EP 58 :: LBD - Losing Your Life Skills :: Norrms McNamara
Norrms, as his friends call him, was diagnosed with early onset dementia at age 50. In the 10+ years since his diagnosis, he has done more to educate the world about the disease than most of us can imagine doing in a lifetime.
"Dementia is one of the biggest health crises in this country at the moment, and we've got to try to understand it so we can deal with it,” Norrms says.
“Dementia is not forgetfulness. Dementia starts affecting your life skills, which means that when you sit there for lunch, you have forgotten what to do with your knife and fork. When you get up in the morning and have forgotten how to put a shirt on, or just walk out with nothing on. That’s dementia.” Norrms says.
In addition to three face-to-face meetings with Prime Minister David Cameron, his accomplishments include organizing the first ever Dementia Awareness Day (now an annual event), founding the Torbay Dementia Action Alliance, speaking to police and other first responders about their role in the dementia crisis, and authoring four books.
“We implore people, doctors, and clinicians’ consultants to get these diagnoses right before you prescribe any drugs. If they're prescribing drugs for Lewy Bodies when you have dementia, it could have an adverse effect and vice versa,” Norrms explains.
When diagnosed with a type of dementia,” Norrms says, “Always ask, How do they know it’s that type of dementia? How has the conclusion been arrived at, and how does it differ from other types of dementia.”
Find out more about The Purple Angel Dementia campaign and World Rocks Against Dementia 2021 on their websites. And friend Norrms on Facebook..
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