My husband thought I was crazy taking the free course “Understanding Dementia”, produced independently by the Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre at the University of Tasmania.

“Why would you want to do such a depressing course?” he asked.

The thing was, I didn’t find the course depressing. It was very interesting and I found myself waiting for the new material to come out on alternate Thursdays. I was relieved to hear that dementia is not a certainty as we age, although advancing age is definitely a huge risk factor.

In 2018, it is estimated that nearly 50 million people worldwide are affected by dementia. As more people around the world live to a greater age, this number is predicted to increase to about 131 million by 2050, with correspondingly large health care costs.

Dementia

Did you know that dementia is a terminal illness? Before I did this course, I thought that dementia is a distressing condition to have, but people end up dying of something else such as heart disease or cancer. This course explains that although the average duration of dementia after diagnosis is five years, some people have the condition for up to 20 years. Eventually, deterioration in the brain will inevitably cause loss of motor function including muscles used in chewing and swallowing. A dismal prospect indeed. On the other hand, interviews with people diagnosed with dementia showed that in the early stages at least, many people can still have a normal conversation and continue to lead an independent life. The condition can be managed less stressfully with the right care.

We can reduce our chances of developing dementia and possibly slowing its progress by some lifestyle choices. Physical inactivity and social isolation are risk factors, so continuing exercise and social contact into the senior years can be worthwhile. Smokers may have a slightly higher risk of dementia, as do people with depression and diabetes. A good reason to seek medical advice if you have any of these conditions. Some other risk factors are also mentioned in the course. Remember that “a slightly higher risk” does not mean that you will inevitably develop dementia. A low percentage of dementia cases are hereditary.

Stages of Dementia

Although some researchers divide the stages of dementia into up to seven categories, the Wicking Centre prefers to identify only three stages:

• People with mild dementia can often still live independently, including preparing meals, sometimes with periodic domestic assistance from family or community services.
• People with moderate dementia need assistance with day-to-day living, perhaps having a family member as a live-in carer, or moving to residential care.
• Severe dementia causes loss of muscle control and high care is needed.

Did you know that Alzheimer’s Disease is just one of dozens of causes of dementia? And that a definitive diagnosis of Alzheimer’s is only available by examination of the brain tissue after death? Alzheimer’s is the most common cause of dementia, accounting for about two-thirds of cases. It can be hard to pinpoint the start of dementia, as the onset can be very gradual. If dementia is suspected, it is important to have a medical check-up. Some physical conditions such as infections can cause dementia-like symptoms that recede after treatment.

Anyway, enough about dementia, this is about the course.

The Course

As well as short orientation and final sections, the course is divided into three parts: the brain, the disease, and the person. The three modules are released at fourteen-day intervals. The third section was by far the longest section, and the course was extended to accommodate this. I did feel, though, that I was never going to finish. Some course pages contain a single video, others have a couple of videos plus one or two opportunities to share your thoughts and experiences in the course discussions. Participants included health workers, home (family) carers, and others who just want to know more about the topic.

The videos were presented as conversations. Various medical specialists participated, as well as affected people and family members. I prefer to watch videos faster than normal playback rate to save a bit of time and to help with my concentration, but there was no option in this course. Videos could not be downloaded either. Transcripts were available, and it was usually quicker to read these than watch the videos. The end of each video and transcript featured summary slides; an invaluable resource.

There were plenty of opportunities to join in the discussion boards, with many suggested topics. Like many online courses, the discussions tended to be long lists of individual comments, with little interaction between posts.

Each section had a list of resources, from relevant websites and videos to downloadable information sheets and links to various support groups. Many resources were Australian, as expected from an Australian university.

Body Central

An interesting resource is called Body Central. This showed diagrams of the brain and nerves,  with glossary and label tools. There was even a “real-life” tool so you could choose to see pictures of a real brain. It helped to understand how loss of connections between nerves in the different parts of the brain can lead to different symptoms.

Free Certificate

This is one of the few free courses that offer a free completion certificate. This run of the course also introduced another useful option for health professionals. The enhanced certificate lists subject areas covered and displays eligibility for 21 Professional Development hours. An electronic copy is more affordable than any other MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) certificate I have purchased. There is also a more expensive option: a physical copy which can be posted within Australia or overseas.

I am looking forward to the Preventing Dementia course which starts on May 15, 2018. The next run of Understanding Dementia starts on July 9, 2018.

A Final Thought

Although there is currently no cure for dementia, there are many helpful care options.

By Pat Bowden, published May 8, 2018.