Grist to our mills: WHO guidelines for dementia prevention
Photo by Mikael Kristenson on Unsplash
The World Health Organization has recognized that dementia is a rapidly growing public health problem affecting some 50 million people around the world. There are nearly 10 million new cases per year, and this number is expected to triple by 2050.
Dementia is a major cause of disability and need for care among older people and can destroy the lives of those affected and their families. In addition, the disease places a heavy economic burden on society as a whole, with the cost of caring for people with dementia estimated to rise to $2 trillion annually by 2030.
This makes it all the more important to realize that dementia is not an inevitable fate, but a homemade one. The WHO, of course, formulates it politically cautiously:
While there is no curative treatment for dementia, the proactive management of modifiable risk factors can delay or slow onset or progression of the disease.
In May 2017, the World Health Assembly endorsed the Global Action Plan on the Public Health Response to Dementia 2017-2025, calling on each Member State to develop ambitious national responses to the above challenge as soon as possible. Reducing the risk of dementia is one of the seven areas of action in the WHO Global Plan of Action.
Dies ist die Liste der seitens der WHO identifizierten Maßnahmen und Aktionspunkte:
- Physical activity interventions
- Tobacco cessation interventions
- Nutritional interventions
- Interventions for alcohol use disorders
- Cognitive interventions
- Social activity
- Weight management
- Management of hypertension
- Management of diabetes mellitus
- Management of dyslipidaemia
- Management of depression
- Management of hearing loss
By and large, this list describes exactly the points that we also discuss in further detail on our Kompetenz-statt-Demenz / Knowledge stops Dementia project site! But as you know, structural changes in government institutions take time and long periods of time elapse before the above-mentioned measures take an effect and reach people.
So increase your own competence and build a personal protective shield against the disease:
Knowledge stops Dementia assists you in that challenge!
To date, we have tried to present you with the most important facts and intervention measures relating to dementia. Of course we are still a long way from completion, but we are continuously working on providing you with important scientific data on the prevention possibilities of dementia and hope to motivate you to continue to actively take your health into your own hands!
Please register today for our newsfeed and support us with a small or large donation via Betterplace!
Take care, stay in touch and mentally fit!
Best wishes
Prof. Dr. med. Jörg Spitz and Britta Friedrich (project manager)
Pharmacological Treatments for Dementia still distant- Prevention is the reasonable alternative