00:00Studies suggest that more than 200,000 Malaysians are living with dementia,
00:05with Alzheimer's disease being the most common type.
00:09And let's face it, caring for someone with Alzheimer's can feel daunting and stressful if we're not prepared.
00:17We spoke with Jenny Lim, Resource and Training Manager at the Alzheimer's Disease Foundation Malaysia,
00:22who said that with the right knowledge, caregiving can also be deeply rewarding.
00:27Very importantly is to take note which stage the person is at.
00:36If the person is at the early stage of the disease,
00:40then perhaps you would want to plan a structured routine whereby they have physical exercise,
00:49they need socialisation, maybe they can join a community centre
00:54where they have activities of different sorts.
00:57The other area is that they may also need a companion.
01:02If you are busy working, you can engage a companion or request for a volunteer to come in
01:10to do some reading or maybe to do some activities with them.
01:15Now, at the early stage, we strongly encourage the person to have cognitive stimulation therapy
01:22that will consist of different routines like exercise, physical exercise,
01:29some homework, mathematics, language, reading.
01:34Lim also stressed the importance of decluttering your home, even at the early stage of Alzheimer's.
01:41Familiarity, she says, is key.
01:43Very important thing like carpet, do not put dark coloured carpet, put light colour or a contrast in colouring.
01:54Switches, you need to start to label, handrails, curtain shape, safety in the window, table corners.
02:08So, many things that you need to start early to plan so that person living in dementia is familiar with the environment.
02:19Keeping loved ones safe is important, but Lim noted that being overprotective after a diagnosis isn't the best approach.
02:27Allow them to have the autonomy to do what they can continue to do, and that is very important.
02:37Providing them the dignity for them to carry on as who they are.
02:44So, how do we know if a loved one has Alzheimer's?
02:47Lim explained that symptoms appear gradually, but there are clear signs to watch out for.
02:53The most common one, of course, is memory loss, and if the person is working, then it will be looking into their performance.
03:02They are not meeting up, you know, to the level of expectation.
03:06Another one is spatial relationship.
03:09The other one would be depression, then confusion.
03:16If your loved one is showing these signs, Lim stressed the importance of obtaining an early diagnosis.
03:23The sooner, the better.
03:25You don't want to miss that window.
03:28Go for early screening, which we call memory screening.
03:32You can get that done at 1076 Clinic Kesihatan Countrywide.
03:39What they do is that they will give you a paper with different sets of questions that consist of like mathematics, language, places, some cognitive issues, you know, like recalling, recalling certain things, colors and all that.
04:02Then from there, they will look into the scoring.
04:05Beyond medical screening, lifestyle also plays an important role.
04:10A balanced diet and certain supplements may help slow down Alzheimer's or dementia.
04:16For example, ginkgo biloba extract, which can be found in Thompson-activated ginkgo and circulon,
04:22is set to support blood flow, protect brain cells, and may help with memory, focus, and circulation.
04:28Lim stressed that support goes beyond money.
04:32It's about neighbors, friends, and volunteers coming together.
04:36Even small support groups can make a big difference.
04:40Living with Alzheimer's may feel overwhelming, but with care and support, no one has to face it alone.
04:47This World Alzheimer's Day, let's build a more compassionate world.
04:51Divya Raghu and Dinesh Kumar Maganathan, FMT.
