It never occurred to me that I would steer people toward a fictional murder mystery to explain the effects of dementia, but here we are.
The Thursday Murder Club, a book series by author Richard Osman, is about four elderly pensioners living in a retirement community who form a club to talk about unsolved murders. Their former professions – spy, psychiatrist, union leader, and nurse – give them a unique perspective. When a dead body turns up at their facility, they turn their focus to solving the mystery.
A subplot revolves around one of the pensioner’s husbands who is in the beginning stages of dementia. We follow the disease’s progression, and its effect on his wife and friends, through the rest of the series.
I have never read a book that so matter-of-factly depicts the horrors of dementia.
What is Dementia?
Dementia is an umbrella term used to describe the symptoms of cognitive decline. It includes:
- Alzheimer’s
- Vascular
- Lewy Bodies
- Frontotemporal causes
- A myriad of cognitive, behavioral, and psychological symptoms
The largest culprit of dementia is Alzheimer’s dementia. It is a progressive, neurodegenerative disease that is present in the brain long before symptoms occur.
The numbers are impressive: over 9 million people in the U.S. will suffer from Alzheimer’s by 2030. Almost two-thirds of them will be women. It’s here, and it’s real.
Symptoms and Challenges of Alzheimer’s
Alzheimer’s is particularly unpleasant. It is marked by cognitive impairment, functional impairment, and behavioral symptoms.
Beginning Stage
It starts with mild cognitive impairment that does not interfere with the activities of daily living, then progresses to mild, then moderate, then severe dementia.
Mild Stage
In the mild Alzheimer’s stage, a person is able to function independently but suffers from common difficulties. These include forgetting familiar words, losing everyday objects, trouble remembering names, forgetting material just read, and increasing trouble with planning and organizing.
Moderate Stage
The symptoms of moderate Alzheimer’s include forgetting personal history, confusion about time or place, increased risk of wandering, personality and behavioral changes, and needing help with bathing, toileting, and dressing.
Severe Alzheimer’s
Severe Alzheimer’s is typically the longest stage. At this point, the person requires full-time care, has a loss of awareness of recent experiences and surroundings, and experiences changes in physical abilities such as walking, sitting, and swallowing.
Warning Signs of Dementia
What are the warning signs that someone may have dementia? According to the Alzheimer’s Association, they are:
- Memory loss that disrupts daily life
- Challenges in planning or solving problems
- Difficulty completing familiar tasks
- Confusion with time or place
- Trouble understanding visual images and spatial relationships
- New problems with words in speaking or writing
- Misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace steps
- Decreased or poor judgment
- Withdrawal from work or social activities
- Changes in mood and personality
Diagnosing Dementia
I see a lot of confusion among families regarding dementia. Some are too quick to pin that tag on a family member, while others are too slow. Neither approach is helpful.
Instead, the family member should be encouraged to have a full medical evaluation that includes medical history, physical and neurological exams, mental status testing and information from friends and family.
If all non-dementia causes are ruled out, then the family’s focus should turn to helping their family member by maximizing his or her function in daily activities, maintaining the quality of life, fostering a safe environment, promoting social engagement, and enhancing cognition, mood, and behavior.
Be Prepared for Medical Challenges With Hammerle Finley
Our four pensioners in the Thursday Murder Club confront gang members, drug dealers, fraudsters, and murderers with admirable aplomb. And why not? They’ve already had to face the worst villain of all: dementia.
Be prepared for anything by updating your estate plan and start with a consultation with our team of experts today.
Virginia Hammerle is an accredited estate planner and represents clients in estate planning, probate, guardianship, and contested litigation. She may be reached at legaltalktexas@hammerle.com. This blog contains general information only and does not constitute legal advice.
