailment, and then do something about it for these folks.

 

We mustn't let them die alone..

 

Instead of just MUs, maybe when we next have a meal, let's bring some of them out, and as I said, adding another pair of chopsticks isn't hard.

 

My friends and I go to the rental homes spread out throughout Singapore and clean up their homes, and take them out for meals. If funds permit, we also give them something at CNY or Christmas..

 

And it's not about rounding them up to be locked up in old folks homes, in SG or worse JB... 

 

Let them live and die with some dignity. The government provides for their medical needs, and they can get rent free accommodations if they apply, but many aren't literate.

 

$280 is what they are given, and even simply pleasures in life are hard to come by. When you are 80, it's hard to give up smoking... 

 

Some live on one meal a day, given by the charitable groups who come, and if these dementia patients forget to come down during the meal distribution times, they may not get that meal.

 

Some of them have bad eyesight, and eat food that's covered with ants..

 

So take a little time, visit them, say hello and listen. No need for fancy meals, but just take them out for a coffee, a lunch and give them some laughter. 

 

 

 

 

https://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/i-cant-remember-my-own-name-sometimes-71-year-old-battles-dementia-on-his-own

 

71-year-old who lives alone and has dementia: I can't remember my own name sometimes

 

 

SINGAPORE - The mild-to-moderate dementia suffered by Mr Saravanamuthu Marimuthu, 71, means he cannot remember to brush his teeth or have a bath in the morning, much less take the eight tablets he needs every day for his chronic illnesses.

If there was no one to give him a change of clothes after his shower, he would keep on wearing the same things.

Yet Mr Saravanamuthu has managed to live alone in his one-room rental flat in Ang Mo Kio for more than a decade, with dementia his closest "companion" since he was diagnosed with it in 2016.

"I know I have a little bit (of dementia). I can't remember my own name sometimes," said Mr Saravanamuthu, fondly known as "Roy" to his neighbours and staff from the Awwa dementia day care centre situated at the bottom of his block.

As Singapore's population ages, he is one of a growing group of seniors who not only live alone or have dementia, but are faced with the potentially terrifying prospect of both, battling the scourge on one's own.

Still, as his case demonstrates, it may be possible for seniors to continue living alone, at least for a while, with the help of social service organisations such as Awwa.

 
 

Every morning, a home care associate knocks on Mr Saravanamuthu's door to wake him up. When he opens the door, she reminds him to brush his teeth, shave and take a bath. She also hands him a fresh set of clothes and stands by to watch as he takes his medication.

 

Then she takes him downstairs to the Awwa dementia day care centre. Once a week, she helps him do his laundry or clean his house.

For the weekends, she will put out his tablets in two small cups - one for Saturday and one for Sunday.

"Sometimes, he will take them but he may forget. Sometimes, I come on Monday and he is wearing the same clothes and I don't know if he had taken any showers over the weekend," said Ms Devi Nair, 39, a home care associate with Awwa.

"But his dementia seems not to have gotten worse. I think it's because we let him do things for himself that he does not forget life skills. He is also meaningfully engaged with eating, activities and friends at the centre downstairs."

GROWING NUMBERS OF THOSE WHO HAVE DEMENTIA AND LIVE ALONE

 

yq-jyalone2-24052019.jpgOnce a week, a home care associate helps Mr Saravanamuthu Marimuthu do his laundry or clean his house. ST PHOTO: GIN TAY

 

The number of people with dementia who endure the "frightening isolation" of living alone will double to nearly a quarter of a million in Britain over the next 20 years, an Alzheimer's charity there predicted this month.

There is no national data on the number of people with dementia who live alone in Singapore, though figures for those who live alone as well as those who have dementia have both surged over the years.

One in 10 seniors 60 years and above has dementia now, and the proportion rises to one in two among those aged 85 and older. An estimated 103,000 people will have dementia by 2030.

The number of seniors living alone was 41,000 in 2016 and is expected to rise to 92,000 by 2030.

Associate Professor Philip Yap, director of the Geriatric Centre at Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, said: "Since the prevalence of dementia is said to be 10 per cent in seniors, by extrapolating these figures, we can expect more than 4,000 seniors with dementia living alone today and there will be more than 9,000 of them in 2030."

Hospitals and charities such as Alexandra Hospital, the Alzheimer's Disease Association (ADA) and Awwa also confirm they are seeing more seniors with dementia on their own.

"Many of them are single or childless without any living relatives. Some may have estranged relationships with their children or relatives. They are generally lowly educated, have little savings and do not know where to turn to for help," said Mr Kavin Seow, senior director of the elderly group at Touch Community Services.

 


Where are these one room flats found?

 

TPY, Beach Rd, and many more places.. 

Some are located amongst the very same districts where the high rise, high PSF homes like Queenstown are....

They may have kids, but they are now alone, or the kids have abandoned them, and others just choose to live alone so as not to be a burden for their kids..

 

 

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Edited by therock
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(edited)

These flats often house two complete strangers, put together by the government.

If one is able bodied, they sometimes take the food from the demented or older chap..

post-173193-0-16532500-1558778795_thumb.jpeg

Edited by therock
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(edited)

what is the cause of dementia and alzeimer ... genetic or our life habit including diet?

 

laoma is 93 and his mental heath is sibei tok kong ... even a young and season politician cannot beat him

 

i am not turning this into spore <> msia politic bash but i really admire laoma mental capability [thumbsup]

Edited by Wt_know
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Avoid the same things which cause strokes.... control your BP and salt intake for example

Keep the noggin active... they actually encourage mahjong for the elderly..

I taught my mum to use the computer, and her incentive? The stock market..

 

I even taught my old professor how to email, use a PC etc... his incentive? Writing his novel and communicating with his daughter who was working in the Vatican City.. 


https://www.alz.org/alzheimers-dementia/what-is-dementia

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Moderator

Well done

 

Yes, keeping active is the best way

 

Why u think I’m still here ... lotsa clowns to keep me active here lol

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Well done

 

Yes, keeping active is the best way

 

Why u think I’m still here ... lotsa clowns to keep me active here lol

IT

 

Eeee yew

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Turbocharged

what is the cause of dementia and alzeimer ... genetic or our life habit including diet?

 

laoma is 93 and his mental heath is sibei tok kong ... even a young and season politician cannot beat him

 

i am not turning this into spore <> msia politic bash but i really admire laoma mental capability [thumbsup]

I think motivation or drive, plays a big role. Basically if an old person is passing the days aimlessly, then chances of sliding into dementia is high. Then again once into late 80s, all bets are off.
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Supersonic

Dementia is like stroke, seems like very common and unavoidable?!  [sweatdrop]

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Dementia is like stroke, seems like very common and unavoidable?!  [sweatdrop]

 

Dementia is akin to a series of mini strokes, if it's the vascular type..

But it's been far more common in the West, maybe because they actively look for it..

 

But staying healthy also helps... 

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Turbocharged

The thing is easier to visualize is that one needs to look at any HDB flat and think 1 in 10 WILL develop to some degree of Dementia in their lifetime.

 

It includes the new born infant to that kid riding his/her scooter.

 

Family and social support is very important.

 

Since this is a car forum with a somewhat reputable status, Foreign drivers in Singapore over 60 years of age should be scrutinized.

The healthcare or driving system elsewhere may not pick up.

 

Some of our aged cab drivers...

 

I have seen ill cab drivers running away when they realize their vocational and driving licences may need to be relooked at.

 

Cest la vie.

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Turbocharged

Dementia is like stroke, seems like very common and unavoidable?! [sweatdrop]

When layman use special diagnostic terms, it can cause the wrong understanding.

 

An orange is similar to a tomato but vastly different.

 

Dementia is the resulting physical representation of a collective of faults such as mini vascular strokes but not exclusive too.

 

Pot smoking et cetera.... worrisome

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Hypersonic

what is the cause of dementia and alzeimer ... genetic or our life habit including diet?

 

laoma is 93 and his mental heath is sibei tok kong ... even a young and season politician cannot beat him

 

i am not turning this into spore <> msia politic bash but i really admire laoma mental capability [thumbsup]

I would put it mostly genetic and maybe 30-40% environmental factors. Taking care of yourself, circumstances of childhood etc.
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Well done

 

Yes, keeping active is the best way

 

Why u think Iâm still here ... lotsa clowns to keep me active here lol

I also keep active :grin:
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Hypersonic

Dementia is akin to a series of mini strokes, if it's the vascular type..

But it's been far more common in the West, maybe because they actively look for it..

 

But staying healthy also helps...

Erm not really.

 

Dementia is the decline in mental cognition. (largely irreversible), eventually unable to perform activities of daily living without assistsance or aid.

 

There are 2 major causes of dementia

- Vascular like u mentioned

- alzheimers disease

The ratio is about 50-50 or so.

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What I was talking about was the vascular type bro.

I’m sure we can have a medical discourse on the various subtypes of dementia, but there’s already a lot of info out there.

I shan’t debate with the pro, that would be unwise. 班门弄斧

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Hypersonic

What I was talking about was the vascular type bro.

Iâm sure we can have a medical discourse on the various subtypes of dementia, but thereâs already a lot of info out there.

I shanât debate with the pro, that would be unwise. ç­é¨å¼æ§ ð

Cheers

Sure.

 

For dementia to the lay person or even family members of sufferers, I don't think the actual cause (vascular vs alzheimers) really matter much at all.

Probably only the doctor managing it knows as long as the sufferers keep their medical conditions under control.

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