Preparing a Podcast on Dementia and Alzheimer

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The rationale for the chosen topic and why this is a public health issue

Alzheimers disease (AD) and dementia is the podcasts topic. Where the objective is to inform the aged group, which is the target group, about the disease. The explanation is given to describe fully what dementia and Alzheimers are, their causes, and preventive measures. AD is an impairment of an intellectual function of a person persistently where there is the development of difficulty in memory and language. There is an alteration in ones ability to identify the relationship between visual and spatial objects and mental skills, including working memory, flexible thinking, and self-control, as there is a change in cognitive skills when the disease develops (Abdelhamid, 2018). Finally, memory loss of memory, disorientation, and aphasia is manifested. The patients develop cortical dysfunction and may, at last, be immobile, mute, and disabled. The above effects make the disease a public health issue that should be addressed by both the patients of AD and their caregivers.

Dementia and Alzheimers disease are feared so much by older people that it is commonly associated with the aging population. The danger of the disease is seen in its irreversible and progressive nature after infecting the brain. This, in return, affects thinking skills robbing the infected of their personality and independence since they cannot be alone but somewhat under close care to avoid messing up (Alzate, 2018). Indeed, it is not a normal part of the aging process, but it is more common as people get older since in every person 71 and older, roughly 14%of the population has dementia (Beam et al., 2018). The national statistics indicate that the population of those aged 65 years and above in the USA is expected to double from approximately 35 million today to more than 70 million by 2030, making the need for education on the condition a very acute community health need (Beam et al., 2018). Since nothing stops the process of aging except death, treating the catalyst to a disease like depression is of great significance, for Alzheimers is not curable. Beam (2018) shows that the death rate from dementia and Alzheimers is high in the local areas where quality health has not been attained. In addition, there is little knowledge about AD in the local villages compared to the urban areas. Nationally developed countries are better placed in preventing the disease as compared to the developing countries where health facilities are not well equipped with equipment as well as the research about it. Globally AD remains an alarm due to the increase in the number of people who die of it; hence a lot of research is being done to eradicate fully eradicate the disease (Bowden, 2017).

The target group

The target group for this podcast is older adults who are often affected by this dangerous disease. Only 34.8 percent of adults aged 65 or over with a dementia diagnosis were aware of the dementia diagnosis in 200709. Hence, this podcast will help create awareness that though dangerous, the disease can be handled with care to slow its infection rate (Berchtold et al., 2018). Increasing age is most identifiable in cases of dementia; after age 65, the prevalence and the incidences of dementia double approximately every 56 years (Berti et al., 2018). Using the area surveys and reports of the census, this group will be identified and educated on the preventive measure of the disease and educate the caregivers on how to handle those already infected.

Mental Health Problems associated with dementia are highly rated for those with depression, personality disorders, and psychotic conditions. These problems might be in up to 50% of older adults with Alzheimers disease (Bharadwaj et al., 2016). Community awareness and education, as well as public outreach, would bring clear information about health care providers, long-term care, home, and community-based services, insurance coverage, financial assistance and planning, legal protections, family communication, caregiving, roles and tasks, caregiver coping, respite, day-to-day symptom management, and self-care (Bowden, 2017). The podcast will address isolation and inactivity. There is a close correlation between loneliness and dementia development, though not a vital cause of the malady (Cantón Habas et al., 2019). There is a significant barrier to social life for people with dementia; hence the information contained here will help handle the patients (Berchtold et al., 2018). Many conclude that their local communities have given up on them and do not offer any support, which puts them alone, increasing anxiety and fear.

The fact that older adults have outlived their family members and friends makes them older orphans who contribute nothing to society, leading to depression and other mental health maladies (Yousaf et al., 2020). This has affected them socially since they are limited to enjoying the privileges they could enjoy while in good health, such as socialization (Cantón Habas et al., 2019). Continued evaluation of services should be done to maintain their effectiveness. When patient-centered measures are developed, there will be affordable, quality healthcare for older adults.

The key messages and evidence

The key messages in the podcast include the nutritional causes of Alzheimers disease and the recommended diet to prevent it. The exact causes of AD are still unknown to scientists (Ton, 2020). AD is commonly associated with type II diabetes, weight loss and weight gain, smoking, alcohol, lack of a nutritious diet, inadequate physical activity, lack of social engagement, and lack of mentally stimulating activities (Chai et al., 2019). Nutrition is a critical factor behind the causes of AD, and research done by Dr. de La Monte (2018) brought the connection between dietary deficits and the development of AD. High carbohydrate consumption and sugars and a fat and protein diet trigger AD (Alzate, 2018). Poor blood sugar management also accelerates Alzheimers disease, referred to as Type 3 Diabetes (Dafsari and Jessen, 2020). According to Zimmerman (2019), a quarter of all dementias result from nutritional factors that are partially reversible. High cholesterol levels from a high intake of saturated fats and trans-unsaturated fats also cause the disease.

The dietary recommendations in the podcast to prevent AD include the intake of fruits, vegetables, lean meats, omega three foods such as salmon, whole grains, and low-fat dairy products. Increased fresh foods and decreased processed foods also prevent AD (Fisher and Hanin, 2018). Soy, which heals heart diseases, contradicts AD, leading to memory problems. The best diet to be considered is the Mediterranean diet which has a low risk of developing AD (Abdelhamid, 2018). The diet recommendation is a high intake of unsaturated fatty acids, moderate to high fish intake, low meat and poultry intake, and moderate amounts of red wine (Olmastroni et al., 2020). In dietary supplementation, 400 mcg per day of folate and folate-rich foods such as orange juice, cooked spinach, and asparagus are recommended to prevent AD.

The considerations that underpin the format and content of the podcast

The aged group will easily follow the podcast if the language is supportive and engaging. This would make them realize that society is an essential group that plays a crucial role. In addition to that, the podcast also represents the aspect of a health promotion tool, an essential aspect of conveying health communication to older adults (Bharadwaj et al., 2016). The preventive measures to mitigate AD are in the podcast, which should be followed keenly to reduce its infection rate. These recommendations include screening for malnutrition, monitoring body weight, oral nutrition in combination with attractive food delivered in a pleasant environment, and supplementation of nutrients only if there is a deficiency (Ouanes and Popp, 2019). When a crisis requires artificial nutrition, the nutritional intake is done due to a reversible condition. However, it should be noted that artificial treatment is not appropriate for those patients reaching the end of life phase of their disease.

The cross-cutting issues

One key issue cutting across is that Alzheimers and associated dementias are incurable and irreversible. As a result, the drugs administered only slow the development with time. Unfortunately, the disease begins gradually; hence it is necessary to maintain frequent testing of the aged group (Sundström, 2019). Research shows that no matter how the disease is prevented by observing the required diet, it can never be cured, and eventually, the patient dies (Ouanes and Popp, 2019). Another evident issue is that nutrition in terms of proper diet will help prevent AD. If the diet is followed correctly, the patient can live longer since the diet has the nutrients that boost brain cells. A person with dementia who feeds on a fatty diet is likely to die after a short period.

The podcast promotion

Developing a professional communication plan will attract more audiences. Explaining to them how dementia has become a threat to many people will automatically make them interested in having the podcast for more information. Since negative comments are inevitable in the podcast, I will, first of all, not take them personally but rather address them using the facts I have about the topic of study, hence winning the minds of those who comment negatively. I will then use the audience in promoting the podcast since there is a huge crowd to listen to what is contained in the podcast. Research shows that social media helps to encourage more listeners, particularly for promoting health information, because a vast audience was gathered after posting on social media (Balls-Barry et al., 2018). Many people will learn more about AD and dementia, becoming educated on handling patients suffering from it. Any question about the topic will be appropriately answered since different people have different questions depending on their experience with such patients (Scholefield, 2019). Weekly or daily updates on the subject can also promote the podcast by keeping the social media updated on every detail about the AD. The podcast will be a classroom that will provide a guideline to both the infected and the affected audience. Information like the statistics of people under medication will motivate those in fear and anxiety in nursing patients with AD.

A brief reflection on the finished podcast

The finished podcast has helped me have great knowledge about dementia and Alzheimers. It helped the caregivers get informed on how to mitigate the disease. I have learned the causes of the diseases and the target group prone to suffer from them. Preventive and control measures have also been covered in the podcast, conveying knowledge to everyone. From the time one suffers from it, I could not imagine that one could have lived for twenty years after following the prescribed measures in the podcast. Due to its importance, I would wish that the next time the podcast could be published, it would restore many lives of those who thought that Alzheimers was the end of life. Next time we could consider adding more professional aspects to the podcast and covering several emerging health issues. Some health promotion podcasts are fundamentally different as they include a jingle. Including information about the supportive organization would help save the lives of those who cannot afford the cost of treatment and maintain the proper diet.

Reference List

Abdelhamid A. et al. (2018) Effectiveness of interventions to directly support food and drink intake in people with dementia: systematic review and meta-analysis, BMC geriatrics, 16(26).

Alzate, L. (2018) Alzheimers disease. Nutritional perspectives, Journal of the Council on Nutrition, 41(2), pp. 2835.

Beam, C.R et al. (2018) Differences between women and men in incidence rates of Dementia and Alzheimers disease, Journal of Alzheimers Disease, 64(4), pp. 1077-1083.

Berchtold, N.C. and Cotman, C.W. (2018) Evolution in the conceptualization of dementia and Alzheimers disease: Greco-Roman period to the 1960s, Neurobiology of Aging, 19(3), pp. 173-189.

Berti V. et al. (2018) Mediterranean diet and 3-year Alzheimers brain biomarker changes in middle-aged adults, Neurology, 90 (20).

Berti V. et al. (2018) Nutrient patterns and brain biomarkers of Alzheimers disease in cognitively normal individuals, Journal of Nutrition, Health & Aging, 19(4), 413423

Bharadwaj S. et al. (2018) Malnutrition: laboratory markers vs. nutritional assessment, Gastroenterology report, 4(4), 272280.

Bowden, J. (2017) Defeating Alzheimers, Better Nutrition.

Cantón Habas et al. (2020) Depression is a risk factor for dementia and Alzheimers disease, Biomedicines, 8(11), p.457.

Chai B et al. (2019) Vitamin D deficiency as a risk factor for Dementia and Alzheimers disease: an updated meta-analysis, BMC Neurology, 19(1), pp.1-11.

Dafsari, F.S. and Jessen, F. (2020) Depressionan underrecognized target for prevention of Dementia in Alzheimers disease, Translational Psychiatry, 10(1), pp.1-13.

Fisher, A. and Hanin, I. (2018) Potential animal models for senile Dementia of Alzheimers type, with emphasis on AF64A-induced cholinotoxicity, Annual Review of Pharmacology and Toxicology, 26(1), 161-181.

Olmastroni E. et al. (2021) Stating use and risk of Dementia or Alzheimers disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies, European Journal of Preventive Cardiology.

Juanes, S. and Popp, J., (2019) High cortisol and the risk of Dementia and Alzheimers disease: a review of the literature, Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience, 11(5), p. 43.

Scholefield M. et al. (2021) Widespread decreases in cerebral copper are expected in Parkinsons disease dementia and Alzheimers disease dementia, Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience, 13, p. 81.

Sundström et al. (2020) Loneliness increases the risk of all-cause dementia and Alzheimers disease, The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, 75(5), pp. 919-926.

Ton A. et al. (2020) Oxidative stress and dementia in Alzheimers patients: effects of synbiotic supplementation, Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity, 2020.

Yousaf K. et al. (2020) A comprehensive study of mobile-health-based assistive technology for Dementia and Alzheimers disease (AD) healthcare, Health Care Management Science, 23(2), 287-309.

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