Is memory loss a normal part of growing old? How does memory change with age? Does a decline in memory indicate dementia? What treatment is available for dementia? These are the frequently asked questions of people nowadays.

Dementia, also called senility, is a serious and often debilitating disease that affects the brain. It may be the result of a unique global brain injury, resulting in long-term decline in cognitive function. Often people see this as a geriatric disease but it can happen at any age of adulthood. As dementia progresses, individuals affected need care in all aspects of daily life. With these in mind, UMED organized the “42nd State-of-the-Art Conference on Dementia” on July 29 at the Peninsula Manila, Makati City.

UMED Events Manager Rosemarie Reyes signalled the start of the conference as she led the national anthem and the invocation. UMED Director Dr. Elizabeth Martinez welcomed the participants on this one-day event. “Sometime in 2050, about 71% of the global population will be aging and may be troubled with dementia. We need to talk about this now, learn about it and see what we can do to prevent it. We are fortunate that we have our Board of Advisers who helped us develop today’s program,” she remarked.

Dr. Joven Cuanang, the over-all chairman of this event, gave the introduction or the overview on what to expect on the topic, “Dementia”. Dr. Cuanang, the Senior Vice-President for Medical Affairs and Chief Medical Officer of the St. Luke’s Medical Center and the Founding President for the Stroke Society of the Philippines, discussed the history of dementia and the reason behind choosing it as the subject for the 42nd UMED state-of-the-art conference.

The first to present was Dr. Michael Tan, Dean of the College of Social Sciences and Philosophy at the UP Diliman, Quezon City. He lectured on the “Cultural Aspects of Dementia in the Philippines”. He shared the customs and beliefs related to dementia and culture differences. He also delved on the meaning of the terminology -- dementia (senility – “ulyanin”).

“What Really is Dementia?” was the topic that Dr. Simeon M. Marasigan presented. According to him, dementia is an acquired, chronic and progressive brain disease characterized by memory loss and loss of other cognitive functions commonly accompanied by psychiatric and behavioral problems. Also part of his lecture were the cognitive impairment, diagnosis, and prevalence.

Dr. Jacqueline Dominguez of the Memory Center of St. Luke’s Medical Center talked on the “Early Diagnosis of Dementia”. “Dementia should be diagnosed as early and as specific as possible so we could plan our lives and choose our caregivers well. A caregiver should at least be a high-school graduate and a non-relative”, she said. Her lecture marked the end of the first half of the lecture series.

After a one-hour break, the session resumed in the afternoon giving the remaining speakers the floor to share their ideas.

Dr. Grace Orteza, a graduate of College of Medicine at the University of the Philippines and an active member of the Philippine Neurological Association, presented the topic “At this time, do you have anything to offer? Pharmacological and Non-Pharmacological Treatment.”

The second lecturer for the afternoon was Dr. Socorro Martinez of the Memory Center of the St. Luke’s Medical Center who lectured on “Dementia: Can it Be Prevented?”

Dr. Lourdes K. Ledesma, a clinical neuropsychologist, spoke on “Family Dynamics in the Care of Persons with Dementia”. She said that caring for a person with dementia can be an opportunity to right things as well as achieve closure on conflicts in the relationship. Positive familial values that were displayed would be passed on to the next generation of caregivers. She also shared some tips in the Caregivers Anonymous Program and these are: take a break, vacation or free time; make friends for social support; stay calm; set worries aside; strengthen your immune system through laughter; read newspapers; watch TV; and go to the movies to get new perspectives of the world. Dr. Ledesma ended her presentation with a quote from Lao Tzu, “Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength; loving someone gives you courage.”

Dr. Miguel A. Ramos, Jr. was the last speaker of the day and talked about the “End-of-Life Issues in Terminal Dementia”.

Truly, dementia is surrounded by stigma and myth. Many people see the early symptoms of dementia as a normal consequence of ageing and therefore do not come forward for professional help and support. Recognizing the symptoms of dementia serves as the first step towards receiving a diagnosis that can help reduce the anxiety of people with dementia and their families thus, allowing a greater chance to benefit from existing treatments, access resources and information, and provide more time to plan for the future. UMED’s State-of-the –Art conference on dementia enlightened all the participants and they now considered that having occasional lapses in memory should not be viewed as a part of normal aging but rather be a cause for concern.

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