Dementia: Destroying the Aging Myth

Three-part series addresses the misconceptions regarding dementia and Alzheimer’s disease

Part 3

In the previous two parts of this series, how misdiagnosis, misjudgments, and misperceptions all cause a deadly myth of aging. They all must be overcome to bust up the myth.

Here are the steps to destroy the deadly myth of old age and dementia.

First, remember these are real people. Forget about their age for a moment. If younger persons had the same symptoms of dementia, we would use all of our resources to find the cause and fix it. Let us give our elders that same opportunity.

Second, we should advocate that all people, including the media, portray older persons as vibrant and active. There should be more stories and shows focusing on the spry, wise and witty elderly. We should denounce anyone who would use the elderly and, particularly the demented older person, as a basis of tasteless comedy routines.

This only serves to perpetuate the false image of the old senile buffoon.

Third, our healthcare system needs to provide updated education to providers that counter the idea that old folks automatically become senile. Perhaps we should occasionally bring in healthy, sharp elderly individuals into our training hospitals and clinics to show that this population does, indeed, exist. Doctors, thoroughly trained in the cultural issues of aging should be coming out of our medical schools. These physicians need to be reoriented from just treating disease to treating people.

Fourth, the same healthcare organizations need to provide similar education to the lay population. All information channels need to be utilized to get the message out. Dementia or senility should not be considered normal in old age.

Finally, families, and friends of elderly individuals who begin to show signs of senility should demand a comprehensive medical evaluation so that all potential causes of “dementia” can be discovered and addressed. Finding a physician who has this orientation can, at times, be difficult. Ask others who have gone through the same process or call your local medical society. The latter will usually have a directory indicating the doctors who have expertise with the elderly. When you make an appointment with a physician, you have every right to ask about the scope of the examination your family member will receive. The doctor or office staff should be able to tell you that they will take ample time to obtain a thorough history and perform a careful examination. They should also assure you that all appropriate tests and medication reviews will be done. A ten to twenty minute visit will not do. 

Our mission is clear. We can reverse this stereotype by discarding the concept that older persons routinely become senile. If people, who start to show dementia, are thoroughly evaluated and treated, instead of ignored, we will decrease medical costs substantially, save lives and, more importantly, give back the golden years to our elders.

We must start now.