By Aliyu DANLADI
The Gabi Williams Alzheimer Foundation (GWAF) on Tuesday advised people taking care of those suffering from dementia to study their patients well in order to effectively care for them.
Its Chairman and Board of Trustees, Dr Abisola Williams, gave the advice at a workshop organised for 20 caregiver agencies on Dementia in Lagos.
TBI Africa said the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that theme of the workshop was: “Meeting the Needs of Persons with Dementia”.
According to Williams, Dementia is the loss of cognitive functioning such as thinking, remembering and reasoning.
He explained that persons with dementia could also suffer loss of behavioural abilities to an extent that it interferes with their daily lives and activities.
“The disease, which does not have cure, makes some people to lose control of their emotions and also changes their personalities.
“Caregiving is the greatest value in life; dementia is an umbrella name for all sorts of brain problems, because it is a progressive illness and deteriorates yearly.
“For us to meet the needs of persons with dementia, it is important that we speak with our patients, know them and their interests, and above all, be honest.
“When all of these are done, then, we will be able to truly help the person with dementia,’’ Williams said.
Also, an occupational therapist, Miss Bolajoko Oshikanlu, urged the care agencies to come up with a code of conduct that would serve as guidelines for the agencies.
“The doctors, nurses, daughters, fathers, sons, everyone have to influence the way care is given to these group of persons.
“Care agencies must know what the family wants as well as what the patients want.
“In this light, it is important that the agencies have code of conducts that will bring about holistic treatment and care for dementia persons.
“The agencies’ binding agreement must be met,’’ Oshikanlu said.
In her remarks, Dr Toyin Salawu, a public health specialist, advised families to be aware of those things that could easily lead someone to developing dementia.
“Dementia has no cure and no known cause, but there are risk factors, things that can lead someone to that process.
“Things like age, conditions like hypertension, diabetes and some chronic diseases are predisposing factors. It can also be hereditary,” she said.
A caregiver from Citizens Home Care Agency, Mrs Bunmi Aladetuyi, advocated the education of families of persons with dementia.
“With cognitive impairments, one needs to have a care that is set for this job and no other jobs in the home.
“There is need to educate family members to know that dementia caregivers are in their homes to care only for the person suffering from dementia.
“They should not be used as house helps. A caregiver’s responsibility in that home is for the person suffering the disease himself.
“We should be allowed to settle down to do our jobs,’’ Aladetuyi advised.
