Are you going to get dementia?

We are dealing with a few dementia situations in our family. It is brutal and incredibly sad and feels hopeless.

I know that many/most of you have dealt with dementia situations with aging family members as well. And let’s face it: Due to the seemingly high number of dementia cases all around us, a lot of us fear that may be our fate too.

So, are you going to get dementia? I have good and bad news.

The good news is that while the number of dementia cases is indeed rising in the US, that is because people are living longer and the population of elderly people is increasing. The per-capita rate is actually in decline, and your chance of being diagnosed with dementia is actually declining substantially.

The bad news is that dementia is still a big deal and is diagnosed in close to 10% of the population. Even worse, the impact is much higher because many people with dementia never get officially diagnosed.

Who are the people most at risk for dementia? Those who are obese and/or have diabetes. There is a big correlation with poverty, but that is probably due to the higher rates of obesity/diabetes in that population (because they cannot afford quality health care).

Here are some other factors that can increase the risk: family history of dementia, uncorrected vision/hearing, high blood pressure, poor diet, lack of exercise, sleep issues, depression, and social isolation.

As you can imagine, the very best way to protect yourself from dementia is to live a healthy lifestyle. Surprisingly, recent studies show that the way you live in middle age (40-65) is especially important if you want to lower your risk.

I heard a speaker say recently that the top two fears about aging (other than dying) are vision loss and dementia. I have no doubt that is true, but please, don’t live in fear.

Just live a healthy life, live a good life, and live a hopeful life. Make the most of today. That is the only day you can be sure of.

Foto de Robina Weermeijer en Unsplash