S1E80: When should I get checked for dementia? - Health Check

Synopsis: Every first and third Wednesday of the month, The Straits Times helps you make sense of health matters that affect you. Earlier this month, Singapore’s Ministry of Health (MOH) said during the debate on its budget that an inter-agency team is developing a 10-minute digital drawing test to help encourage people to seek help early for dementia. It analyses how people draw certain shapes and symbols and is expected to be ready in 2024. Seeking help early can help improve the quality of life of someone with dementia - a general term for the cognitive and behavioural symptoms, such as memory loss and an impaired ability to reason, that are typically caused by brain diseases. As the population ages, the number of people living with dementia is expected to rise. The question is how would we know if we have dementia and when should we seek help? Is forgetfulness the key early symptom to look out for? Is there any way to arrest the changes that dementia brings? In this episode, ST senior health correspondent Joyce Teo speaks with Dr Simon Ting, Senior Consultant, Department of Neurology, at the National Neuroscience Institute in Singapore. Highlights (click/tap above): 01:04 Family members and caregivers important in spotting the tell-tale signs of dementia in patients 03:41 Tests that are usually done to check for dementia 06:13 Why would someone come in early to get tested for dementia? 13:27 Supplements that can help with dementia 14:25 Normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) is one of the conditions that can get mistaken for dementia Produced by: Joyce Teo ([email protected]), Ernest Luis, Fa'izah Sani and Eden Soh  Edited by: Eden Soh and Fa'izah Sani Follow Health Check Podcast here and rate us: Channel: https://str.sg/JWaN Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWRX Spotify: https://str.sg/JWaQ Google Podcasts: https://str.sg/J6Wv  SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg/ Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts Feedback to: [email protected] Read Joyce Teo's stories: https://str.sg/JbxN --- Discover ST's special edition podcasts: The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia: https://str.sg/wuZ2 Stop Scams: https://str.sg/wuZB Singapore's War On Covid: https://str.sg/wuJa Invisible Asia: https://str.sg/wuZn --- Discover more ST podcast series: Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7 Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf In Your Opinion: https://str.sg/w7Qt Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m #PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad ST Sports Talk: https://str.sg/JWRE Bookmark This!: https://str.sg/JWas Lunch With Sumiko: https://str.sg/J6hQ Discover ST Podcasts: http://str.sg/stpodcasts Discover BT Podcasts: https://bt.sg/pcPL Follow our shows then, if you like short, practical podcasts! #healthcheckSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.