Dementia Study Shows Being Social Lessens Risks; Family, Peers Play Important Roles [VIDEO]

Dementia has broken many American families and the cause of this terrifying disease has never been discovered amid years of studies. Although the cause has not been properly defined, new research shows that a good relationship with aging individual lessens the risks of the disease.

According to Dr. Mizanur Khondoker, University of East Anglia researcher in the UK, their team has followed free dementia people in the last 10 years to observe the incidence of dementia. Their study had about 10,000 respondents. All were older adults.

Thus far, their observation reveals that those who have positive social relationship with their adult children are less likely to develop symptoms of dementia. On the other hand, those who have received negative impact had an increased risk to the decease, Global News reported.

Senior lecturer in medical statistics Khondoker added that respondents were asked how they are being criticized and how much their children let them down when they failed to attend to their needs. In addition, how these instances get into their nerves were also checked.

According to Alzheimer Society Canada, almost half a million Canadians are living with dementia and could blow up to 937,000 in just 15 years. Marlyn Labiuk, a senior from Canada, holds proof to the research. When her husband passed away she had her son, his wife and her grandson move in. Having her children close by lessening her loneliness.

The cause of dementia is largely unknown. However, social interaction in lessening the risks of such disease is not the first time to appear in the field of this field of studies. In fact, research co-author Andrew Steptoe noted that these findings add to the growing evidence of the significance of social relationships for cognitive health in older age.

Also, the research highlights the importance of thinking about social relationship issues in individuals vulnerable to dementia. However, finding the link between social interaction and dementia does not disclose whether the former causes it.

In the end, Khondoke advises each one to be less critical and spend some time to have a nice conversation with an aging individual who is most vulnerable to dementia.