Angela Rippon health: ‘I do sometimes worry about my own risk’- presenter on health fears
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Having first started at the BBC back in 1975, Rippon, now 77, made history as the first female journalist to permanently present the BBC national television news. Since then she has presented a multitude of popular programmes including Top Gear, The Big Breakfast and The One Show. A few years ago, Rippon said she had edited her Will over fears that she might suffer from dementia in later life.
Following on from the 2016 BBC One film she made called The Truth About Dementia, Rippon said that following on her mother Edna’s death from dementia and her father John, who showed symptoms of the condition, she thought she could get the condition.
Speaking at the time Rippon said: “There is always that anxiety, is it genetic? I am 71 and although I am fine, I do sometimes worry about my own risk.”
Once Rippon, who is also an ambassador of the Alzheimer’s Society, realised that “anything can just come out of the blue” she was keen to change her Will, making sure it is up-to-date.
According to the Daily Mail, she added: “None of us know what’s going to happen… but I can do things like make sure my will is up-to-date and put things in place.
“I can talk with my godchildren about the care I might like. At least they won’t have to agonise over what to do with Auntie Ang.”
During the BBC film, Rippon underwent a series of tests to discover if she had any early signs of the progressive condition.
Luckily for the star, she found that her brain was the same as a 40-year-old’s, when she was in her early 70s. Rippon went on to credit her work as a journalist for keeping her mind sharp.
Speaking more personally about her mother’s battle with dementia, Rippon revealed that at first she cared for her at her home in Devon, but soon had to hire a live-in nurse whilst she traveled backwards and forwards from London.
She explained that her job was to make her mother’s life more bearable, and recognised that her mother was “inhabiting a parallel universe”.
Rippon elaborated saying: “I had to go to her universe and not expect her to continue to live in mine. For example, she would say, ‘I’m going to have tea with your granny this afternoon.’ Well, my grandmother died when I was about five.
“If I’d said, ‘But Mummy, Granny’s dead,’ she would have been really upset. Whereas it was so much easier for me to say, ‘Really? Are you going to have a cream tea this afternoon, then?’ and change the subject.
“People suffering from dementia get very upset and frightened and, as a carer, you have to listen and react appropriately. I learned there was no point in getting upset when she was particularly vitriolic to me. But just to let it wash over me.”
The Alzheimer’s Society explains that the word “dementia” describes a set of symptoms that overtime can affect memory, problem-solving, language and behaviour.
The condition is progressive, which means symptoms may be relatively mild at first, but they get worse over time. There are many types of dementia but Alzheimer’s disease is the most common, followed by vascular dementia.
Despite some people believing so, dementia is not a natural part of aging. It is caused by damage to the nerve cells in the brain. When these cells are damaged, messages cannot be carried between the brain and different parts of the body meaning the brain cannot work properly.
The NHS adds that different types of dementia can affect people differently. However, there are some common early symptoms that may appear some time before an official diagnosis is made.
These include:
- Memory loss
- Difficulty concentrating
- Finding it hard to carry out familiar daily tasks, such as getting confused over the correct change when shopping
- Struggling to follow a conversation or find the right word
- Being confused about time and place
- Mood changes.
Currently there is no cure for dementia, but establishing which type of dementia an individual has is important in order to find the right treatments. Common treatments for dementia include person-centered care, talking therapies and medication. This can help individuals to live for as long as possible.
In order to try and avoid dementia, Rippon strives to keep her brain challenged, stating that puzzles and books are some “of the most important things you can do”. She also enjoys trips to the theatre, listening to music and socialising.
The NHS recommends that these are all things individuals should strive to do even if they have been diagnosed with dementia. Staying socially active, looking after your health, having a regular routine and making sure your home is dementia-friendly and safe are all ways to help individuals live with the condition.
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