They succumb easily to frauds, do not remember the value of money, do not feel threatened. The deteriorating condition of people with dementia is not only a personal tragedy for their caregivers, but often a harbinger of serious problems. Is this the moment to make a painful decision to incapacitate? It is worth asking specialists about this during an open meeting at the Lodz Alzheimer's Society on Saturday, April 6 at 11.00.
The topic is not as marginal as it might seem. According to estimates - because there are no precise data - up to half a million people in Poland may be affected by Alzheimer's disease. In Lodz alone, up to 30,000 people may suffer from dementia, including 18,000 with Alzheimer's. Their condition deteriorates irreversibly over time.
- When a sick person can no longer realistically assess the situation they are in, they become an easy victim for swindlers and scammers. He can make enormous obligations, and when he forgets how to spell, he will not be able to settle the simplest official matters - says Maja Maciaszczyk, manager of the Environmental House of Mutual Aid, established by the Lodz Alzheimer's Society. - Therefore, when the diagnosis appears, it is not worth delaying the thought of incapacitation. You have to face a difficult decision, stereotypes about it and your own feeling that you are hurting your loved one. We don't really hurt her, we just protect her from her - he argues.
Legal aspects related to incapacitation will be discussed by Sylwia Brodniewicz-Drożdż. But it will not be the only topic of the meeting in ŁTA. Monika Zwierzchowska - a senior social work specialist, coordinator of the social integration club at MOPS in Łódź will tell you what options the institution offers to carers of people suffering from dementia. You will be able to ask where to go to apply for help from a social worker, or what are the conditions for granting a place in a nursing home.
Alzheimer's disease is a degenerative, progressive brain disease of unknown etiology. It is incurable, but you can alleviate its symptoms and slow down its development. People suffering from it are deprived of their memory and the ability to function independently, their caregivers are often locked at home and powerless in the face of loss.contact with a close person.
- Meanwhile, there are few places where you can learn more about the disease itself, ask about unusual issues related to its specificity, or simply exchange experiences - emphasizes Maja Maciaszczyk-Bednarek and adds that caring for people with dementia can be mentally exhausting for the family. Hence, in addition to monthly information meetings, such as on April 6, there are also support groups for carers (every third Monday of the month at 4.30 pm), combined with occupational therapy workshops for their charges. The next one will be held on April 15, also at the ŁTA Community Residential Home, at 111 Przybyszewskiego Street.
- For 20 years of operation, our center has provided daily medical, nursing, psychological and therapeutic care to nearly 400 patients - says Maja Maciaszczyk-Bednarek. - Such comprehensive assistance allows to slow down the progress of the disease and extend the period of physical and mental fitness, and enables the families of patients to continue their professional work and social functioning. However, twenty places in our center are not enough to help everyone. Open meetings and support groups allow us to reach a wider group of people in need - he sums up.