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Most Singaporeans do not know what are the two most common symptoms of Alzheimer's disease, according to a survey conducted by the Health Promotion Board.
They are forgetting how to brush one's teeth and bathe and do not recognise their own children.
The disease - which is the most common form of dementia - is one which brain tissue degenerates. As a result, it causes memory loss and a person with the disease will find that his or her mental abilities decline.
The findings were reported by Lianhe Wanbao, and the survey found that most Singaporeans only recognised one out of 10 warning signs of impending Alzheimer's disease, which is forgetting how to do basic calculation sums.
4495 people, aged 18 to 69, were included in the survey. Only five people, or less than 0.1 per cent, knew about the three most common symptoms of dementia.
| Common symptoms of dementia (extracted from the Health Promotion Board website) |
- Forgetfulness is often one of the earliest symptoms (Patients may forget dates, names of common objects and familiar people)
- Difficulty performing familiar tasks
- Difficulty with finding the right words to express themselves
- Difficulty understanding others
- Disorientation in time and place
- Poor or decreased judgment
- Wandering and getting lost
- Changes in mood and behaviour (They may become easily agitated or depressed)
Changes in personality
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Most people who were surveyed were also under the misperception that dementia is a common sign of ageing. A HPB spokesman told Lianhe Wanbao that although dementia is commonly found in senior citizens, and the risk of getting it increases with age, it does not mean that the elderly will necessarily be afflicted with the disease.
Engaging more actively in social activities, learning new skills to stimulate the mind, doing exercises such as taichi and swmming, regulating one's blood pressure, consuming less alcohol and reducing stress can go towards helping to prevent the disease.
But having some of these symptoms does not mean you have Alzheimer's disease either, as depression, hormonal imbalance, poor nutrition leading to infection can also cause some of these symptoms to appear.
If you wish to find out more about dementia, you can call the hotline: 1800-223 1313
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