Everyone having elderly parents with dementia often do not know what to do. Many family members live abroad and might not even notice the slight and early signs of dementia. Forgetfulness and disorientation are seen as signs of ageing rather than symptoms of cognitive disorders.
Geriatric specialists recommend hiring a dementia care nurse when the first symptoms appear. This way, the following treatment steps can be planned appropriately, reducing family members’ anxiety.
Before we dive deep into the details of dementia treatment procedures in the elderly, let us know more about the symptoms and causes of dementia:
Symptoms of dementia
1. Memory loss
The early sign of dementia is memory loss. There is a constant pattern of forgetfulness. It may start with the simplest of tasks, but slowly the elderly person may forget prominent aspects of his life. Family members should prepare and not dismiss memory loss as a trivial sign of ageing.
2. Confusion in time and space
Another symptom of dementia seen in elderly patients is the inability to comprehend why someone might have done something differently than they did. This happens as the cognitive disorder slowly leads to zoning out and reducing spatial memory. Elderly patients might even forget the current time or space they are living in.
3. Problems with language
With the onset of dementia, speech impairments occur, and linguistic ability reduces. Elderly people have difficulty in word-finding or displaying different word choice patterns.
What causes dementia in people:
The reasons for Alzheimer’s and related dementia can vary, depending on the forms of brain changes that can be taking place. While studies have discovered that a few changes in the brain are related to certain types of dementia, in many cases, the underlying reasons are unknown.
Rare genetic mutations may also cause dementia in an enormously small number of people. Although there is no confirmed prevention, in general, leading a healthy way of life can also help reduce threat factors related to these diseases.
Treatment
Treatment for elderly dementia patients is like that of younger adults with Alzheimer’s disease. In some cases, treatment may help make the patient more comfortable and improve their quality of life while they live at home or in an assisted living facility. However, it is not always possible to reverse the symptoms of dementia in older adults.
- Medication: Many medications can be used to treat symptoms associated with dementia, including antidepressants such as Zoloft (sertraline), Prozac (fluoxetine), and Celexa (citalopram). Antipsychotics like risperidone and olanzapine are also used to reduce agitation or aggression associated with this disorder.
- Cognitive therapy: This therapy helps increase a person’s ability to think clearly by challenging incorrect beliefs about themselves or others around them. Hence, they become less fearful about these situations over time through repetition until the latest information becomes easier for them to learn without getting frustrated when trying something new under stressful circumstances where there may be no other options available besides repeating old habits before moving forward again towards another goal instead backing away from trying anything new because it might fail spectacularly if not done correctly the first time around.
Dementia Care Activities by Anvayaa
Here are certain activities executed by Anvayaa’s nurses to efficiently look after elderly patients with dementia disease:
1. Inform the elderly person about their condition
With the help of Anvayaa’s nurses and doctors, family members can inform and tell their elderly parents about the conditions of their disease. Both caregivers and family members should explain the treatment process in detail and encourage their elderly parents that they will support to combat any situation. Compassion is the first step to combat any health situation, and Anvayaa’s dementia care specialists and patient caretakers thoroughly believe in this ethos
2. Gradual progression of activities
Rather than treating them as patients with medications, Anvayaa’s dementia care includes holistically assisting elderly people with dementia. While caring for elderly dementia patients at home, our nurses introduce leisure activities such as reading, playing with pets, and gardening. This helps to reduce anxiety and improve serotonin levels.
3. Ensuring safety
Anvayaa’s nurses and caretakers understand the importance of safety for dementia patients. The home is one of the safest places; however, it can become hazardous for elderly patients with dementia if precautions are not taken.
Our nurses help the dementia patient in the bathroom or walking up the stairs to prevent falling. They ensure all sharp and electrical objects are kept away to avoid accidental self-harm.
Conclusion
Anvayaa is an expert in elderly dementia care and is always ready for any challenging situation. As children, you need to be able to care for your elderly parents with dementia and be prepared for the long haul.
Elderly patients with dementia require medical care and compassion. They need to be emotionally engaged with leisure care to sleep into depression.
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