The word dementia originates from Latin and means being out of one’s mind. It is a condition in which the brain’s mental functions deteriorate as a result of illness where the impact on the brain is so pronounced that it influences the patient’s memory and ability to manage oneself in everyday life.
Even though the risk of dementia increases with age, it is a myth that dementia is caused by or is a natural consequence of old age.
Dementia is not a specific disease, but a consequence of other illnesses which induce dementia. There are more than 200 various diseases which can induce dementia.
The most frequent dementia diseases are progressive, also called degenerative, which means that the patient’s condition will slowly deteriorate and their need for assistance in everyday life will increase. The most frequent cause of dementia is Alzheimer disease, which is a degenerative disease and the cause of more than 60 percent of all dementia cases. The second most frequent group of diseases, that can cause dementia, are diseases in the veins. This is, for example, vascular dementia, also known as blood clotting dementia or circulation conditional dementia, which account for around 20 percent of all dementia cases.
Alzheimer is by far the most common disease that can induce dementia as it accounts for more than half of all cases. It is a biological disease, meaning that it is not only the ‘visible’ symptoms, such as a deterioration of cognitive function, which can or must be registered, but the microscopic changes in the brain that occur with Alzheimer disease must also be accounted for.
The disease causes two characteristic changes in the brain which respectively are due to sedimentation of the two proteins: Beta-amyloid and Tau.
In other words, Alzheimer disease kills the brain’s cells. This results in the patient’s brain shriveling, causing their cognitive functions as well as their practical functional capacity to decrease.
Alzheimer usually develops in the hippocampus, which is an area of the brain located in the medial temporal lobe. The hippocampus is part of the brain’s limbic system and plays a role in human leaning. This is where memory and thus one’s memories are first formed. As the disease progresses, the patient’s ability to remember what they were doing a moment ago disappears. From the hippocampus, the disease spreads forward towards the front part of the brain; the frontal lobe, which is the area responsible for logic and logical thinking. From here, the disease will move on to destroy the brain’s emotional centre – the area of the brain that regulates our emotions. Therefore, many dementia patients can experience strong mood swings.
In one of the last stages, the disease starts to affect the occipital lobe and thus long-term memory. Over time the patient’s memory will become so poor that they will lose the ability to recognize even their close family members.
Finally, after up to 8-10 years, the disease will affect the cerebellum which is essential for our movement coordination and automatic functions, such as our breathing, heart rate, digestion, and blood pressure – and the patient passes away.
Everyone is familiar with the feeling of not being able to recall a certain word, forgetting to reply to a message or forgetting turning the coffee machine on. That is completely normal. It can, however, be a warning sign that something is wrong when you cannot remember what you did this morning, close family members or friends names, or completely forget words only to replace them with other words that do not make sense.
It is important to be aware of the warning signs of dementia, so that the person concerned can receive a diagnosis and get the help and care they need as quickly as possible.
Here are ten warning signs of dementia.
It is currently not a possible to either stop nor cure dementia and the ‘treatment’ therefore consists of care and stimulating activities. In some cases, medical treatment with donepezil for example might be possible for a short period in order to better the patient’s functional ability or to delay the progress. However, a patient’s options for treatment depends, to a great extent, on which disease has induced the dementia.
Even though there is no curative treatment, it is important to get the dementia diagnosed, as the symptoms can be reduced with care and therapy.
It is important to provide a dementia patient with intimacy, communication as well as stimulating activities and physical care.
Loss of functional ability can impede participation in activities, and it is therefore important to assess which activities, including daily activities, are possible and make sense for each individual. With a little help and support many activities are possible.
Physical activity has a positive effect on our body, brain and mood, and it is therefore an important part of the treatment for dementia. It can, for example, be in the form of exercising or playing with the focus on stimulating the patient’s senses, balance, reactivity and alertness.
Concomitantly, mental stimulation is likewise important. This can, for example, be in the form of activities such as doing a puzzle, playing cards or other games, playing music or doing brain exercises.
If you or somebody you know is looking for information or advice about dementia or Alzheimer’s – you can call Dementia Helpline for free on 0800 888 6678. The helpline provides support from dementia specialist Admiral Nurses and is open 9am to 9pm Monday to Friday as well as 9am to 5pm on Saturday and Sunday.
Since 2003, when the first event was established, the10th of September has been known as the international day for suicide prevention. Each year organisations and communities come together to focus on how we can create a world where fewer people commit suicide. The purpose of the event is to bring attention to this issue, to break down taboos, and highlight the importance of making suicide prevention a priority on the healthcare agenda.
Even though officially the 10th of September has been designated the day for suicide prevention, the entire month of September is generally as being associated with suicide prevention. The day and month raise awareness of suicide and suicide prevention; however, we should nonetheless keep it in our thoughts throughout all the months of the year, and always be aware of where we can seek help, support, and information.
Suicide is a deliberate, calculated act that a person commits with the express intention of not surviving and therefore dying.
A suicide attempt is when a person commits the act with the same intention but does not succeed. It can be seen as an act of self-harm without the resulting mortality.
Suicide is often seen as the last resort. When the light at the end of the tunnel is too far away to be reached and life feels too overwhelming. Feelings such as these are some of the things this day aims to change because it is possible to get help whether you are the one who is struggling, a relative, or just wish to seek information on the matter.
We all endure crises over time or get so tangled up in one or more problems that it can be hard to see a way out. It is important to note, that it is possible you can experience suicidal thoughts without no intention of committing suicide.
Although it is possible for everyone to experience suicidal thoughts, there are some people who are at a greater risk of experiencing suicidal thoughts and ultimately attempting or succeeding in committing suicide.
Suicide and attempted suicide can have serious emotional and physical consequences. People who attempt suicide, but survive, can experience severe long-term effects to their health. The person who is suicidal or has committed suicide is, however, far from the only person who is affected. The well-being of the person’s close relations, such as friends, family, and colleagues, can also be deeply affected. Close relations may experience shock, anger, guilt, symptoms of depression or anxiety, and can even experience suicidal thoughts themselves.
To prevent suicide and attempts of suicide, it is important that we all take responsibility. This encompasses whether your relation to the suicidal person is of a private or professional nature. It is important that we focus on the issue, that we have our eyes and ears open all year round, and not just when it is the international day or month of suicide prevention. This is not to say that you, as a possible close relation, have sole responsibility for the suicidal person’s well-being. But if we all make an effort to be aware of possible warning signs, we can help guide the person concerned in the right direction so they can find the help they need before it is too late.
Most people show warning signs when they are suicidal or have suicidal thoughts. Therefore, one of the best tools we have in aid of suicide prevention is to be aware of the signs and have an idea of how to take action. If you have a feeling that someone you know is suicidal, you can point them in direction. You can make them aware that there are alternatives, places they, or yourself for that matter, can seek help and guidance.
There are many warning signs, and they can be very varied from person to person. Warning signs could for example take the shape of feelings, behaviours, changes in mood or statements.
Feelings:
Behaviour:
Personal changes:
Statements:
If we sense or detect warning signs of suicidal behaviour, it can be very hard to know how to act or what to do. If you are in doubt, the first step can be to ask the person concerned how they are and how they are feeling whilst gently implying you can see they are going through a hard time. It is important that you listen even when they tell you things you don’t want to hear. Afterwards you can assess how to proceed, the resources available are not just for them they are for you too, simply knowing who to ask or where to find information can make a huge difference. It is always possible to get help, whether you are a close relation or suicidal yourself.
We can all play a supporting role for those who are experiencing suicidal thoughts or for those who have been afflicted by suicide, whether it is as a child, a parent, a friend, or a colleague.
If you know anyone who is, or you yourself are experiencing suicidal thoughts, don’t hesitate to ask for help. And don’t stop trying, if at first you turn to a person who falls short of your needs. Suicide is a very difficult subject to tackle for all involved and is still a taboo in most societies.
There is always help available. Please know, whatever your circumstances, you are not alone.
Responsibility
Our customers’ health is paramount when we develop and improve our products. That is why you can be absolutely sure that you receive quality products, which are certified to a high standard.
We are aware that the materials included in our products are a strain on our environment. Our high standards and quality are however highly important to us, and in order to ensure your health and the cleanest products, we have decided that our boxes entirely will consist of new raw materials. In this way, we ensure that you can use the product in your hand without hesitation to store your pills and that it can handle daily use and wear – and can last for many years to come.
By using clean and new raw materials…
We can ensure that our pill boxes are BPA-free.
BPA is an abbreviation and stands for bisphenol A, which is an industrial chemical that since the 1950s has been used in certain consumer and plastic products, including food and beverage containers.
Approximately 66% of BPA-consumption goes to the production of polycarbonate-plastic (PC), – a light, transparent and fracture proof plastic, which can also withstand high temperatures and provides great electric resistance, which is why it is used for a wide range of everyday products.
When BPA containers are manufactured, not all the chemical gets absorbed into the container, meaning that part of it ‘breaks free’ and mixes with the container’s contents – such as food and drinks.
Research has shown that exposure to BPA is a concern, as it can have negative effects on your health. For instance, studies on humans disclose a plausible correlation between BPA and heart disease and type 2 diabetes, as the studies reported that people with high BPA levels are at greater risk of high blood pressure.
Bisphenol is said to mimic the hormone estrogen’s structure and function, signifying that BPA can bind to the hormone receptors and influence bodily processes, namely fetal development, growth, cell repair, reproduction, and energy levels.
Moreover, WHO reported that BPA levels were up to eight times lower in breastfed babies, than babies who were fed liquid formula from BPA-containing bottles.
Our decision to use new raw materials in the production of our bill poxes also mean that…
We can guarantee phthalate-free pill boxes.
‘Phthalates’ is a general term for a group of chemicals that are used because of their emollient attribute. The chemical is an uncoloured and water-soluble liquid, which is primarily used in PVC-plastic and can be found in almost all pliable plastic products. Among these are consumer products, such as sex toys, wires, and garden hoses, as well as furniture and medical equipment.
Phthalates are constantly, and continually being, released from the material and/or product because they are water-soluble. They can be released and absorbed by direct skin contact but can also bind to surfaces in the home as well as dust particles. Phthalates are therefore also spread in their surroundings, meaning they can be inhaled and ingested. However, direct contact is the most risky.
Given that ‘phthalates’ as mentioned is a general term, they are different from one another, and not all of them are classified as dangerous, although, many of them are. Studies have shown that phthalates are problematic because they can have negative effects on humans, animals, and the environment.
Phthalates act as endocrine disruptors, as they affect oestrogen and our reproductive ability. It is further concluded that they disrupt the endocrine system in fish, amphibians, and reptiles. Presumably due to phthalates running into wastewater and thereby contaminating the environment.
The above mentioned are some of the reasons why we at Kibodan completely avoid the usage of phthalates.
It is however still important to us…
… to make active decisions and continuously explore the possibilities of abating our environmental impact without compromising your health. That is why we continuously keep ourselves updated on new opportunities to recycle and to use recycled materials in our products.
This is why our vinyl cover today consists of at least 10% recycled waste material from the production. Within the next months, they will consist of between 40%-60% recycled material.
The technology does not at the present moment allow us to use post-consumer waste plastic, as it cannot be ensured that it will be BPA- and phthalate-free, nor that the quality and the durability can attain our desired quality and standard.
As a consumer, you can help ensure a more circular economy by sending your boxes to recycle as ‘hard plastic’. In this way, our boxes can be included in the production of other products.
Schizophrenia is a serious chronic mental disorder which creates changes in thought patterns and behaviour in a characteristic manner that makes it difficult for the affected individual to distinguish between inner experiences and the reality surrounding them.
This psychological disorder is often misunderstood, and there are many prejudices concerning schizophrenia. The complexity of the disorder may help explain the misconceptions. Schizophrenia is not the same as split personality or multiple personality disorder, but rather is, an umbrella term, that covers a wide range of different symptoms an individual can experience, meaning schizophrenia is not a universal disorder. Everyone experiences it differently and the symptoms and their degrees vary. In a way, schizophrenia can be compared to variations in music: one genre of music can sound very differently from one song to the next. In the same way, each person experiences schizophrenia in a unique way and suffer differently.
Schizophrenia is characterized by returning episodes of psychosis a person can experience periods with acute, psychotic episodes followed by periods with no or very few subdued symptoms. With the right medication and help from doctors, most people with the diagnosis live a relatively normal life. When a psychotic episode occurs, symptoms such as delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech, trouble thinking, and lack of motivation can appear.
Most symptoms can be alleviated with treatment and the risk of recurrence diminished.
Recent research also suggests that the prognosis for recovery is higher than previously assumed, even though you can be considered fully recovered, although there is no term for that.
Research has shown that schizophrenia affects men and women to the same extent. Symptoms of schizophrenia typically first appear in early adulthood and must persist for at least six months for a diagnosis to be made. Symptoms usually have different onsets in men and women. Men most often experience initial symptoms in their late teens or early 20s, while women tend to show first signs of the illness in their 20s and early 30s. People experiencing initial symptoms during the age 13-18 years are categorized as having an early onset of schizophrenia, whereas if symptoms first appear after the age of 45 it is classified as late onset.
The disorder is divided in different ‘subtypes’ depending on which symptoms are the most dominant in the person. A person can consequently experience symptoms from multiple types, where the number of symptoms and their degree varies from light to heavy and debilitating.
Researchers believe that several genetic and environmental factors contribute to causation, and life stressors may play a role in the initial onset of symptoms. Since multiple factors may contribute, scientist cannot yet be specific about the exact cause in any specific case.
People with schizophrenia are more likely to die at a younger age than the general population, largely due to high rates of co-occurring medical conditions, such as heart disease and diabetes. Approximately 4-13% of people with schizophrenia commit suicide and 25-50% attempt suicide. Factors that increase the risk of suicide includes depression and drug use.
People suffering from schizophrenia can often be disorganized and have a lack of motivation. What Kibodan can do to help people suffering from this disorder, is to offer a simple solution to keeping their pills organized in a week set of pill boxes printed with weekdays and time of the day to encourage structure and ensure the intake of their daily medication. This can help alleviate challenges caused by a diminished capacity to think and remember.
If you think you or someone you know is experiencing symptoms, live with the disorder or is closely related to someone with this disorder, you can seek help, information, and guidance from the organisations below.
Is an organization providing information about Schizophrenia, schizoaffective, disorder. The organization serves as a platform for everyone living with the condition in one way or another: sufferers, carers and relatives.
Webpage: https://livingwithschizophreniauk.org/
Isan organization working to improve quality of life for people severely affected by mental illnesses. Rethink Mental Illness provides both support and information for people living with mental illness in their lives, including providing local support groups.
Webpage: https://www.rethink.org/
Phone no.: 0808 801 0525
Is an organization that focus on prevention and working on addressing sources of mental health problems. They do Peer and Community programs, publishes relevant research and advise about mental health.
Webpage: https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/
Stress is a normal human reaction, and it is safe to say that everyone will experience stress in all likelihood at least once – most likely multiple times. It is undeniable, life is full of stress. The human body is actually designed to encounter stress, react and cope with it. Stress can come in numerous forms, degrees and has multiple factors, as it can be long term or short term, internal and external. Everything varies from person to person. Stressors, or triggers, could be events or conditions in your surroundings, and when triggered your body produces physical and mental responses.
Everyone experiences different stress symptoms in varying degrees. Some get physical symptoms, whereas others will experience mental symptoms, while others may experience behavioural changes. Stress symptoms can start out small and in a low degree, like a headache or something similar. However, it can develop over time and lead to more severe and long-term symptoms. Meaning that a small physical symptom can develop into behavioural changes and mental symptoms.
Your body is a complex concept with many functions and systems. One being the autonomic system. This system controls matters like your breathing, your heart rate and vision changes to name but a few. You are probably familiar with the term “fight-or-flight response”. It is a built-in physical stress response, and it assists your body in stressful situations.
As mentioned above, stress can both be long- and short termed. Long-term stress, also known as chronic stress, is a continued activation of your body’s stress response. This will undeniably wear and tear on your body both mentally, physically, and behaviourally. Meaning these symptoms will emerge and develop.
Stress is not measurable with tests. It is subjective and only the person experiencing it can determine if stress is present and its severity. Stress is, as previously stated, a normal human reaction. Meaning that stress is a natural part of life, only when it starts to affect your daily life and has a negative effect on you should you seek medical help. A doctor, a psychologist, or other healthcare professionals may use questionnaires to try and understand your stress and its impact, but there isn’t one specific test that can diagnose stress.
There isn’t a finite treatment for stress. However, there are various methods which can be helpful, but what helps is very individual. The most well-known ‘treatments’:
Talking with a licensed professional can help you learn and cope with stress in a healthy way. You can become more aware of your own thoughts, feelings, and stressors. Forms of talking treatments:
There isn’t any medication developed specially for stress, but there are medications available which may help reduce, or manage, your symptoms. For example:
If you feel overwhelmed, have unhealthy coping mechanisms, such as them mentioned above, have thoughts about hurting yourself, or have been experience one or more symptoms and it is having a negative effect on your quality of life please do not hesitate to reach out, contact your doctor or other medical professionals.
National Suicide Helpline UK – 0800 689 5652
Samaritans – 116 123
Police & medical help if you are seriously hurt – 999
Megamax No. 1 Classic is currently our largest week set on the market. The set consists of eight pill boxes – one for each day of the week + one extra. Megamax is, as well as our other products, designed to make your daily intake of medicine easily manageable. Making it is extremely user friendly, as it provides you with an effortless way to store and organise your medication. Megamax Classic is the ideal choice if you use a larger number of pills per week, or if your pills are sizeable.
Each pill box is divided into four compartments, which are marked ‘Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Bedtime’, so you can quickly obtain an overview of your daily medication.
The pill boxes are encased in a robust vinyl cover secured with a Velcro fastener, so it’s convenient when you are traveling. Going out for the day? The set also includes a one-piece sleeve enabling you to carry an individual box.
The size of Megamax also comes in handy with animals, because the large compartments can accommodate animal pill sizes, which tend to be on the larger side. The week set with marked sections makes it easy for you to control and keep track of the medication. It’s so easy they could almost do it by themselves – if only they had thumbs.
Whether you need to organise your own, your family’s, clients or even animals’ medicine. Megamax will provide you with a simple, yet sustainable, system to help you keep track of everything.
Would you like to buy one for personal use, for work or to sell them to your customers (in shop or web shop)? Then contact us at kontakt@kibodan.dk for more information hear more.
PTSD is an abbreviation of the relatively long-lasting and often chronic condition posttraumatic stress disorder, which is a stress response to severe mental strain. It is characterized by reliving traumatic events on repeat either in the form of flashbacks when you are awake, or in the form of dreams / nightmares when sleeping. Therefore, people with PTSD are often also troubled with irritability, sleep disturbances, concentration difficulties, impaired memory, and mood swings. The relationship between the victim and their friends and family is often affected.
PTSD can come in different degrees, meaning that how often, how many and to what extent ones symptoms occur varies from person to person.
The condition usually occurs after severe events where a person has felt completely powerless, intense anxiety or extreme fear – either for their own or others lives. The disorder is often associated with soldiers and war; however, it can just as easily follow other traumatic experiences. These other experiences could for example be natural disasters, accidents, robbery, assault, rape as well as other violence and torture.
There are several different forms of treatment, and it is not certain that one approach will work the same for everybody. First and foremost, it is essential to create a safe environment for the patient regarding the treatment and their personal life.
In broad sense the treatment can have two forms – psychological and medical. Afterwards one can dive more specifically into them individually. One of the psychological approaches could be exposure therapy where the patient must relive the traumatic event which caused the PTSD – first in their mind and later in real life – under controlled conditions. The goal behind this course of action is to decrease the anxiety gradually and thus increase their freedom to act.
Currently, there is no perfect nor fully completed medical treatment for PTSD. However, there are several medical approaches that have been proven to have a positive effect and alleviate the symptoms. Antidepressants are profitable because they can reduce the reliving (flashbacks) of the event and thereby ease the anxiety and mental distress.
In addition to medical treatments, benzodiazepines are also an option to consider, as they have a documented anxiety reducing effect. Although, there is a risk of getting accustomed if they are used over a long period of time, meaning that one can get addicted which can be very harmful in the long run. Benzodiazepines should therefore only be used for shorter terms.
PTSD can have an impact on your quality of life and make seemingly easy tasks an everyday burden. This could among other things be remembering to take your vitamins or pills. Kibodan has developed pill boxes in order to simplify tasks such as this. The pill boxes make it easy to control and get an overview of your medication. They are organized by days of the week as well as time of the day making it simple to manage.
June is national PTSD awareness month and Kibodan wishes to help raise that awareness. If you experience symptoms of PTSD then please contact your doctor so that you can get the help you deserve
On Facebook, we are currently giving away 3 Medidos week sets of your choice. Valentine’s Day on 14 February gives us an occasion for this, which is why we have decided to also give away some “love”.
Participation in the competition organized by Kibodan, hereinafter referred to as the operator or organizer, is free of charge and is governed exclusively by these conditions of particitipation.
The duration of the competition is from 10.02.2021 09:00 hrs to 15.02.2021 09:00 hrs. During this period, users will have the opportunity to enter the competition online (on Facebook).
To participate in the competition, it is necessary to “like” the Facebook page and the Facebook post of the organizer. Participation is only possible within the entry period. Likes received after the closing date will not be taken into account in the draw. It is strictly prohibited to use multiple Facebook profiles to increase your chances of winning. Participation in the competition is free of charge.
Participation is open to natural persons who are resident in the United Kingdom and have reached the age of 16. Participation is not restricted to customers of the organiser and is not dependent on the purchase of goods or services. Should a participant have limited legal capacity, the concent of his/her legal representative is required.
All persons involved in the conception and implementation of the competition and employees of the operator as well as their family members are not eligible to participate in the competition. In addition, the operator reserves the right, at its own discretion, to exclude persons from participation if there are justified reasons, for example:
The following three prizes will be awarded:
The winners will be determined after the closing date as part of a random draw among all participants. The winners of the raffle will be informed of the prize promptly via a direct message on Facebook. The prize will only be handed over to the winner or to the legal representatitive of the underage winner. An exchange, a self-collection as well as a cash payment of the prize are not possible. Any costs incurred for the dispatch of the prizes will be borne by the operator. Any additional costs associated with claiming the prize shall be borne by the winner. The winner is responsible for any taxation of the prize.
If the winner does not respond after two requests within a period of 3 weeks, the prize may be transferred to another patient.
The promoter expressly reserves the right to terminate the competition without prior notice and without giving any reason. This applies in particular to any reasons that would disrupt or prevent the competition from running as planned.
Participation in the competition requires the provision of personal data. The participant assures that the personal information provided by him/her is true and correct. The organiser points out that all the personal data of the participant will neither be passed on to third parties nor made available to them for use without consent.
In the event of a win, the winner agrees to the publication of their name and place of residence in the promotional media used by the Promotor. This includes the announcement of the winner on the website of the operator and its social media platforms.
The participant may revoke his/her declared consent at any time. The revocation must be sent in to writing to the contact details of the organiser stated on the Facebook page.
After revocation of the consent, the collected and stored personal data of the participant will be deleted immediately.
The promotion is not affiliated with Facebook and is in no way sponsored, endorsed or organized by Facebook.
Questions or complaints in connection with the competition should be addressed to the operator. The operator’s competition is subject exclusively to the law of the United Kingdom.
Legal recourse is excluded.
Should any provision of these Conditions of Participation be or become invalid in whole or in part, this shall not affect the validity of the remaining provisions of the Conditions of Participation. In place of the invalid provision, the legally permissible provision that comes closest in economic terms to the meaning and purpose expressed in the invalid provision shall apply. The same shall apply in the event of a loophole in these Conditions of Participation.
