Preface∥From ‘Simple Care’ to ‘Living Together’!

PART 1∥To understand dementia patients, you need to understand 'how the brain works.'

There's a bug in my ear.
- Schizophrenia, Parkinson's & Neurotransmitters
Whispers from the Unknown: A Revelation from God or a Disease? / I Can't Control My Body with My Own Will: Parkinson's Symptoms / The Madman Who Won the Nobel Prize, "A Beautiful Mind," and the Gangnam Station Murder Case

You stole my bankbook?
- Hippocampus, memory impairment, and delusions
Why do dementia patients have delusions? / When I drink and black out, does the Frankenstein inside me come out? / Why do dementia patients not remember?

Grandpa hiding his shoes in the bedroom
- Amygdala and anxiety
Why do dementia patients engage in compulsive behavior? / Why do we feel anxious? / Why do dementia patients hide their shoes and bankbooks? / Another role of the amygdala: memory.

How could you, who was so affectionate, do that?
- Frontal lobe and personality
What if I get shot in the head? / Where is our soul? / Do I have dementia without memory loss? Frontotemporal dementia

Why doesn't my father recognize me?
- Agnosia and aphasia
Is it forgetfulness? Or is it aphasia? / Why does aphasia occur? Aphasia is not a sign of intellectual disability. / Why does someone mistake their wife for a hat?

Why do people with dementia go missing?
- Endurance
Why do people disappear from familiar places? Parietal lobe damage / Aren't ID tags and location trackers enough? / Why location trackers are useless / Why location-tracking shoe insoles should be widely available / Why wandering symptoms worsen when dementia patients are hospitalized

Why don't people with dementia sleep at night?
- Melatonin and cortisol
Sleep Rhythms and Hormonal Changes / How's Melatonin? / Cognitive Function, Sleep, and Why You Should Eat Bokbunja

Does my father have dementia?
- Dementia, amnesia & mild cognitive impairment
What is memory impairment? Short-term memory and long-term memory / I understand short-term memory, but what is working memory? / Did Chun Doo-hwan really have dementia? / Why do old memories get deleted in dementia patients? / Did Chun Doo-hwan have dementia? Or did he have mild cognitive impairment?

Why do dementia patients become barbarians?
- Disinhibition and the frontal lobe
Why Burberry Men Don't Wear Underwear / Why Do Dementia Patients Pull Down Their Pants? / The Frontal Lobe, Disinhibition, and Patience

The criminal's brain
- How to prevent serial killers from being born
What is a Psychopath? / Psychopaths, Lie Detectors, and Con Artists / The Brain Can Be Trained and Changed Postnatally

PART 2∥Diagnosis and Treatment Systems for Dementia Patients

Are there any types of dementia that can be cured?
Dementia is a symptom, not a disease.
Does constipation cause dementia? / Why it's hard to distinguish between depression and dementia: pseudodementia / Is our brain floating on water? / Alzheimer's and dementia are not synonymous / Types of dementia you must know when signing up for dementia insurance

The health center said it was normal
- What is a screening test?
What is the MMSE? / Why can't the MMSE accurately diagnose dementia? / What dementia tests are conducted at public health centers or dementia support centers?

How do you diagnose dementia without an MRI?
- Principles of neuropsychological testing
We react to stimuli / Who tests? / But the reality is / Types of dementia tests / How to get an accurate dementia test and diagnosis

I've already been diagnosed with dementia through a CT scan, so why do I need an MRI?
- CT, MRI, PET, SPECT
Why use brain imaging to diagnose dementia? / The difference between CT and MRI. / How can we detect beta-amyloid without an autopsy? / Why is diagnosing dementia so difficult?

What is dementia diagnosis?
- Goals and objectives of dementia treatment
An accurate diagnosis is essential to prevent the worsening of dementia symptoms. / There is no cure for dementia, so what good is a good doctor? / How can I find a dementia specialist?

Should I take dementia medication with severe side effects?
- Principles of dementia medication
What if a person with congenital blindness gets an eye transplant? / Stem cell therapy / How dementia medication works / I refuse to take dementia medication because of side effects? / I have vascular dementia, so why use Alzheimer's medication?

I heard that the hospital is prescribing dementia prevention medication?
- Cerebral infarction and dementia
What is vascular dementia? / What if vascular dementia and Alzheimer's disease strike simultaneously? / How effective are dementia prevention drugs?

My father gets better as soon as he goes to the hospital.
- Why dementia misdiagnosis occurs
The moment when a dementia patient's caregiver becomes truly angry / The trap that even the boy genius Dugi cannot avoid: the importance of a thorough medical history / The necessity of a dementia fee system

A name that calls for miracles
- Brain plasticity
Why do stroke patients suddenly wake up? / Why developmental psychology was born / Neuroplasticity, a key word in treating dementia / What is learning?

Non-pharmacological treatments for dementia
- Dementia treatment that can be done simply at home
The Only Treatment for Mild Cognitive Impairment / We Can't Use 100% of Our Brains? / Types of Non-Pharmacological Treatments and How to Implement Them

Methods for assessing dementia symptoms and various assessments
- CDR & GDS, MMSE
Why is it necessary to assess the severity of dementia? / How is the severity of dementia assessed? / How accurate are the CDR and GDS assessments? / An Eraser in My Head

PART 3∥How should we care for dementia patients?

What are my chances of developing dementia?
- Dementia is a lifestyle disease
Why White Rice Causes Dementia / Why Do Diabetics Develop Dementia So Much? / Diabetes and Alzheimer's Disease / Why Blood Sugar Management is the First Step in Dementia Care / What is Homocysteine?

Our bodies are still in the Paleolithic era
- What is stress?
Neanderthals and wolves / Stress causes brain malfunction? / The symbiotic evolution of gut microbes and humans / The link between genetics and dementia: the role of genes as 'switches'

Dementia patients also have individuality.
- How to reduce friction with dementia patients
Lessons from Kung Fu Panda / Why dementia patients have difficulty keeping a diary / Soap for washing hands, shampoo for washing hair, and pong pong for washing dishes / Taking medicine for dementia patients & taking revenge?

Why do dementia patients fall so often?
- Frontal lobe and visual perception theory
What does the brain do when we walk? / How long can dementia patients live? / Why does walking treat dementia?

What is the relationship between delirium and dementia?
- Is it delirium or dementia?
Psychiatric Treatment & Dementia Treatment / Causes of Delirium / What Caregivers Should Know About Inpatient Hospital Rooms in Korea

That's not a bathroom.
- Surgery for patients with fecal incontinence and dementia
Do you stuff your earwax in a dementia patient? / Why do dementia patients have bowel accidents? / Without getting angry, without blaming, without showing disgust

Change all the furniture
- How to reduce confusion and disorientation in dementia patients
A mountain of information: is it good or bad? / How to rearrange furniture? / Be sure to buy a medicine calendar.

How about going to a warm southern country in winter?
Why dementia worsens in winter
Why does dementia get worse in the winter? / Let's go to a warm southern country / How should I renovate my house? / If I have to move, what criteria should I apply?

The best cure for dementia is family love.
- How the brain is activated
Messages You Can Never Convey in Letters / 9 Rules for Preventing Dementia / Don't Force, Solve Problems

Why You Should Go to a Day and Night Care Center
- Various ways to reduce the burden on guardians
Why do dementia symptoms suppress when going to a day and night care center? / Why do dementia patients hate going to a day and night care center? / If wandering begins, install a two-way digital door lock / Toothbrush holder and toothbrush with name tag / Location tracker, ID tag

How to Deal with Delusions in Dementia Patients
- Neither affirm nor deny
Don't try to persuade the patient / Effective methods when the patient shows delusional symptoms / Drug treatment and hospitalization

Things to keep in mind for caregivers of dementia patients
- Guidelines for nursing dementia patients
You are an oasis for dementia patients. / If caregivers maintain vitality in life, the patient's life will also be secured. / 10 Commandments for Caring for Dementia Patients

PART 4∥Support Systems and Laws Dementia Patients Must Know

What is long-term care insurance for the elderly?
- How to sign up for and use long-term care insurance for the elderly
What is the subscription process? / Why do I need to be assessed for long-term care insurance for the elderly? / Facility benefits, home care benefits, elderly care facilities, home visit care / How much does it cost?

How to choose a good day and night care center?
- Things not regulated by law
How do I find a nursing home or day/night care center near my parents' home? / What's not evaluated for long-term care insurance: "eye contact."

If I am diagnosed with dementia, can I be admitted to a nursing home?
- Levels and benefits of long-term care insurance for the elderly
The National Dementia Responsibility System is being implemented, but why aren't they hospitalizing patients? / What should I do if I don't receive a long-term care rating? / How are long-term care recognition points calculated? / What are short-term care centers?

Anyone can see that it's dementia, so why should I spend a lot of money on tests?
- Special calculation exception
With health insurance and a cap on medical expenses in place, why does it cost so much? / Don't all dementia patients receive special calculation benefits?

They're saying they'll support 360,000 won a year for medicine costs?
- Dementia treatment cost support project
Low-income families receive 100% support / Diseases eligible for dementia treatment cost support

What if a family member obtains a nursing assistant license?
- Pros and Cons of Family Care
How do I obtain family care expenses and family caregiver/caregiver qualifications?

Can I dispose of property if I become a guardian?
- Issues such as legal rights and inheritance of dementia patients
What is the Adult Guardianship System? / What is the Dementia Public Guardianship System?

PART 5∥What Dementia Patients Need to Know About Medicine and Food

Types of Dementia Medications and How They Work
- How to check dementia medication
Four Ingredients in Dementia Medications / How Dementia Medications Work / NMDA Receptor Blockers / How to Identify the Type of Dementia Medication

Why Are Antidepressants Prescribed to Patients with Dementia?
- Principles of antidepressant medication
The Fantastic Collaboration of Dementia and Depression Medications / Drugs That Reduce the Effectiveness of Dementia Medications

Organic agricultural products as seen in the film "The Happening"
- The Secret of Phytochemicals
Plants are natural chemical factories / Why organic produce is good for you / Wolves and dogs, wild ginseng and ginseng / The secret behind the size of agricultural products / Why you should visit a rural oil market

Can garlic cure stroke?
- How to manage illness with food
Why does Popeye get stronger when he eats spinach? / Precautions when treating illness with food / The highway to dementia: Baek Jong-won's recipe / Should I avoid eating fruit? The principle of too much of anything / Is ginseng good for dementia?

Why Supplements Don't Work
Why Food Is the Best Treatment for Dementia
How Health Supplements Lose Their Effectiveness / Why Are They So Effective, Even When They're Clearly Good for You? How Phytochemicals Work / What Supplements Are Good for You

Can I take herbal medicine?
- Oriental medicine treatment for dementia
Possibility of Oriental Medicine Treatment for Dementia / What is Dementia from an Oriental Medicine Perspective? / Now is the Time to Focus on Treatment by Psychiatrists and Neurologists

I'm sick of eggs
- Types of food ingredients that are good for dementia
Mass production, mass consumption, and convenience / There is no good or evil in food / A poor table, humble ingredients cure dementia

Drinking coffee or green tea can cause osteoporosis.
- Side effects of food
Coffee: Why on Earth Is It Good for Dementia? / What if It All Comes Out in Urine? / The Age of Picky Eating

You want me to eat all this?
- How should I cook it?
You have to break stereotypes to be able to cook a variety of dishes / You're making soup with mackerel?

PART 6∥Concluding the article

How to Use This Book
- A stepping stone to reading professional books
Consult professional books and papers / How to read papers

Why You Should Read This Book From Cover to Cover
- The terminology is difficult to understand and may lead to misunderstandings.
Don't look at the finger pointing at the moon; look at the moon. / Popularizing expert knowledge / What this book lacks.

A few small Q&As
- Helpful dementia facts to know
Do people with dementia know they have dementia? / Can people with dementia drive? / Should people with dementia be told they have dementia?

Appendix ∥ ① Useful Dementia-Related Sites
② Long-term care certification survey form
③ Method for calculating long-term care recognition points
④ Application for pre-approval of special calculation for severe dementia
⑤ Request for commencement of adult guardianship

“It is possible to prevent dementia, and even prevent the rapid worsening of dementia symptoms!”

To understand dementia patients, you need to know 'how the brain works'!

There are several common misconceptions about psychology, a representative example being blood type personality theory.
No matter how many experts say that blood type and personality are not related, people are reluctant to believe it.
There's a misconception as widespread as blood type personality theory: the common misconception that humans only use 10% of their brains.
When the theory that humans only use 10% of their brains emerged, we didn't know which part of the brain was responsible for memory, how the brain controlled emotions, or where the center of vision was.
To understand dementia patients, there are two things to remember first.
First, each part of the human brain performs different functions.
Second, for the brain to function smoothly, neurotransmitters that transmit 'commands' or 'signals' must be smoothly produced in our body.


A 'diagnosis and treatment system' for dementia patients

It took a year from the time my father's dementia symptoms were discovered until he was diagnosed. Whenever dementia-related programs air on TV, the importance of early diagnosis is always emphasized. However, in reality, even if you want an early diagnosis, it's often impossible.
Diagnosing dementia is a fairly complex process.
If you are not familiar with this procedure, even if your parents are found to have dementia, they may not receive a proper diagnosis at the hospital.
Therefore, caregivers must be familiar with the principles and methods of dementia diagnosis and develop the ability to identify hospitals and medical staff that can properly diagnose dementia.
If dementia is diagnosed late or proper treatment is not received, the damage is entirely passed on to the caregiver.


Dementia Patients: How Should We Care?

The suffering experienced by families with dementia is beyond imagination.
Therefore, medical professionals treating dementia patients must pay close attention to the patients and also give much thought to how to protect their families.
Likewise, caring for dementia patients should focus on how to reduce the suffering of caregivers.
There are many ways to reduce the suffering of families with dementia, but the first is to delay the worsening of the patient's symptoms as much as possible.
If the worsening of dementia symptoms progresses very slowly, the time when the patient's abnormal behavior, such as hallucinations, appears can also be delayed as much as possible.
Another important thing is that even the smallest 'tips' can significantly reduce the burden of caregiving on caregivers.


Dementia Patients Need to Know: Support Systems and Laws

Caring for someone with dementia is like a marathon.
Since the average survival time of dementia patients is reported to be 9.3 years after diagnosis, it can be assumed that the period of time that family members care for dementia patients is approximately 10 years.
It is a burdensome task that can only be accomplished by family members.
So, if you can get help from social institutions, you should actively utilize them.
It is also important to know exactly what is true and false about the dementia system currently in place.
This is because, with the implementation of the National Dementia Responsibility System, there are quite a few people who are under the 'misconception' that the government will take care of everything for them if they are diagnosed with dementia.
This kind of misconception can become the seed of conflict between family members.
So while it's important to know what support you can get from the government, it's also important to understand the limitations of government policy.


What Dementia Patients Need to Know About Medicine and Food

Dementia doesn't just happen one day.
If you are diagnosed with dementia today, the disease causing it likely started 10 to 15 years ago.
However, before symptoms appear, we are not fully aware of what is happening in our bodies.
If bad eating habits accumulate, dementia may result.
The same goes for bad medication habits.
Conversely, if we understand how food affects our bodies and how medications work to benefit or harm us, we can prevent dementia and improve the effectiveness of dementia treatment.
The food we eat and drink becomes our blood and flesh.
But what foods are good for our bodies? To eat healthy foods, we need to understand the laws of nature and the principles of agriculture.
If you don't know the principle, you won't be able to understand it, and if you don't understand it, you won't feel the need to change your lifestyle.


“The No. 1 dementia book for families with dementia in Korea! We really need a good dementia book right now!”