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bemos si es una única enfer- problemas de conducta,... DEMENTIA
medad con diversos modos La dependencia enfermo-fa-
de manifestarse o varias en- miliar es más intensa según Along the path of hope
fermedades que tienen alte- avanza la enfermedad. El
raciones comunes. Se desco- problema de la “dependen- In 1914, the Frenchman Pinel wrote the following about dementia: “it is a
nocen las causas, pero se cia” que es importante en chronic affection, characterised by a weakening of awareness, intelligen-
cree que están implicados numerosas enfermedades y ce and willpower, with incoherent ideas, a defect in intellectual sponta-
factores genéticos (se han procesos es especialmente neity and morale; these are the signs of this affection. The man who suffers
descubierto varios cromoso- grave en la enfermedad de dementia has lost his capability of correctly perceiving objects, understan-
mas implicados, el 1, 21, 14 Alzheimer debido a la pro- ding his relationships, comparing, preserving his memory, and all this ma-
y 19), determinados trauma- gresión del trastorno que lle- kes it impossible for him to reason successfully...”
tismos cerebrales y el enveje- va a importantes alteracio-
cimiento. nes de conducta y a la abso- The German Alois Alzheimer wrote about Johann F, a patient he monitored
luta incapacidad para mane- from 1907: “He is forgetful, slow, he does not know how to find the way he is
LA DIMENSION DEL jarse por sí mismo. looking for, he is incapable of carrying out simple tasks or he does them with
PROBLEMA difficulty... he understands what you say slowly and he finds himself
Otro aspecto es el de la confused, …his speech is slow, he hardly responds, he repeats the questions
En los países desarrolla- seguridad, las actividades that you ask him”… The patient who was described in this way suffered
dos, cada año alrededor del de los enfermos pueden aca- Alzheimer's disease, the so-called “disease of forgetting.”
1% de la población de ma- rrear riesgo físico para ellos,
yores comienza a padecer la las personas y la casa en la Dementia is characterised by cognitive disorders, both emotional and
enfermedad de Alzheimer. que viven. El componente behavioural. The first symptom is almost always a disorder in the memory,
En personas mayores de 65 legal, de incapacidad para above all recent memory; there is a change in speech, judgement, recognition
años, la prevalencia es supe- disponer de los bienes, aña- of objects and people and a change in the ability to carry out motor activities.
rior al 5% y por encima de de otro campo en esta ya Around 60% of the cases of dementia are Alzheimer's, 20% are forms of
los 85 años, es mayor del muy compleja enfermedad. vascular dementia and the other 20% have different causes. In this article,
30%. Son datos alarmantes. we are going to refer fundamentally to Alzheimer's disease, given its
En España hay casi medio La repercusión económica widespread prevalence and as it is the form of dementia in which progress
millón de enfermos con de- también es importante. Un and research have developed furthest. We do not presently know whether
mencia, de los que alrede- enfermo de Alzheimer puede Alzheimer's disease is just one illness with different forms of manifesting
dor de 300.000 son enfer- originar unos gastos medios itself, or if it is several illnesses that have common disorders. The causes of
mos de Alzheimer. de 12.000 euros anuales Alzheimer's are not known, but it is believed that genetic factors (several
(dos millones de pesetas) en chromosomes involved have been discovered, the 1, 21, 14 and 19), certain
Las personas afectadas asistencia sanitaria y social. cerebral traumas and ageing factors are involved.
no son sólo los enfermos. Los costes debidos a asis-
Hay otros grandes afectados: tencia sanitaria son sólo una THE SCALE OF THE PROBLEM
los cuidadores, que, a veces, pequeña parte del total. La
son personas contratadas, mayor parte tienen su origen Every year in developed countries, around 1% of the elderly population
pero generalmente son los en la incapacidad y la insti- starts to suffer from Alzheimer's disease. The prevalence of Alzheimer's in
familiares, que van a sopor- tucionalización. Este gasto people over 65 is greater than 5% and over the age of 85, the prevalence is
tar una sobrecarga psicológi- es en gran parte sufragado greater than 30%. These are alarming data. There are almost half a million
ca y física que les va a dis- por la familia. patients with dementia in Spain; of these around 300,000 are Alzheimer's
minuir su calidad de vida. patients. Moreover, not only the patients are the ones affected. There are
Van a tener que permanecer SITUACIÓN ACTUAL other large groups of people affected: care-givers who sometimes are the
largo tiempo con el enfermo, DEL TRATAMIENTO people contracted for this purpose, but generally speaking, are family
atenderle, responder a sus members of the patients. These people will have to bear a psychological and
necesidades más elementa- No hay un tratamiento physical burden that is going to mean a change for them that is translated
les de tipo físico, de rela- que cure la enfermedad. into a reduction in the quality of their lives. They are going to have to look
ción, de salud, económicas, Una persona que es diag- after their family member, spend a long time with the sick person, care for
llevar y solucionar sus graves nosticada fallecerá entre 5 y him, respond to his most elemental physical, relationship, health and
10 años por causas relacio-
➾financial needs and deal with and resolve serious behaviour problems, …
Sesenta y más 31
medad con diversos modos La dependencia enfermo-fa-
de manifestarse o varias en- miliar es más intensa según Along the path of hope
fermedades que tienen alte- avanza la enfermedad. El
raciones comunes. Se desco- problema de la “dependen- In 1914, the Frenchman Pinel wrote the following about dementia: “it is a
nocen las causas, pero se cia” que es importante en chronic affection, characterised by a weakening of awareness, intelligen-
cree que están implicados numerosas enfermedades y ce and willpower, with incoherent ideas, a defect in intellectual sponta-
factores genéticos (se han procesos es especialmente neity and morale; these are the signs of this affection. The man who suffers
descubierto varios cromoso- grave en la enfermedad de dementia has lost his capability of correctly perceiving objects, understan-
mas implicados, el 1, 21, 14 Alzheimer debido a la pro- ding his relationships, comparing, preserving his memory, and all this ma-
y 19), determinados trauma- gresión del trastorno que lle- kes it impossible for him to reason successfully...”
tismos cerebrales y el enveje- va a importantes alteracio-
cimiento. nes de conducta y a la abso- The German Alois Alzheimer wrote about Johann F, a patient he monitored
luta incapacidad para mane- from 1907: “He is forgetful, slow, he does not know how to find the way he is
LA DIMENSION DEL jarse por sí mismo. looking for, he is incapable of carrying out simple tasks or he does them with
PROBLEMA difficulty... he understands what you say slowly and he finds himself
Otro aspecto es el de la confused, …his speech is slow, he hardly responds, he repeats the questions
En los países desarrolla- seguridad, las actividades that you ask him”… The patient who was described in this way suffered
dos, cada año alrededor del de los enfermos pueden aca- Alzheimer's disease, the so-called “disease of forgetting.”
1% de la población de ma- rrear riesgo físico para ellos,
yores comienza a padecer la las personas y la casa en la Dementia is characterised by cognitive disorders, both emotional and
enfermedad de Alzheimer. que viven. El componente behavioural. The first symptom is almost always a disorder in the memory,
En personas mayores de 65 legal, de incapacidad para above all recent memory; there is a change in speech, judgement, recognition
años, la prevalencia es supe- disponer de los bienes, aña- of objects and people and a change in the ability to carry out motor activities.
rior al 5% y por encima de de otro campo en esta ya Around 60% of the cases of dementia are Alzheimer's, 20% are forms of
los 85 años, es mayor del muy compleja enfermedad. vascular dementia and the other 20% have different causes. In this article,
30%. Son datos alarmantes. we are going to refer fundamentally to Alzheimer's disease, given its
En España hay casi medio La repercusión económica widespread prevalence and as it is the form of dementia in which progress
millón de enfermos con de- también es importante. Un and research have developed furthest. We do not presently know whether
mencia, de los que alrede- enfermo de Alzheimer puede Alzheimer's disease is just one illness with different forms of manifesting
dor de 300.000 son enfer- originar unos gastos medios itself, or if it is several illnesses that have common disorders. The causes of
mos de Alzheimer. de 12.000 euros anuales Alzheimer's are not known, but it is believed that genetic factors (several
(dos millones de pesetas) en chromosomes involved have been discovered, the 1, 21, 14 and 19), certain
Las personas afectadas asistencia sanitaria y social. cerebral traumas and ageing factors are involved.
no son sólo los enfermos. Los costes debidos a asis-
Hay otros grandes afectados: tencia sanitaria son sólo una THE SCALE OF THE PROBLEM
los cuidadores, que, a veces, pequeña parte del total. La
son personas contratadas, mayor parte tienen su origen Every year in developed countries, around 1% of the elderly population
pero generalmente son los en la incapacidad y la insti- starts to suffer from Alzheimer's disease. The prevalence of Alzheimer's in
familiares, que van a sopor- tucionalización. Este gasto people over 65 is greater than 5% and over the age of 85, the prevalence is
tar una sobrecarga psicológi- es en gran parte sufragado greater than 30%. These are alarming data. There are almost half a million
ca y física que les va a dis- por la familia. patients with dementia in Spain; of these around 300,000 are Alzheimer's
minuir su calidad de vida. patients. Moreover, not only the patients are the ones affected. There are
Van a tener que permanecer SITUACIÓN ACTUAL other large groups of people affected: care-givers who sometimes are the
largo tiempo con el enfermo, DEL TRATAMIENTO people contracted for this purpose, but generally speaking, are family
atenderle, responder a sus members of the patients. These people will have to bear a psychological and
necesidades más elementa- No hay un tratamiento physical burden that is going to mean a change for them that is translated
les de tipo físico, de rela- que cure la enfermedad. into a reduction in the quality of their lives. They are going to have to look
ción, de salud, económicas, Una persona que es diag- after their family member, spend a long time with the sick person, care for
llevar y solucionar sus graves nosticada fallecerá entre 5 y him, respond to his most elemental physical, relationship, health and
10 años por causas relacio-
➾financial needs and deal with and resolve serious behaviour problems, …
Sesenta y más 31
