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Mindfully aware

Learning to destigmatize Alzheimer’s

by lawrence varga

Have you ever locked your keys in your car and wondered what that meant for your overall brain health? January, is Alzheimer’s Awareness Month, which makes it a good time to learn more about this often stigmatized and misunderstood disease.

Alzheimer’s, which affects memory, attention, communication and judgment in over half a million Canadians, is the most common form of dementia. It is caused by the irreversible death of brain cells, making it a fatal disease with no known cure.

It is diagnosed by a doctor, who will administer a set of simple cognitive tests like the Mini Mental State Exam and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment test, where lower scores indicate different stages of dementia.

As memory loss is not the only symptom—there are often behaviour changes such as aggression, wandering and agitation, even hallucinations and delusions—a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s can be stigmatizing. It can be countered by encouraging early diagnosis, staying informed, supporting caregivers who are struggling or simply being a friend to those living with dementia.

Medications, which come in oral tablets or patches, may help with the symptom of memory loss, but they can be stopped by a health care professional when their side effects are greater than their benefits.

A person diagnosed with Alzheimer’s can live fairly well for several years with the right treatment and proper supportive care. So, if you have early-stage Alzheimer’s, take some time to learn, advocate for yourself and teach others to advocate on behalf of you and others in your situation.

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Lawrence Varga , B.Sc.Phm., is assistant vice president of Costco Pharmacy.

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Pharmacies in Costco’s Quebec locations are independently owned and operated by pharmacists.

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