About 30,000 elderly people in Ho Chi Minh City show signs of dementia.

With the rapid aging of the population, dementia is on the rise and is becoming a common health problem, causing many consequences if not promptly addressed and treated.

Dementia is on the rise and is becoming a common health problem. Patients need to detect it early and treat it promptly - Photo: Provided by the hospital

On October 4, towards World Alzheimer's Month, Military Hospital 175 ( Ministry of National Defense ) organized a community program to raise awareness about dementia and Alzheimer's disease.

Doctor Ly Minh Dang - Department of Neurology, Military Hospital 175 - said that population aging is happening rapidly in the world as well as in Vietnam. The United Nations predicts that by 2050, people over 65 will account for 16% of the global population, and in Vietnam it is estimated to be 27.5 million people.

According to the General Statistics Office, Vietnam will officially enter the "aging population" period from 2036. It is estimated that there are currently about 500,000 people with dementia. However, most of them are not diagnosed and treated early. This not only affects the health and quality of life of the patient, but also puts great pressure on the family and the health system.

In Ho Chi Minh City, information from Dr. Hoang Tien Trong Nghia - Head of the Department of Neurology, Military Hospital 175, a pre-merger survey showed that about 27,000 - 30,000 elderly people in the city showed signs of dementia.

There are many causes of dementia such as: genetics, depression, lipid disorders, high blood pressure, diabetes, alcohol, tobacco, obesity, and sedentary lifestyle.

"Many people often think that Alzheimer's disease and dementia are diseases of old age, so many elderly people are neglected, have no interaction within the family, social communication or participate in intellectual training activities.

This makes the disease progress more quickly to the final stage: the patient loses the ability to care for himself, eat, and walk. This is a completely wrong concept. Timely detection and treatment are very important, especially in the pre-dementia stage," said Dr. Nghia.

According to Dr. Nghia, to treat dementia, in addition to taking medication, patients are instructed to practice memory training, exercise, change lifestyle, diet, control underlying diseases, etc.

Warning signs of dementia

Dementia is a condition of decreased ability to think, learn, and remember, affecting independent living activities. Dementia has many causes, the most common of which is Alzheimer's disease (60-70%), and often comes with age.

Doctors at Military Hospital 175 recommend 10 warning signs of dementia, patients should go to the hospital for examination and timely treatment:

1. Memory loss.

2. Having difficulty with familiar tasks.

3. Difficulty with language.

4. Disorientation about space and time.

5. Reduced ability to identify and judge problems.

6. Having difficulty keeping track of events.

7. Forgetting where to put things.

8. Changes in status and behavior.

9. Difficulty understanding visual and spatial information.

10. Having difficulty at work or in social activities.

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Source: https://tuoitre.vn/khoang-30-000-nguoi-cao-tuoi-o-tp-hcm-co-bieu-hien-sa-sut-tri-tue-20251004142636205.htm