The case in summary Most people who call the Dementia Helpline are worried about a family member. The number of inquiries to the Dementia Line increased by 39 per cent in 2023, which is attributed to increased attention to dementia after the TV series “Dementia Choir” on news. The dementia line gives advice on how to handle the situation if you suspect someone has dementia, including talking to the person concerned, establishing contact with the municipality’s memory team, and seeking support from professionals or others with experience of being relatives. Dementia can lead to a grief reaction in both the person who receives the diagnosis and the next of kin, and can also lead to disagreement between family members about how to handle the situation. The summary is made by an AI service from OpenAi. The content is quality assured by news’s journalists before publication. Never before have they experienced such pressure. During the first week of this year, there were 108 inquiries to the Dementia Line. The figure for the whole of January was 338. After every weekend and holiday, more people call the helpline. When families are together over several days, it is easy to notice changes. What’s up with grandma? Has something happened to your mood? Has she become a bit forgetful, more passive or has her fuse shortened? Further down in the case, you can read tips on how to proceed if you suspect that someone in the family has dementia. – During last year, we had an increase in the number of inquiries of 39 per cent. Last year, 3,500 called us. The year before, there were 2,500, says Marianne Næss. She is the manager of the helpline run by the National Association for Public Health. Marianne Næss is one of those who answers questions about dementia. Photo: Anne Elisabeth Næss The big increase came after the first season of “Dementia Choir” aired on news. Næss says the TV series has done something with people’s attitudes towards those with dementia. She says that most people with dementia live at home, master a lot and have many joys in life. But those who call them are often worried. Talk about it What should they do? Pretend nothing? Should they tell her? The conversation with grandma about taking a trip to the doctor, to find out if there is dementia, can be difficult to take. At the Dementia Line, they suggest talking to the person concerned, to hear how the person concerned is experiencing it. It can initiate a maturation process. The fact that there are some medicines and aids that can make it easier to function independently can also motivate a visit to the GP. The advice they often give is: It is also possible to send a report of concern to the GP or contact the memory team in the municipality. Make contact with the council’s memory team or dementia team as early as possible, regardless of the need for services at the moment. It can provide security and predictability. Conversations with professionals, or others with experience of being relatives, can provide good support. The National Association for Public Health, for example, has peers that you can talk to. You often have rights that you are not aware of. Use your contact person in the municipality or the Dementia Line for information. Knowledge provides security and support. Register at the next of kin school in the municipality. There are also e-learning courses for relatives. Think about what is important to you in your everyday life, and how you use your time. This is a way to take care of yourself and your loved one who has dementia. This is dementia Dementia is a collective term for several brain diseases that lead to cognitive impairment, loss of physical and mental function. The most common types are: Alzheimer’s disease Vascular dementia Frontal lobe dementia Dementia with Levy bodies What they have in common is that there is no medicine that can cure them, that they worsen and are fatal. The biggest risk factor for getting dementia is old age, but there are also young people with this disease. Today there are approximately 100,000 people with dementia in Norway, but researchers believe the number could double by 2050. The causes of dementia are unknown, but there is a lot of research into dementia all over the world. Sources: Helsenorge.no / Aldringoghelse.no / demenskartet.no Those who get dementia often notice it themselves, but some explain away or trivialize the disease. Others may withdraw from other people. Many of them are lonely and are afraid of how things will turn out. – About one in ten people who call have dementia themselves, or wonder if they do, says Marianne Næss. Diagnosis or not? There is a lot of stigma attached to dementia. Some people find it such a big defeat to get the diagnosis that they don’t want an investigation. At the same time, others may be motivated by a diagnosis to do something with their lives. Because the need for help will come, and the ability to fend for oneself will diminish. For example, they can create a power of attorney for the future, or get a strong desire to live here and now, with those who matter most. Perhaps it is urgent to experience the journey they have always dreamed of? In any case, an investigation will rule out other causes for the symptoms. – This is up to each individual, and each family, says Næss. Strong feelings Many people feel it as a loss when someone they have a close relationship with gets dementia. The person is changed, it can affect memory, attention, ability to plan and eventually the ability to function in daily life. This can lead to a grief reaction in the person who gets dementia and their relatives, says Næss. Disagreement between siblings about how to handle the situation around someone with dementia is also quite common. Many also wonder what to do as the disease affects their grandmother more and more. Because dementia is a disease that can bring with it anxiety and delusions. It could be that the partner is unfaithful, that the children have stolen something or that someone is looking for you. One piece of advice in such situations may be to avoid discussion. Rather, leave the room and come back. Then it is easier to talk about something else, according to Næss. More people answering – We have increased the staffing at the Dementia Line due to high demand, says Mina Gerhardsen. She is secretary general of the National Association for Public Health, which runs the aid service. STAFFED: Mina Gerhardsen, head of the National Association for Public Health, which runs this telephone service. Photo: The National Association for Folkehelsa / Ilja C. Hendel – Those who call need comfort, support and more openness. Gerhardsen believes that many municipalities are struggling with their provision, and half of them are not prepared for the fact that there will be more people with dementia. Now employees in 184 municipalities will learn how to meet people with dementia in a dignified way. Read about it in this case:
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More people call and ask about dementia. Massive increase in the number of inquiries to the Dementia Line. – news Trøndelag – Local news, TV and radio
