Dementia Treatment – Q & A

Intro

My 99 year old dad was recently diagnosed with dementia. Is there treatment for dementia and how does one handle a person with dementia?

For people aged between 65 and 69, around 2 in every 100 people have dementia. A person’s risk then increases as they age, roughly doubling every five years. This means that, of those aged over 90, around 33 in every 100 people have dementia.

Early detection of symptoms is important as some causes can be successfully treated. However, in many cases, the cause of dementia is unknown and cannot be effectively treated. Obtaining an early diagnosis can help with managing the condition and planning ahead.

Brain foods that may help prevent dementia

The MIND Diet

This is a combination of two diets that have well-known health benefits — Mediterranean and DASH. It’s designed to prevent or slow brain decline.

The MIND diet specifically limits red meat, butter and margarine, cheese, pastries and sweets, and fried or fast food. You should have fewer than 4 servings a week of red meat, less than a tablespoon of butter a day, and less than a serving a week of each of the following: whole-fat cheese, fried food, and fast food.

How Older Adults Can Stay Hydrated >

What makes dementia patients happy

From changes to one’s daily routine, music and art projects, brain games, and exercise and outdoor activities – there are many ways to make positive life changes through all stages of dementia.

What NOT to do with dementia patients

Here are some don’ts:

• Don’t reason
• Don’t argue
• Don’t confront
• Don’t remind them they forget
• Don’t question recent memory
• Don’t take it personally.

Things to avoid saying to somebody with dementia

• ‘Remember when…?’
• ‘I’ve just told you that’
• ‘Your brother died 10 years ago’
• ‘What did you do this morning?’
• ‘Do you recognise me?’

What helps slow down dementia

What Can You Do?

• Control high blood pressure
• Manage blood sugar
• Maintain a healthy weight
• Eat a healthy diet
• Keep physically active
• Stay mentally active
• Stay connected with family and friends
• Treat hearing problems.

What can trigger dementia

Causes

• Huntington disease
• Brain injury
• Multiple sclerosis
• Infections such as HIV/AIDS, syphilis, and Lyme disease
• Parkinson disease
• Pick disease
• Progressive supranuclear palsy
• Excess alcohol use.

What do people with dementia need most

Simple fixes, such as grab bars in the bathroom, carpets tacked down to prevent falls, and locked gun closets guard against accidents that drive people into nursing homes. In one study, Johns Hopkins researchers found that more than 90% of patient needs in those with dementia were home safety-related.

How to calm dementia patients at night

Bright light therapy in the evening can lessen sleep-wake cycle disturbances in people with dementia. Adequate lighting at night also can reduce agitation that can happen when surroundings are dark. Regular daylight exposure might address day and night reversal problems.

Does a person with dementia know they are confused

In the earlier stages, memory loss and confusion may be mild. The person with dementia may be aware of — and frustrated by — the changes taking place, such as difficulty recalling recent events, making decisions or processing what was said by others. In the later stages, memory loss becomes far more severe.

How to deal with an angry person with dementia

Tips for coping with agitation or aggression

1. Reassure the person
2. Allow the person to keep as much control in his or her life as possible
3. Try to keep a routine, such as bathing, dressing, and eating at the same time each day
4. Build quiet times into the day, along with activities.

What goes on in the mind of a person with dementia

People with dementia mostly think about the same things that others do, such as how their loved ones are doing, how they feel emotionally or physically, and other things that are happening in their day-to-day lives.

When is it time to put a dementia patient in a home

Personality changes or difficult behaviours.

According to the National Institute on Aging, hallucinations, delusions, paranoia and increased agitation are all symptoms of moderate-stage Alzheimer’s disease. Signs that it’s time to transition to residential care?

What can make dementia worse quickly

What triggers dementia to get worse? Dementia is a progressive disease, so it will gradually get worse over time. However, external factors, such as a brain injury or sudden change in routine, can trigger a sudden worsening of dementia symptoms.

Can a person recover from dementia

Currently, there is no cure for Alzheimer’s and related dementias. Some treatments may help manage symptoms for a period of time. However, a person’s condition will gradually decline and may result in death. That’s why planning and making decisions for your health care early on is important.

References and Further Reading

Images

• Featured image: Photo by Centre for Ageing Better: https://www.pexels.com/photo/elderly-men-sitting-at-desk-with-laptop-15377739/
• THE VASCULAR DEMENTIA TIMELINE EXPLAINED >

Content

• 7 Stages of Alzheimer’s Disease >
• Alzheimer’s Disease Fact Sheet – National Institute of Aging >
• Brain Foods That May Help Prevent Dementia >
• Dementia – Cleveland Clinic >
• Dementia – World Health Organization >
• Risk Factors for Dementia >