How To Treat Early Dementia

What Are The Cholinesterase Inhibitor Medications Called

Donepezil: originally patented as the brand name Aricept, but more widely available now as the generic Donepezil

Rivastigmine: originally patented as Exelon, and is now also available as other brands as well as generic Rivastigmine

Galantamine originally patented as Reminyl and is now also available as generic galantamine and the brands Reminyl XL, Acumor XL, Galsya XL and Gatalin XL.

Watch Out For False Alzheimers Cures

Although you might see commercials or online advertisements for products promising to improve brain health and prevent dementia, be cautious about such products. There currently is no product that will effectively prevent or treat Alzheimers or related dementias. Check with your doctor before trying any new medication or supplement.

Do Not Engage In Arguments

One of the worst things a person can do to an individual who has dementia is to start an argument or even force them to do something that makes them upset or angry. When the discussion or argument is too heated, it may be better to walk away to create an environment where everyone can remain calm. Experts agree that one of the ways that can yield results when it comes to dementia behavior problems is to get rid of the word no when dealing with patients. Avoid forcibly restraining a dementia sufferer at all costs.

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Who Is The Drug For And What Are The Benefits

The NICE guidance recommends use of Memantine for people with severe Alzheimers disease, and for those with moderate Alzheimers who may suffer significant side effects from cholinesterase inhibitor drugs.

For those in the middle and later stages of the disease it can slow down the progression of symptoms such as disorientation, as well as difficulties with daily activities .

There is some evidence that memantine may also help with symptoms such as aggression and delusion.

Healthy And Active Lifestyle Tips For People Living With Dementia

Participating in activities you enjoy and getting exercise may help you feel better, stay social, maintain a healthy weight, and have regular sleep habits.

Try these tips for a healthy and active lifestyle:

• Try to be physically active for at least 30 minutes on most or all days of the week. But be realistic about how much activity you can do at one time. Several short mini-workouts may be best.
• Aim for a mix of exercise types endurance, strength, balance, and flexibility. For example, you could do a mix of walking or dancing, lifting weights, standing on one foot, and stretching. Even everyday activities like household chores and gardening help you stay active.
• Your diet may need to change as dementia progresses to maintain a healthy weight. Talk with your doctor about the best diet for you, and choose nutritious foods such as fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and lean sources of protein and dairy products. Avoid added sugars, saturated fats, and sodium.
• Stay social by talking on the phone with family and friends, joining an online support group, or going for a walk in your neighborhood.

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Mild Cognitive Impairment And Dementia

Mild cognitive impairment is a controversial entity but remains a useful construct in terms of targeting interventions to prevent dementia. MCI detection relies largely on subjective memory complaint as a presenting symptom. However SMC is heterogeneous in its etiology and poorly predicts medium-term dementia risk. The differentiation of early dementia from MCI depends on the level of cognitive impairment and the resultant disability. Cognitive impairment in dementia causes significant impairment in instrumental activities of daily living and this is known to increase with time. Most diagnostic criteria use the resultant disability as an important differentiating feature. However reliance on informant reports can be problematic as that could be influenced by the social context, expectations of the informant and his or her ability to know and the current level of functioning of the older person.

Do Try And Identify The Trigger That Causes Behavior Change

After spending some time with a patient who has dementia, caregivers may be in a position to identify some of the things that make dementia sufferers yell, get physical, or change their mood. For some, it may be something simple such as taking a bath or even getting dressed.

The best approach to handle this is not to force the patient to do something that they do not want to do. Try and distract them with something else that allows them to relax and calm down. Once they are not a danger to themselves or anyone around them, try going back to the subject, but this time reassuringly and calmly.

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What To Do If A Loved One Is Suspicious Of Having Dementia

• Discuss with loved one. Talk about seeing a medical provider about the observed changes soon. Talk about the issue of driving and always carrying an ID.
• Medical assessment. Be with a provider that you are comfortable with. Ask about the Medicare Annual Wellness exam.
• Family Meeting. Start planning, and gather documents like the Health Care Directive, Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care, Estate Plan.

Natural Treatments For Early Stage Dementia

Dementia may seem like a natural part of growing older. There are an estimated 44 million people living with some form of dementia or Alzheimers today, but only one in four of these individuals are diagnosed with the disease. Males make up only one-third of the total patients with dementia, and over 200,000 people have early-onset Alzheimers or dementia that begins before the age of 65. African-Americans and Hispanics are particularly susceptible to the disease, with studies from the National Institute on Aging showing that the incidence of these diseases more than doubles as we age.

Individuals in the U.S. develop Alzheimers at the alarming rate of one every 33 seconds, and these diseases are in the top ten causes for American deaths. Even with this evidence of how strongly dementia and related diseases are impacting our vulnerable older adults, there are still only a handful of medications such as cholinesterase inhibitors and Memantine that are approved for their treatment. With these stats in hand, lets explore some natural treatments that may benefit individuals who are in the early stage of dementia.

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Severe Alzheimers Disease Treatment

Patients with severe Alzheimers disease may undergo the following treatments:

• Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors

Sometimes, people with more severe dementia experience challenging behaviour changes like sleep disturbances, aggression, delusions, and hallucinations. There are only two types of antipsychotic medicines that are suitable for those with behavioural issues associated with Alzheimers: those are risperidone, and haloperidol.

The side effects of these medications can be severe, so they are to be used sparingly and under strict supervision of a consultant psychiatrist who has assessed all of the relevant risk factors.

History Of Cognitive Changes

History taking is the main tool in eliciting and evaluating the nature and progression of cognitive decline. Choose an informant who knows about the person’s current and past personal, social and occupational functioning. A reliable informant should be interviewed separately in person. This will allow discussion of a certain information which may otherwise be difficult in the presence of the patient. While doing the assessments, one has to be mindful of the family’s culture, values, primary language, literacy level and also the decision making process. A thorough history should include details like the mode of onset of cognitive decline which affects multiple cognitive domains. The pattern progression, clinical manifestations of cognitive dysfunction, behavioral as well as personality changes will have to be enquired into.

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Treating Lewy Body Dementia Requires A Team Approach

Lewy body dementia, a category that includes Parkinsons dementia, is a complex disease involving thinking, memory, moving, sleep, and behavior as well as autonomic body functions the Lewy Body Dementia Association calls it a multisystem disease and finding the right treatment can require a team of physicians.

People with Lewy body dementia may also benefit from working with the following kinds of therapists:

• Physical therapists, to address movement issues through cardiovascular, strengthening, and flexibility exercises
• Speech therapists, to help manage problems having to do with low voice volume, voice projection, or swallowing
• Music or expressive arts therapists, to help patients manage anxiety and enhance overall well-being
• Mental health counselors, to help patients and their families cope with the emotional challenges of this dementia diagnosis
• Occupational therapists, to help develop strategies for everyday tasks, like bathing and eating
• Palliative care specialists, to improve quality of life by suggesting ways to relieve symptoms

Medication can also help, although some patients are exceptionally sensitive or may have a negative response to certain drugs.

Cholinesterase inhibitors, approved by the FDA to treat Alzheimers, can help with the cognitive symptoms of Lewy body dementia.

They may also help reduce hallucinations and delusions, although doctors warn the drugs take time to kick in, can cause side effects like nausea, and arent always effective.

The Role Of Secondary Care

Primary care is increasingly taking on a greater role in both the assessment and the long term care of people with dementia one multicentre randomised controlled trial found no evidence that specialist memory clinics were more effective than general practice services in providing post-diagnostic support.21 Secondary services have an important role in defining the dementia subtype, dealing with more complex cases, and stratifying which patients with mild cognitive impairment are at greatest risk of developing dementia and most in need of follow-up.

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Does Memory Loss Mean Dementia Is Starting

One common misbelief about memory loss is that it always means you or a loved one has dementia. There are many causes of memory loss. Memory loss alone doesnt necessarily confirm a diagnosis of dementia.

Its also true that some memory changes are normal as a person ages . However, this type of memory loss isnt functionally disabling meaning, it doesnt interfere with daily life.

Dementia interferes with your ability to function. Dementia isnt forgetting where you left your keys. A person with dementia can have situations like forgetting what keys are used for. Dementia isnt a normal part of aging.

Future Directions In Diagnosis Research

Considerable research effort is being put into the development of better tools for accurate and early diagnosis. Research continues to provide new insights that in the future may promote early detection and improved diagnosis of dementia, including:

• Better dementia assessment tests that are suitable for people from diverse educational, social, linguistic and cultural backgrounds.
• New computerised cognitive assessment tests which can improve the delivery of the test and simplify responses.
• Improved screening tools to allow dementia to be more effectively identified and diagnosed by GPs.
• The development of blood and spinal fluid tests to measure Alzheimers related protein levels and determine the risk of Alzheimers disease.
• The use of sophisticated brain imaging techniques and newly developed dyes to directly view abnormal Alzheimers protein deposits in the brain, yielding specific tests for Alzheimers disease.

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Can Dementia Be Prevented

Although dementia cant be prevented, living a health-focused life might reduce risk factors for certain types of dementia.

Keeping blood vessels clear of cholesterol buildup, maintaining normal blood pressure, maintaining healthy blood sugar levels, staying at a healthy weight basically, staying as healthy as you can can keep your brain fueled with the oxygen and nutrients it needs to function at its highest possible level. Specific healthful steps you can take include:

• Follow a Mediterranean diet, which is one filled with whole grains, vegetables, fruits, fish and shellfish, nuts, beans, olive oil and only limited amounts of red meats.
• Exercise. Get at least 30 minutes of exercise most days of the week.
• Keep your brain engaged. Solve puzzles, play word games and try other mentally stimulating activities. These activities may delay the start of dementia.
• Stay socially active. Interact with people, discuss current events, and keep your mind, heart and soul engaged.

What Are The Causes Of Dementia

Dementia is caused by damage to your brain. Dementia affects your brains nerve cells, which destroys your brains ability to communicate with its various areas. Dementia can also result from blocked blood flow to your brain, depriving it of needed oxygen and nutrients. Without oxygen and nutrients, brain tissue dies.

Damage to your brain results in different symptoms, depending on the area of your brain affected. Some dementias arent reversible and will worsen over time. Other dementias are due to other medical conditions that also affect your brain. Another group of health issues can result in dementia-like symptoms. Many of these conditions are treatable, and the dementia symptoms are reversible.

All of the possible causes of dementia are discussed in the question, Are there different types of dementia?

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Suggestion : Good Sleep Patterns

Sleep disturbances are a common side effect of dementia and usually make symptoms worse.

The best way to help these patients is to establish good sleep hygiene. Set a peaceful and relaxing mood in the evening. You can help your loved one by reading aloud or playing soothing music. Make sure their bedroom is at a comfortable temperature. Do your best to set a consistent sleep schedule, being mindful of how much sleep they need . Restrict naps to 20 minutes or less as these can greatly disrupt the sleep cycle its better to avoid them altogether if possible.

It also helps to avoid caffeinated drinks like tea and coffee, especially in the afternoon and evening, and to limit daytime naps.

If sleepless nights are a common occurrence, check their medication. Cholinesterase inhibitors, for example, which are prescribed for dementia patients, can cause insomnia. In this case, administering the medication earlier in the day rather than in the evening often helps, but its important to check with your doctor before making any changes.

Another option to consider is melatonin. Melatonin is a hormone involved in regulating sleep-wake cycles. As we get older, our bodies naturally produce less melatonin, and this is particularly exacerbated in dementia patients. Taking melatonin doesnt slow down disease progression or improve cognitive function, but it can help some patients get a better nights sleep.

What Is Dementia Symptoms Types And Diagnosis

On this page:

• Who can diagnose dementia?

Dementia is the loss of cognitive functioning thinking, remembering, and reasoning to such an extent that it interferes with a person’s daily life and activities. Some people with dementia cannot control their emotions, and their personalities may change. Dementia ranges in severity from the mildest stage, when it is just beginning to affect a person’s functioning, to the most severe stage, when the person must depend completely on others for basic activities of living.

Dementia is more common as people grow older but it is not a normal part of aging. Many people live into their 90s and beyond without any signs of dementia.

There are several different forms of dementia, including Alzheimers disease. A persons symptoms can vary depending on the type.

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Combine Physical Exercise And Cognitive Therapy At Neural Effects

One further option for dementia patients is to combine physical exercise and cognitive activities. This approach can improve attention, concentration, and cognitive function of patients living with mild cognitive impairment and dementia.

This is the strategy we follow at Neural Effects. Close interactions with our therapists during treatment also ensure some socialization for the patients. Physical exercise, cognitive activities, and social interactions are recognized as the three most effective ways to prevent cognitive decline and improve the sense of self-worth for dementia patients.

To start the process, our patients must undergo a neuropsychological test to determine what kind of cognitive issues are present.

This evaluation includes a series of tests to assess memory, attention, executive function, and language. We also assess patients for depression and anxiety. Once your assessment is done, we meet with you and your family members to discuss the results and suggest the best way forward.

If you decide to be treated at Neural Effects, our therapists can use a variety of different therapies based on the problems identified during your assessment. We can offer exercises targeting attention, memory, thinking skills, language, vision, and many more. All this is combined with sessions of aerobic exercise to boost the results.

Suggestion 1: Music Therapy

Music can touch the part of the brain where we hold our deepest memories, which is why its used as therapy for patients with dementia. This therapy has been shown to improve disruptive behaviors, reduce anxiety, and generally improve mental health and quality of life for dementia patients.

This is something that can easily be imitated at home. Pick something lively and up-tempo during the day to stimulate activity and something more relaxing in the evening as they prepare for bedtime.

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Behavioural Therapy For Dementia

Behavioural therapy works to understand the source of the behaviour, and then suggest alternative strategies to address the underlying cause.

For example, a person with dementia may have a history of wandering out of their home because they feel restless. Therefore, encouraging such people to find another outlet for their restlessness, such as regular physical activity, might address the problematic behaviour.

Behavioural therapy is not a solution to the many behavioural problems associated with dementia , but it is a useful tool in lessening their impact. Behavioural therapy is supervised by a healthcare professional, but can often be given by a trained friend or relative, usually the main family carer.

As in all treatments for any disease, everyone is different and reacts differently results can vary by day or even parts of days. It is, therefore, important to keep checking in with the medical team if you notice any changes in your parents behaviour. It may be possible to change the dementia drugs or try a new dementia therapy to support their condition as it progresses.

To help make sure you know what to look out for, weve put together a list of the most common early signs of dementia, which you can take a look at in more detail. You can also download our free guide to dementia for information on diagnosis, legal considerations and support available.

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