Reducing the risk: 14 dementia risks that you can modify right now
A new report by the Lancet Commission on dementia has identified two new health risks in the potential development of dementia. In their 2020 report, the Commission had previously identified 12 modifiable risk factors, to which they have added visual loss and high LDL cholesterol for their 2024 report.
The good news is that treating and/or eliminating these (now) 14 risk factors “might prevent or delay nearly half of dementia cases” worldwide.
That’s exciting news!
Risk factors and life stages
The Lancet Commission’s risk factors are grouped in three key life-stages where lifestyle and treatment “modification” would have most impact. The report suggests ways that countries, governments and individuals can act to reduce these risks overall.
Early life stage
• Less education
Good quality education is required for all as “People with more childhood education and higher educational attainment have a reduced dementia risk.”
We might think that in Canada this isn’t an issue, but according to private sector union Unifor:
“Across Canada, the average high school dropout rate ranges from 7-13%. However, in low-income communities across the country the average high school dropout rate dramatically increases to 30-50%.”
Mid-life stage
• Hearing loss
Over 60% of people worldwide aged 50+ have hearing loss. Read our recent blog on how hearing loss affects brain function and cognitive ability.
• High LDL cholesterol
This is the first of two new risk factors for 2024. The latest evidence suggests that:
“Each 1 mmol/L increase in LDL cholesterol was associated with an 8% increase in incidence of all-cause dementia.”
The key message here is that it’s high LDL cholesterol in midlife that is a risk. If we get in the habit of eating well in our 40s and 50s, we should be able to maintain this into our senior lives, which in turn will ensure better health as we age. See our page on our nutrition services for seniors here.
• Depression
Previously unaffected people can become depressed as seniors if socially isolated and with other risk factors such as loss of hearing, vision loss and (most crucially in our view) social isolation. See below for more on this.
• Brain injury
TBI (traumatic brain injury) is a mid-life factor primarily associated with road traffic accidents. However, it can also be caused by a fall. For more on fall prevention for all adults, download this free guide from Alberta Health Services.
• Physical inactivity
Physical exercise is important on so many levels in terms of maintaining movement, muscle tone, cardiovascular health, joint care and much more. What the Lancet Commission points out is that physical exercise is also good for the brain.
“Exercise at any age appears to be helpful for cognition, possibly through changes in blood flow and function from reduced hypertension and increased nitric oxide, culminating in enhanced brain plasticity and reduced neuroinflammation. People who engage in moderate-to-vigorous exercise on more days have relatively larger brain volumes than those who do less or no exercise.”
• Diabetes
According to the Public Health Agency of Canada, almost 10% of the Canadian population are living with diagnosed diabetes. For those aged 65+, that percentage rises to 27%. 95% of cases are Type 2 which the Agency describes as:
“Potentially preventable (or at least delay-able), (when) treated with health behaviour modifications and/or medications.”
Our caregivers have experience in caring for people with diagnosed diabetes, including diabetic foot care. For more details, or to discuss home care for a loved one living with diabetes, just call us.
• Smoking
Health Canada gives 5 great reasons why smokers should quit, top of which is to improve their physical health:
“Within 24 hours of quitting, your risk of having a heart attack begins to drop. Within weeks, you will be able to breathe easier and you will cough less. After 1 year, your risk of coronary heart disease is half than that of someone who smokes. After 10-15 years, your chance of getting cancer decreases by about half.”
If you need motivation to quit, you can download all five reasons on a poster here.
For these risk factors, and all listed in this article, you should always consult your doctor or physician for advice and help:
– Hypertension
– Obesity
– Excessive alcohol
Late Life
• Social isolation
Social isolation and being lonely can both be major factors in declining physical and mental wellbeing for seniors. Reducing loneliness is one of the key reasons that each Vytality At Home caregiver visit is for 2 hours minimum, not just a quick visit for the ’necessaries’. There is always time for a chat alongside other ways to keep seniors living alone at home engaged with the world outside.
See here for our Engagement Services.
• Air pollution
This risk factor was new information for us as we are fortunate that here in Calgary, the air quality is usually good. The Lancet report cites a “new finding that reducing air pollution is linked with improved cognition and a reduction in dementia risk.”
You can check on Calgary’s Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) here.
Read more on the City of Calgary’s strategy for air quality here.
• Visual loss
This is a new factor for the 2024 report. According to the CNIB:
“An estimated 1.5 Million Canadians identify themselves as having a sight loss. An estimated 5.59 million more have an eye disease that could cause sight loss”.
The leading causes of vision loss in those aged 50+ are cataracts, age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Regular eye exams and treatments can monitor eyes for changes, and timely interventions can reduce vision loss or even (in the case of cataracts) restore vision.
For seniors who might find travelling to an eye exam daunting, Vytality at Home caregivers can accompany you to your hospital or other medical appointment. We can even organize a wheelchair-accessible taxi door to door!
Vytality at Home dementia care service
Whilst timely lifestyle changes and medical interventions can reduce our risk of developing dementia, other factors still come into play including genetics. So we will always offer specialist home care services to help those diagnosed and living with dementia and Alzheimer’s. We also offer respite care for their family caregivers. For more information or to book a consultation:
