Dementia: A Guide for 50 Year Olds
I'm nearly 50, and dementia has all of a sudden become super relevant to me. Most of us in our 40s and 50s aren't spending too much time worrying about dementia. We're too busy worrying about the mortgage, the kids, work, and why everything suddenly hurts when we get out of bed.
I've been a pharmacist in this community for over 20 years now, and dementia isn't just a bad statistic to us - it's happening in real time, to some of our favourite people. It's one of the harder things we see - people we've helped and looked after starting to decline - so it's hard to think how difficult it is for the family, carers, and friends standing beside them every day.
So you're probably thinking - great, now I need to add dementia to my list? Well, if you want to look after the brain you'll have at 70 and 80, your 50s are actually a pretty good time to start. There's no magic tablet that guarantees you won't develop dementia. But there are things we can do now that may reduce our risk, and quite a few of them are surprisingly simple.
Here is my 5-point checklist on dementia for 50 year olds - let's go through them together...
1. Know Your Blood Pressure Numbers
Midlife hypertension is one of the strongest modifiable risk factors for dementia later in life. The tricky part is that high blood pressure has no symptoms - you can feel completely fine and still be doing quiet damage to your brain (and your heart) over years.
Pop in for a blood pressure check. It takes two minutes, and if your numbers are creeping up, we can talk through next steps with you, whether that's lifestyle changes or a chat with your GP. Blood pressure checks at Roslyn Pharmacy are FREE for the month of September.
2. Ask Us About Shingrix
Shingrix (the shingles vaccine) is having a moment beyond just shingles prevention - emerging research is pointing to a link between shingles vaccination and lower dementia risk. The exact mechanism is still being studied, but the shingles protection alone is reason enough for most people our age to be asking about it.
Come in and ask us if you're eligible and what it costs. We can talk you through it properly.
3. Stay On Top of Your Medicines
This one sounds simple but it matters more than people think. Missed doses and mixed-up medicines don't just cause problems today - poorly managed chronic conditions (blood pressure, diabetes, cholesterol) compound dementia risk over time.
If keeping track of what to take and when has become a juggling act, ask us about the Pill Pocket. We package your medicines into pre-sorted, dated pockets so there's no guesswork - just tear, take, done. And to be clear, these aren't just for nana - if you're juggling a few different meds at 50, this is for you too.
4. Get Your Hearing Checked
Hearing loss is one of the biggest modifiable dementia risk factors identified by researchers, and it's also one of the most overlooked. Untreated hearing loss means your brain works harder to fill in gaps, and over time that extra strain adds up. It's also easy to miss in yourself - hearing loss creeps in so gradually that most people don't notice until someone else points it out.
If you've been putting off a hearing check (or if your family has been not-so-subtly hinting), this is your sign. Anna at Dilworth Hearing, just across the village from us, is fantastic and super friendly - well worth popping in to see her.
5. Learn to Line Dance
Loneliness and social isolation are recognised risk factors for dementia, while staying connected and challenging your brain with something new (a language, an instrument, a craft, even a tricky puzzle) helps build what researchers call cognitive reserve - extra capacity that helps your brain cope better as it ages. It doesn't need to be formal. Regular catch-ups with friends, a club, a class, or simply picking up a new hobby all count. Nobody looks graceful the first time they attempt a grapevine whilst line dancing. New moves, new people, and laughing together - your brain loves all of it. For me? It's golf - but I'm always up for a friendly game of pickleball. You know where to find me...
Anything here sparked some interest? Pop into Roslyn Pharmacy and come talk to our friendly team - we'll help you work through whichever one is next on your list.
Til next month.
Andy and the team at Roslyn Pharmacy - Dunedins Friendliest Pharmacy