Dementia and Sarcopenia are pathologies characteristic of the third age. More and more common in a population that, like ours, continues to age. But also dramatically little known by the population and even health professionals. And for this reason these are unwilling disorders, under accurate, and for which it is not prevention as it should be. To launch the alarm are the Italian geriatricians in the last congress that was held in Modena last May.
Sarcopenia, the silent emergency
Sarcopenia is a pathological condition characterized by the progressive loss of mass, strength and muscle functionality. It affects between 5 and 10 percent of the elderly who live in their home, but the percentage grows up to 30 percent in residential structures and exceeds 37 percent in the hospital wards for acute.
“Sarcopenia is still widely underestimated and underlying, despite its serious consequences on the quality of life, on autonomy and costs of the health system – explains Liliana Mazza, president of Sigot Young – The symptoms are often exchanged for simple signs of the age that advances, but instead indicate a very precise and potentially disabilities pathological condition. Geriatric Medicine ‘(January 2025) has highlighted a poor awareness both among health professionals and among the population.
Prevention
If neglected, Sarcopenia can have important repercussions on the quality of life and the health of the elderly, complicating daily actions and increasing the risk of accidents, falls, and therefore fractures, hospitals and mortality. For this – explain the experts Sigot – it is important to increase awareness of the risks of this pathology, because with the right attention it is possible to get its onset with a few simple, precautions.
“An adequate protein intake (up to 1.5 g/kg per day for those who are already affected), regular physical activity and, if necessary, the integration of vitamin D represent the most effective weapons to combat it – adds Mazza – to obtain concrete results, a multidisciplinary approach is essential and a greater spread of awareness between health and citizens. In this perspective, the Sigot has started an internal investigation Knowledge level of Sarcopenia among its members and develop concrete strategies to improve prevention, diagnosis and treatment “.
Dementia
Another theme of great importance with the elongation of average life is that of cognitive health. According to the data of the Istituto Superiore di Sanità, today in Italy over a million 200 thousand people with dementia live, to which about another million subjects with mild cognitive disorder must be added, a true alarm bell for an evolution in more serious form. Dementia is a problem that impacts not only on the patient but also on his family and caregiver, for whom whose care load can translate into stress, sleep disorders and risks to physical and emotional health.
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A timely diagnosis – explain from the Sigot – and the taking charge with the multidimensional geriatric evaluation allow to intercept early health, social and environmental needs, improving clinical results, quality of life and reducing hospitalizations and socio -social costs. And unfortunately, it is something that is not yet done quite often, and with uniformity on the national territory.
The virtuous model
Just in Modena, home to the Sigot Congress, an integrated model has been created over the years that unites hospital, territory and community to take care of patients and to encourage active aging. It is a network led by the territorial geriatrics of the Ausl of Modena. A multidisciplinary team that could represent a virtuous model to be adopted also in other territories, with 90 professionals (geriatri, nurses, psychologists, employment therapists, dieticians and chinesologists) that operates throughout the provincial territory, in close connection with hospitals, community houses, general medical doctors, territorial and hospital specialists (including the mental health area) and social services.
“The real strength of the Modenese model was and is the ability to integrate medical care, social interventions and prevention activities, through a widespread network of services and projects dedicated to the third age – underlines Andrea Fabbo, vice -president of Sigot and” founder “of the territorial Geriatrics Modena – this model, in addition to being well rooted and working in the local and regional reality, should be stimulus for other territories”.