Dementia is not a specific disease. It’s an overall term that describes a group of symptoms associated with a decline in memory or other thinking skills severe enough to reduce a person’s ability to perform everyday activities. Alzheimer’s disease accounts for 60 to 80 percent of cases. Vascular dementia, which occurs after a stroke, is the second most common dementia type. But there are many other conditions that can cause symptoms of dementia, including some that are reversible, such as thyroid problems and vitamin deficiencies.
Treatment for the cognitive (thinking) and behavioral symptoms of dementia depends on its cause. In some cases, medication may help lessen or delay the symptoms of dementia. For example, people with Alzheimer’s may benefit from treatment with cholinesterase inhibitors, which are drugs that work by increasing levels of a chemical called acetylcholine in the brain. Acetylcholine is important for memory and other mental functions. These drugs include donepezil (Aricept), rivastigmine (Exelon) and galantamine (Razadyne).
- Secondary causes of dementia — certain medications, chronic medical problems, major medical procedures and surgeries
- Many people with dementia will require 24 hour care and support.
- If you're caring for someone with dementia at home, it's important to stay connected to others.
- If you're caring for someone with dementia at home, you may need a break from your caring role.
- If you're caring for someone with dementia at home, it's important to stay fit and healthy yourself.
- In the early stages of dementia, a person may still be able to make decisions about their care and finances.
- Dementia can affect someone's ability to make decisions as the condition progresses.
- England has a legal framework that aims to protect and empower those who lack capacity.
- The Mental Capacity Act 2005 introduced lasting powers of attorney (LPAs) in England and Wales.
- Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia, followed by vascular dementia.
- Treatments are available that can help with some symptoms.
- Researchers have identified several risk factors for dementia, including age and family history.
- The earlier you seek diagnosis and treatment, the more likely you are to benefit.
- Your doctor will conduct an exam and ask about your symptoms to diagnose dementia.
- Treatment will depend on your condition and cause of dementia.
Treatment may include: Medications that alter brain chemicals to improve mood or treat delusions or hallucinations. Supplements containing antioxidants, such as vitamin E or ginkgo biloba (Ginkgo Biloba). Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) or other psychotherapy sessions to teach coping skills. Physiotherapy or occupational therapy to help maintain strength and function for daily tasks. Speech therapy to improve communication and swallowing skills. Caregiver training for family members and friends of people with dementia Dementia care plans may be suggested for people who live alone at home.
Takeaway: Talk to a doctor about the best treatment options for you
Understanding dementia:
Understanding dementia is important because it gives people with dementia and their family members a better understanding of what is happening to the person suffering from this disease. It also helps them understand how to better care for their loved ones.
Dementia is a condition that affects memory and thinking skills. It can be caused by an injury, infection or another illness. The cause of dementia varies from one person to another and can't be treated like other diseases.
If you think your loved one might have dementia, talk with his or her doctor about testing him or her for the condition. The doctor will talk with you about what tests are available and how they work. Many tests are done in the doctor's office, so you don't need to go anywhere else for them unless your loved one needs something extra done that requires transport or an overnight stay at the hospital.
Diet & nutrition:
The best diet for you is the one that you can stick to. So how do you know what a good diet is? Well, there are some basic guidelines that everyone should follow in order to get the most out of their diet. You may want to put together a list of foods that you want to include and avoid when preparing your meals. Here are some general rules that can help you create a healthy diet:
Eat more fruits and vegetables than meat, poultry and fish. These are all important sources of vitamins, minerals and fiber.
Avoid eating processed foods. They often have high amounts of sodium, sugar and fat.
Choose whole grains over refined grains such as white bread or white rice.
Limit saturated fats (found in meat and dairy products) to less than 10 percent of total calories consumed each day. This will give your heart the optimal amount of protection from heart disease risk factors such as high cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, smoking or being overweight/obese (BMI defined as 25 or greater).
Many people are concerned about the health of their pets. To keep your dog or cat healthy, you must pay close attention to the foods that are consumed. The more you know about nutrition, the better able you will be to make good food choices for your pet.
A balanced diet is essential for all animals, but especially for dogs and cats. Dogs and cats have different nutritional needs than other animals do because they have a lot of specialized organs that require specific nutrients. For example, a dog's thyroid gland requires iodine; this element is found in seafood, but not in plants or meats.
Eating too much of one nutrient can be harmful to your pet; eating too little can cause serious health problems. The best way to feed your pet is by starting with a routine that includes dry kibble every day. If this is not possible for whatever reason (due to allergies, travel plans or budget), then canned food should be added into the mix as well.
Medications for symptoms of dementia:
There are various medications that can be used to treat symptoms of dementia. These medications include:
Antipsychotic medication: These medications are used to treat hallucinations, delusions, and other psychotic symptoms. They also help to control aggression and irritability in people with dementia.
Anti-inflammatory medication: There are many different types of anti-inflammatory drugs (AIDs), but some of the most common include aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil), naproxen (Aleve), and others. These medications help to reduce pain and inflammation in people with Alzheimer's disease or other forms of dementia.
Cholinesterase inhibitors: These drugs contain a cholinergic agent that has been proven to improve cognitive function in people with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease or related disorders such as vascular dementia. Some examples include Aricept (donepezil), Exelon (rivastigmine), and others
Medical procedures for symptoms of dementia:
There are a number of medical procedures that can help those with symptoms of dementia. These include:
Medication to calm or treat the symptoms of dementia. For example, medication may help to reduce agitation or agitation, which can be a common symptom of dementia. The medication prescribed will depend on your clinical needs and how well it works for you.
Physical therapy to help improve your muscle strength and coordination, as well as to improve your mobility and balance.
Physical therapy may also help improve your sense of touch, which is often affected by dementia.
Occupational therapy to teach you new ways to manage daily tasks, such as eating and personal care, which can be more difficult for people with dementia. Occupational therapists use games and activities that simulate real-life situations so you can learn how to do things more easily in the real world.
Speech therapy and language services (if appropriate) from an occupational therapist or someone else trained in communication skills who specializes in working with people with memory loss or other types of brain damage that affect language skills
Non-medicine therapies for dementia:
Non-medicine therapies for dementia.
There are a number of non-medicine therapies that can be used to help treat and manage dementia. These include:
- Music therapy - music has been shown to be effective in improving levels of mood and quality of life among those with dementia, as well as reducing anxiety, depression and confusion;
- Pain management - pain can be a major issue for those with dementia and their carers. This can lead to feelings of isolation and distress;
- Nutrition - diet is important for maintaining good health and wellbeing, including a healthy heart and brain. A balanced diet should include plenty of fruit, vegetables and fish;
- Activity management - regular physical activities such as walking or gardening can help keep the body toned and fit as well as improving muscle tone;
- Hospital outings - being able to visit the local park or shopping centre can help promote social interaction which is an important aspect of being mentally healthy;
- Sleep hygiene - getting enough sleep each night is essential for our mental health, but many people with dementia struggle with this due to illness changes or medications they may need to take;
- Cognitive stimulation - research has shown that engaging in stimulating activities such as puzzles
Alternative medicine for dementia:
Alternative medicine for dementia
Dementia is a term used to describe a number of conditions, all of which cause problems with memory and thinking. The most common type of dementia is Alzheimer's disease, which affects around 5 million people in the UK. However, there are many other types of dementia that can affect people at any age or stage of life.
Alternative medicine for dementia aims to improve your quality of life and help you manage your condition better. It doesn't have any specific drug treatments and it isn't available on the NHS (National Health Service), so you'll need to pay for it yourself.
What's alternative medicine?
Alternative medicine is any form of treatment that doesn't come from mainstream medicine (like conventional medicine). This could include acupuncture, homeopathy, herbal remedies and so on. Alternative therapies have been used throughout history but they're gaining popularity again because they're safe, effective and cost-effective alternatives to conventional medicines such as antibiotics or anti-inflammatory drugs.
Coping with dementia and caregiving:
There are many things that can be done to make life easier for those with dementia and their caregivers. For example, consider the following:
Make yourself a routine. Set aside time each day for your doctor's visit, which may be scheduled at a different time every day. Make sure you know what time it is so that you don't have to worry about remembering when it is. This allows you to focus on other things during the appointment, such as what questions you have for your doctor or how well you remember something he or she said or did.
Try to keep the same routine every day. If you don't have a routine, try to establish one as soon as possible. This will help ensure that things stay in order without having to think about it too much.
Don't forget to take care of yourself! Keep up with a good diet and exercise routine, even if it's only walking around the block once in awhile or doing some gardening or housework now and then. You also need to make sure you get enough sleep every night and eat right, especially if you're taking medication regularly (and especially if you're on multiple medications). Don't skip meals because
Takeaway: Dementia is a serious health issue that can impact many people's lives, but there is always hope and it is important to stay informed to help cope with it.
Conclusion :It's not uncommon for patients with dementia to also have hearing loss, but this is usually due to other factors like their medications or a mild hearing impairment at birth. The clinical definition of conductive hearing loss doesn't necessarily mean that the problem can be fixed with surgery or earplugs. To test a true drug-related hearing loss, the researchers used guinea pigs as test subjects. They administered either scopolamine or a placebo to one half of the guinea pigs and discovered that those receiving the drug had worsening hearing loss while those who received placebo maintained their normal hearing abilities.