The idea that sticky brain plaques cause Alzheimer’s disease began as an interesting hypothesis and eventually became drug industry dogma. Now, after a string of clinical trial failures, that hypothesis looks less credible than ever.
Frontotemporal dementia is a cruel disease. It’s not Alzheimer’s, which attacks the part of the brain responsible for memory. Instead, it degrades the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain, which control personality and speech.
This is a story about the cruelest disease you have never heard of. It’s called frontotemporal dementia — or FTD. And given the devastating toll it takes on its victims and their families, it ought to be much better known than it is.
Ron Posno was diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment—a precursor to dementia—in 2016, and soon after, the London, Ont., resident re-wrote his will. He already had a Do Not Resuscitate order in place, and to this he added instructions for the niece who was his substitute decision maker that at a specific point in the progress of his illness, she was to seek medical assistance in dying on his behalf.
THE GOODS – AN OTTAWA MAN’S MISSION TO MAKE CANADIAN PLACES OF WORSHIP MORE WELCOMING TO THOSE WHO SUFFER FROM DEMENTIA
As society grapples with an aging population and increasing prevalence of disability, “reable- ment” as a means of maximizing functional ability in older people is emerging as a potential strat- egy to help promote independence. Reablement offers an approach to mitigate the impact of dementia on function and independence.
“We, the G8 Health Ministers, met at the G8 Dementia Summit in London on 11 December 2013 to discuss how to shape an effective international response to dementia. We ac- knowledge the on-going work occurring in our countries and globally to identify dementia as a major disease burden and to address issues related to ageing and mental health.”
A national plan and commitment to addressing dementia is considered by the broad range of experts who contributed to the Index to be the top driver of innovation within a county. The presence, implementation, and monitoring of a national dementia plan aligns national leadership, signals commitment to the advocacy community as well as the public and the private sector, and holds the government accountable to a set of specific goals and milestones in research and care delivery.
Dementia is a rapidly growing global public health problem. Worldwide, around 50 million people have dementia, with approximately 60% living in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). Every year, there are nearly 10 million new cases.
Dementia describes a range of progressive disorders that affect the brain. It is experienced by people of all ages although it is more common in older age, where it may be accompanied by age-related issues.
The By Us For Us© (BUFU) Guides are a series of resources created by a group of talented and passionate people living with dementia and/or partners in care. The guides are designed to equip people living with dementia and their care partners with the necessary tools to enhance their well-being and manage daily life.
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