Living with dementia

Dementia is a disease that affects how the brain functions and is common among old people. It can be difficult to live with this disease because it affects your mood, ability to focus and carry out your daily tasks such as getting dressed. However, with the right treatment and support from loved ones, you can still live a productive life with dementia.

Different people experience dementia in different ways. The following are common problems you may encounter with dementia:

• Memory loss. As we age, we may naturally find it difficult to remember some things that happened very long ago. However, with dementia, you also find it difficult to remember things that happened recently. It may be something as recent as your last meal or difficulty identifying your family members.
• You may have difficulties with thinking and handling tasks. Dementia may make it difficult for you to focus on a job. You may also do things without proper planning and find it more challenging to handle tasks than you usually would. For example, before you had dementia, you knew that boiling water comes before adding garri to make eba. However, you may find it difficult to concentrate enough to recall the steps of making it.
• Mood changes. Dementia can cause changes to your mood. You may become sad, scared or angry, and you may be unable to explain why.
• You may feel confused. You may have some problems figuring out certain things, such as what time it is and where you are. You may feel lost in places you frequent or dress in a way that does not conform to the season.
• Problems with communication. You may find it difficult to express yourself or understand what people are saying. This can make it challenging to communicate with people or discourage you from talking altogether.

The changes caused by dementia usually start gradually and can get worse with time. Below are some tips to help you manage those changes to live an active life.

• Focus on the things you can still do. Living with dementia may feel like the real you is fading away, but that is not true. Try to spend time doing the things you can still do and enjoy doing. For example, if you enjoy cooking, you may take some time to cook lunch (from the recipes you still remember) for your family during the weekend.
• Keep your loved ones close. If you experience mood changes, it may be difficult for some people to relate with you. Therefore, it is essential to stay active with your loved ones who understand you better. This helps you maintain a positive attitude to life and makes you emotionally stable.
• Jot things down. Living with dementia may cause you to forget things, as stated earlier. It may help to write your to-do list so that you do not forget anything. You may also need to write where your drugs, keys and other essential items are to help you remember in case you forget.
• Maintain good health habits. Eat a balanced diet (e.g. fruits, vegetables, fish and nuts), keep physically active (e.g. taking brisk walks) and get enough sleep (6-8 hours per night). 
• Consider therapy. The journey of living with dementia can get overwhelming. You may need to discuss how you feel and how best to manage your emotions. Your healthcare provider can help you with this or point you in the right direction.

Dementia affects every aspect of life and you may need to adopt a number of new habits, including accepting support when it is available. This does not reduce your self-worth or mean you are no longer yourself, you are just learning to cope with this new phase of life. You can still participate in activities that you enjoy or participate in new ones.