2023-12-05 14:30:00
Published in 22 / 2023 – Published on December 5, 2023
Prad – Over 100 people followed the specialist lecture “Fog in the Head” by Prad doctor Susanne Kofler, neurologist at the Meran Hospital and the Silandro Hospital, in the Bürgersaal in Prad on November 24th. The speaker was invited by the Prad Education Committee. Dementia is an issue that is becoming increasingly present due to increased life expectancy and demographic changes in society. Dementia concerns not only those affected themselves, but also their families and relatives. According to the State Institute for Statistics ASTAT, there are currently around 13,000 people with dementia in South Tyrol and around 1,000 new cases per year, and the trend is rising. As Susanne Kofler emphasized, dementia is not a normal phenomenon of aging. She showed what should be considered normal, age-related forgetfulness and what might be early symptoms of dementia. She discussed the main forms and typical developmental processes of dementia, as well as the diagnosis, treatment options and the current state of knowledge regarding protective and risk factors. The possible causes of dementia throughout the life course can be diverse. The speaker cited sufficient physical exercise as well as mental activity, maintaining social contacts and a healthy diet as protective factors. However, there are also some factors that cannot be influenced, in particular old age, female gender, a positive family history and genetic factors. Susanne Kofler advised that if you see the first warning signs, such as forgetfulness of recurring events and everyday occurrences, difficulty finding words or loss of orientation, you should consult your family doctor. Especially in the case of slight, incipient losses, it is advisable to consult a specialist, i.e. a neurologist or psychiatrist – following consulting your family doctor. A diagnosis should be sought as early as possible following warning signs appear, as early treatment can maintain performance for longer. The diagnosis also gives those affected a basis for future life planning. Patients should deal with some points as early as possible: driving, power of attorney, living will, legal capacity and will. Clarifying these points at an early stage allows those affected to make independent decisions and relieves relatives of the burden of difficult decisions. The speaker also informed that those affected and their relatives in South Tyrol can, in addition to the medical contact points, also contact the South Tyrolean association “ASAA – Alzheimer Südtirol Alto Adige”, which is a reference point and contact point in South Tyrol for everyone dealing with this disease have. Further information is available on the association’s website (www.alzheimer.bz.it). The Education Committee thanked the speaker for the appealing and interesting presentation. The evening was rounded off with a drink, where the doctor also took time for private conversations.
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