Aging is a
natural process that everyone goes through, but the process itself differs from
person to person. Why is it that some elderly people become more graceful and
at ease with life like the typical sweet old grandma and grandpa that the
children love, while some others become
rude, suspicious and even violent? Lifestyle and personality play major roles,
but so does one’s state of mental health.
We often
write off obnoxious behaviour from elderly folks as “crankiness” and being part
of the normal aging process, but it could well be a sign of dementia, or
Alzheimer’s disease, especially if the person in question was never like this
in his or her younger days.
According
to researchers, memory loss is only one of possible symptoms that signify the
onset of dementia. Behaviour changes are what we really should be on the look
out for, to identify dementia early. By the time memory loss is bad enough to
trigger a visit to the doctor, the dementia would already be too severe to
salvage.
Some
warning signs include:
-
Apathy
towards once-favourite activities
- Loss of appetite
- Anxiety towards performing routine activities
- Increasingly bad-tempered, easily suspicious and aggressive (especially so when such behaviour rarely exists before)
- Loss of impulse control e.g. sudden addiction to alcohol, drugs, compulsive gambling, hurting self and others, sudden rage episodes, eating disorders
- Socially inappropriate behaviour such as making crude remarks aloud, inappropriately touching someone and defecating in public (not due to incontinence)
- Loss of appetite
- Anxiety towards performing routine activities
- Increasingly bad-tempered, easily suspicious and aggressive (especially so when such behaviour rarely exists before)
- Loss of impulse control e.g. sudden addiction to alcohol, drugs, compulsive gambling, hurting self and others, sudden rage episodes, eating disorders
- Socially inappropriate behaviour such as making crude remarks aloud, inappropriately touching someone and defecating in public (not due to incontinence)
Some of
these behaviours could be attributed to depression and poor emotional
well-being, especially if a triggering episode has occurred recently.
Nevertheless, poor mental health in old age is not something to be taken
lightly.
Although
there is still no cure for progressive dementia, getting professional help at
an early stage can improve quality of life. One dementia patient, technology
specialist Mike Belleville
would snap at his co-workers and using strong words on his wife, without
remembering it. After going to the doctor, he was diagnosed with early-onset
dementia. With medication, he was able to keep his temper under control. http://finance.yahoo.com/news/behavior-changes-offer-clues-dementia-could-brewing-204841987.html
So if you
find yourself or witness a loved one experiencing negative changes in behaviour
and mental wellness for no apparent reason, please don’t self-diagnose it as a
problem of stress, menopause/andropause or just plain crankiness. Seek
professional medical advice. Regardless what it turns out to be, early treatment is always helpful in managing negative motions.
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