My mother calls me her brother, says Mr. Karan Dubey, a caregiver and son of a 93 year old Alzheimer patient

New Delhi, September 19, 2018:

No wonder life is beautiful when you have your loved ones around you, but it can be equally traumatic when those loved ones do not recognize you anymore.  The same is the case with Mr. Karan Dubey, caregiver of Ms. Tara Dubey, an Alzheimer patient who has been suffering from the disease from last four years. Like Mr. Dubey there are hundreds and thousands of caregiver’s who take immense care of their loved ones in a hope that someday they will recognize them. To mark a respect to all the caregivers highlighting the important role that they play in an Alzheimer patient’s life, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals organized a press conference today on the occasion of ‘World Alzheimer’s Day. Dr Vinit Suri, Senior Consultant, Neurology, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals addressed the media on the disease, its symptoms and preventive measures one can adopt to reduce the risk of developing the same.

Talking about the disease Dr Vinit Suri said, “People generally think that the terms ‘dementia’ and ‘Alzheimer’ mean the same. So, sometimes they use it interchangeably. However, these two conditions are not similar and Alzheimer is a type of dementia. Dementia includes conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease, Fronto- temporal dementia, vascular dementia and others. Patients with dementia initially develop symptoms of memory loss and executive function loss. Memory loss includes symptoms such as the patients start forgetting the events, dates, their ways around familiar paths etc. and executive function loss includes wrong decisions or planning at work place and at home. Memory loss initially is characterized for newer or recent memories.  Patients with more advanced disease often do not recognize their family members and relatives. They undergo numerous behavioural changes such as they get very aggressive or irritated most of the times, they have mood swings, distrust in others, depression, social withdrawal, wandering habits etc. Thus, it gets all the more critical for the family members to handle such patients with extreme care, love and passion.”

“Caring for a person with Alzheimer’s disease may have high physical, emotional, and financial costs attached to it. The round the clock demand for care, changes in family roles etc. are extremely painful and difficult situations for the caregivers to deal with. Most patients have relatively preserved old memories and live in their past. Hence, they recognize their relatives as someone related to them but usually identify their son as brother or husband as father and will often not even remember their names. Despite all this, the love and care by the caregiver continues unconditionally,” further adds Dr Suri.

Mr. Karan Dubey, a caregiver and son of Ms. Tara Dubey, an Alzheimer patient said, “My mother is 93 years old and it’s been four years now that she has been suffering from this disease. She often forgets me who I am and calls me her brother. Sometimes she forgets the names of close relatives too. She gets very aggressive on some days and doesn’t eat food and starts throwing utensils. Even while I am in office, I am always concerned for her wellbeing. She has become so weak as she doesn’t eat anything and then I only have to calm her down. I still get tears in my eyes thinking about the days when she used to climb up the stairs to my room to talk at night.”

“It needs a lot of patience, understanding about the disease and its various stages, good coping skills and a strong support system to help caregivers like me handle the stress of caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease. When I got to know that my mother is suffering from this disease the first that I did was reading about the disease. Things like how it impacts patient’s behavior, different stages, ways to handle difficult behaviors and situations etc. Then I met Dr Suri and consulted him for my mother. Dr Suri’s expert guidance and support really helped me in dealing with tough situations with her. I just wish that I enjoy this precious time with her,” further added Mr. Dubey.

“India accounts for than 4 million people suffering from some form of dementia and Alzheimer’s being the most common condition out of all of them affect around 1.6 million people,” stressed Dr Suri.

 “There are various support groups these days for caregivers that allow them to find respite, express concerns, share their experiences, get tips, and receive emotional comfort. Hence, it is always advisable to be a part of such groups,” concluded Dr Suri.

Alzheimer’s cannot be cured but can be treated. There is no drug that can halt the progression but there are drugs that can improve functionality and behavior abnormalities. Small measures like using the same routine, labeling objects and keeping the room well lit in the evenings can help.

Also, various measures to prevent dementia include physical exercise, healthy diet, control of hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia and most of all ‘using the brain’ for intellectual activities eg. Learning a new language, music and mental games.