Dementia Assessment Recommendations for Family and Medical Staff

• Definition
  • Dementia (Memory Loss) Facts
  • What Is Dementia?
• vs. Alzheimer's
  • Are Dementia, Senility, and Alzheimer's Disease the Same Things?
• Warning Signs
  • What Are Early Warning Signs and Symptoms of Dementia?
  • What Are Intermediate Signs and Symptoms of Dementia?
  • What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Late or Severe Dementia?
• Stages
  • What Are the 7 Stages of Dementia?
• Causes
  • What Causes Dementia?
  • What Are the Irreversible Causes of Dementia?
  • What Are Potentially Treatable Causes of Dementia?
• Treatment
  • Is At that place a Exam to Diagnose Dementia?
  • What Is the Treatment for Dementia?
  • While at Home, What Can I Do to Help my Loved One with Symptoms of Dementia?
  • What Medications Care for Dementia Symptoms?
  • What Diseases or Conditions May Worsen Dementia?
  • What Is the Treatment for Symptoms and Complications of Dementia?
  • When to Seek Medical Care if Yous Think Yous or Someone You Know May Have Dementia?
  • Which Specialties of Doctors Treat Dementia?
  • What Is the Life Expectancy for a Person with Dementia?
  • Can Dementia Be Prevented?
• More Info
  • Support groups and counseling for caregivers
• Guide
  • Dementia (Loss of Memory) Topic Guide
  • Doctor's Notes on Dementia Overview Symptoms

Dementia (Memory Loss) Facts

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• Dementia is a decline and/or loss of memory, reasoning, judgment, behavior, linguistic communication and other mental abilities that are not a part of normal aging; it unremarkably progressively worsens over time.
• Dementia, senility, and Alzheimer's disease are not the same things. In general, there are many causes of dementia, but all dementia diseases result from dysfunction of a person'southward cerebral cortex, direct or indirectly.
• There are irreversible, and potentially reversible causes of dementia.
• Early signs and symptoms of dementia may go unrecognized, but the beginning sign is usually loss of:
• Short-term memory.
  • Personality changes.
  • Mood swings.
  • Poor judgment.
  • Paranoia or suspiciousness.
  • Some of the intermediate signs and symptoms of dementia include:
  • Worsening of early on dementia symptoms.
  • Abnormal moods.
  • Fabrication of memories to fill the retentiveness gaps.
  • Inability to learn new information.
• Some of the later signs and symptoms of dementia include:
  • Worsening of the intermediate signs and symptoms of dementia.
  • Inability to walk or move to place to place unassisted.
  • Complete loss of short and long-term memory.
• There are 7 stages of dementia based on the Global deterioration scale (Reisberg Calibration). However, other dementia stages or scales exist that draw between 3 and 5 stages, simply they all accept similar symptoms and signs.
• Generalized treatment for dementia involves medical care and twenty-four hours-to-24-hour interval care past family members. In many cases, family members can help loved ones handle dementia symptoms at abode.
• Dementia treatment as well tin can focus on correcting all reversible factors and slowing irreversible factors of dementia, for example, correcting drug doses, treating symptoms, treating depression, and treating specific medical disorders such as heart affliction and diabetes. Certain medications such as cholinesterase inhibitors and others may help reduce symptoms. Surgery is reserved for specific conditions that may improve the individual's status such as removal of a brain tumor.
• Occupational and physical therapy may improve some symptoms of dementia.
• Currently, there is no known way to foreclose irreversible dementia. Some reversible dementia cases may be prevented or slowed by maintaining a healthy lifestyle (avoiding excessive use of booze, smoking and/or substance abuse, and avoiding infections that may affect the brain).
• Life expectancy for someone with dementia averages nearly eight years after initial diagnosis, and may range from about 3 to 20 years.

What Is Dementia?

Dementia is a decline or loss of reasoning, retentiveness, and other mental abilities (the cognitive functions such as judgment, thinking, behavior, and language) and is non a normal function of aging. This decline is progressive and eventually impairs the ability to carry out everyday activities such as driving; household chores; and even personal care such as bathing, dressing, and feeding (often called activities of daily living).

According to World Wellness System (WHO) statistics, about 47 1000000 people worldwide have dementia, with a projected increment to 75 million by 2030 with virtually 10 million new cases each year.

Are Dementia, Senility, and Alzheimer's Disease the Same Things?

• Dementia occurs most usually in elderly people; it used to be chosen senility and/or senile dementia, and was considered a normal part of aging. Afflicted people were labeled as demented. The term "senile dementia" is infrequently used in the current medical literature and has been replaced by the term "dementia."
• "Senile dementia," "senility," and "demented" are older outdated terms that incorrectly label people with memory loss, defoliation and other symptoms equally a normal office of aging.
• Dementia, every bit defined above, is a constellation of ongoing symptoms that are not part of normal crumbling (fifty-fifty though it occurs almost oftentimes in older individuals) that take a big number of different causes, for example, Alzheimer's affliction is the major cause of dementia in individuals (about 60%-lxx%) but information technology is only ane of many problems that can cause dementia.

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What Are Early Warning Signs and Symptoms of Dementia?

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Symptoms of dementia vary considerably by the individual and the underlying crusade of the dementia. Well-nigh people affected by dementia have some (just not all) of these symptoms. The symptoms may be very obvious, or they may be very subtle and go unrecognized for some time. The start sign of dementia is commonly loss of brusk-term memory. The person repeats what he merely said or forgets where she put an object just a few minutes ago. Other symptoms and signs are as follows:

Early dementia symptoms and signs

• Word-finding difficulty: May be able to compensate by using synonyms or defining the give-and-take
• Forgetting names, appointments, or whether or non the person has done something; losing things
• Difficulty performing familiar tasks: Driving, cooking a repast, household chores, managing personal finances
• Personality changes (for example, sociable person becomes withdrawn or a quiet person is coarse and giddy)
• Uncharacteristic behavior
• Mood swings, oft with cursory periods of acrimony or rage
• Poor judgment
• Behavior disorders: Paranoia and suspiciousness
• Decline in level of functioning but able to follow established routines at home
• Defoliation, disorientation in unfamiliar surround: May wander, trying to return to familiar surroundings
• Difficulty or disability to multitask

What Are Intermediate Signs and Symptoms of Dementia?

• Worsening of symptoms seen in early dementia, with less ability to compensate
• Unable to acquit out activities of daily living (for example, bathing, dressing, training, feeding, using the toilet) without help
• Disrupted slumber (oftentimes napping in the daytime, upward at night)
• Unable to learn new information
• Increasing disorientation and defoliation even in familiar surroundings
• Greater risk of falls and accidents due to poor judgment and confusion
• Behavior disorders: Paranoid delusions, aggressiveness, agitation, inappropriate sexual behavior
• Hallucinations
• Confabulation (in chat, filling in memory gaps with imitation information)
• Inattention, poor concentration, loss of interest in the outside globe
• Abnormal moods (anxiety, depression)

What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Tardily or Severe Dementia?

• Worsening of symptoms seen in early and intermediate dementia
• Complete dependence on others for activities of daily living
• May be unable to walk or motility from place to place unassisted
• Harm of other movements such every bit swallowing: Increases risk of malnutrition, choking, and aspiration (inhaling foods and beverages, saliva, or fungus into lungs)
• Complete loss of brusque- and long-term memory: May be unable to recognize fifty-fifty close relatives and friends
• Complications: Dehydration, malnutrition, problems with bladder command, infections, aspiration, seizures, pressure level sores, injuries from accidents or falls

The person may non exist enlightened of these problems, especially the beliefs bug. This is especially true in the later stages of dementia.

Low in elderly people can crusade dementia-like symptoms. Virtually 40% of people with dementia are also depressed. Mutual symptoms of depression include depressed mood, loss of involvement in activities one time enjoyed, withdrawal from others, slumber disturbances, weight proceeds or loss, suicidal thoughts, feelings of worthlessness, and loss of power to recollect clearly or concentrate.

People with irreversible or untreated dementia present a slow, gradual decline in mental functions and movements over several years. Full dependence and decease, oft from infection, are the concluding stages.

What Are the 7 Stages of Dementia?

Global Deterioration Scale for Cess of Primary Degenerative Dementia (GDS) (also known as the Reisberg Calibration)

Global Deterioration Scale for Assessment of Primary Degenerative Dementia (GDS)

Stage	Diagnosis	Dementia Symptoms and Signs
Stage 1: No cerebral decline	No dementia	In stage ane, the person functions normally, has no memory loss, and is mentally good for you. People with no dementia would be considered to be in Stage 1.
Stage ii: Very mild cognitive pass up	No dementia	Phase 2 is used to describe normal forgetfulness associated with crumbling; for example, forgetfulness of names and where familiar objects similar keys were left. Symptoms are non axiomatic to loved ones, family unit or the patient's physician.
Stage 3: Mild cognitive reject	no dementia	This stage includes increased forgetfulness, slight difficulty concentrating and some decreased piece of work performance. People may become lost more oftentimes or have difficulty finding the right words. At this stage, a person's loved ones and family volition brainstorm to detect a refuse in problem solving and traveling to new places. Note that other researchers may include this stage in either early stage or stage 1 of iii stages (early on, moderate or astringent staging systems).
Phase 4: Moderate cognitive decline	Early-phase dementia	Stage 4 includes difficulty concentrating, decreased memory of contempo events, and difficulties managing finances and/or traveling alone to new locations. People have trouble completing complex tasks and may exist in denial about their mental abilities. They may also start withdrawing from family or friends because socialization becomes hard. A medico can detect articulate cognitive issues during a patient interview, concrete examination and dementia testing.
Phase 6: Moderately severe cognitive refuse	Mid-stage dementia	People in stage five have major retentiveness deficiencies and need some assistance to complete their daily activities (for example, dressing, bathing, preparing meals). Memory loss is prominent and may include major relevant ongoing memory problems; for example, people may not call back their address or phone number and may non know the time or day or where they are currently.
Stage 6: Severe cognitive turn down (eye dementia)	Mid-stage dementia	People in phase vi require extensive assistance to conduct out daily activities like dressing themselves. They start to forget names of close family unit members and have niggling memory of contempo events. Many patients tin can remember only some details of earlier life. They also accept difficulty counting down from ten and finishing tasks. Incontinence (loss of bladder or bowel control) is a problem in this phase. Ability to speak declines. Personality changes, such as delusions (believing something to exist truthful that is not), compulsions (repeating a uncomplicated beliefs, such equally cleaning), or anxiety and agitation may occur.
Stage 7: Very severe cerebral pass up	Late-stage dementia	People in this stage have essentially no ability to speak or communicate. They require assist with well-nigh common daily activities (e.g., using the toilet, eating). They ofttimes lose psychomotor skills, for case, the ability to walk or to sit in a chair.

What Causes Dementia?

Dementia has many different causes, some of which are hard to tell apart. Many medical conditions can crusade dementia symptoms, specially in older people.

• The causes of dementia include diverse diseases and infections, strokes, caput injuries, drugs, and nutritional deficiencies.
• All dementias reflect dysfunction in the cerebral cortex, the function of the brain that controls perception, retentivity, thoughts, language, and consciousness. Some disease processes damage the cortex directly; others disrupt subcortical areas of the brain that usually regulate the part of the cortex.
• When the underlying procedure does non permanently damage the cortical tissue, the dementia may sometimes be stopped or reversed.
• In classifying dementias, medical professionals may either separate the causes into cortical or subcortical dementias or into reversible and irreversible dementias.

What Are the Irreversible Causes of Dementia?

The primary irreversible causes of dementia are described here. These harm brain cells in both cortical and subcortical areas. Treatment focuses on slowing progress of the underlying condition and relieving symptoms.

• Alzheimer's disease: This is the nearly common cause of dementia, accounting for almost half of all cases. Alzheimer'southward illness is at least partly hereditary in that it tends to run in families. (Only because a relative has Alzheimer's disease, withal, does not mean that another family member volition have the disease.) In this illness, abnormal poly peptide deposits in the brain destroy cells in the areas of the encephalon that control memory and mental functions. People with Alzheimer's affliction also take lower-than-normal levels of brain chemicals called neurotransmitters that command important brain functions. Alzheimer'due south disease is not reversible, and no known cure exists. However, certain medications tin irksome its progress.
• Dementia with Lewy bodies: This is acquired by abnormal microscopic deposits of protein, called Lewy bodies, which destroy nerve cells. These deposits tin can cause symptoms typical of Parkinson'southward disease, such as tremor and muscle rigidity, as well equally dementia similar to that of Alzheimer'due south disease. Lewy body dementia affects thinking, attending, and concentration more than memory and language. Like Alzheimer's disease, Lewy trunk dementia is not reversible and has no known cure. The drugs used to treat Alzheimer'due south illness too benefit some people with Lewy body disease.
• Vascular dementia: This is the second nearly common cause of dementia, accounting for as many equally 40% of cases. This dementia is caused by atherosclerosis, or "hardening of the arteries," in the brain. Deposits of fats, dead cells, and other debris form on the inside of arteries, partially (or completely) blocking blood flow. These blockages cause multiple strokes, or interruptions of blood flow, to the brain. Considering this interruption of claret flow is also called "infarction," this type of dementia is sometimes called multi-infarct dementia. Ane subtype whose origin is not well understood is Binswanger disease. Vascular dementia is related to high claret pressure, loftier cholesterol, heart disease, diabetes, and related conditions. Treating those conditions can dull the progress of vascular dementia, but functions do not come dorsum once they are lost.
• Parkinson'southward affliction: People with this affliction typically have limb stiffness (which causes them to shuffle when they walk), speech problems, and tremor (shaking at rest). Dementia may develop late in the illness, but not everyone with Parkinson'due south affliction has dementia. Reasoning, memory, speech, and judgment are most likely to be afflicted.
• Huntington's illness: This inherited disease causes wasting of certain types of brain cells that control movement besides as thinking. Dementia is common and occurs in the late stages of the disease. Personality changes are typical. Reasoning, retentivity, speech, and judgment may likewise be affected.
• Creutzfeldt-Jakob affliction: This rare illness occurs most often in immature and middle-aged adults. Infectious agents called prions invade and kill brain cells, leading to behavior changes and retentivity loss. The disease progresses rapidly and is fatal.
• Pick disease (frontotemporal dementia): Frontotemporal dementia is another rare disorder that damages cells in the frontal and/or temporal part of the brain. Behavior and personality changes usually precede retention loss and language problems.
• Parkinson'south disease and Huntington's disease begin in subcortical areas. They cause the subcortical blazon of dementia.
• Multiple sclerosis: In this condition, brain and spinal cord cells are damaged past an autoimmune procedure. Dementia can event in some people.
• Untreated brain infections (for example, HIV, Lyme disease) damage brain cells past forming lesions and trigger inflammatory responses that impairment or kill encephalon cells.
• CTE dementia (chronic traumatic encephalopathy) is associated with repeated blows to the caput that result over time (years) with behavioral, memory, personality and thinking problems.
• Mixed dementia is a combination of Alzheimer's and vascular dementia symptoms.
• Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome is characterized by signs and symptoms of confusion, ataxia, vision changes, coma due to lack of vitamin B1, frequently associated with alcoholism.

What Are Potentially Treatable Causes of Dementia?

The dementia in treatable conditions may be reversible or partially reversible, even if the underlying disease or damage is not. However, readers should note that if underlying brain damage is extensive or severe, these causes may be classified as irreversible by the individual's physician(s).

• Head injury: This refers to brain harm from accidents, such as motor vehicle wrecks and falls; from assaults, such as gunshot wounds or beatings; or from activities such as battle without protective gear. The resulting harm of brain cells tin lead to dementia.
• Infections: Infections of encephalon structures, such as meningitis and encephalitis, tin be primary causes of dementia. Other infections, such equally HIV/AIDS and syphilis, can bear on the encephalon permanently in later stages. In all infection cases, inflammation in the encephalon damages cells.
• Normal pressure level hydrocephalus: The brain floats in a clear fluid chosen cerebrospinal fluid. This fluid likewise fills internal spaces in the encephalon called cerebral ventricles. If too much fluid collects exterior the brain, information technology causes hydrocephalus. This condition raises the fluid pressure inside the skull and compresses brain tissue from exterior. Information technology may cause severe damage and death. If fluid builds upward in the ventricles, the fluid pressure remains normal ("normal pressure hydrocephalus"), just encephalon tissue is compressed from within.
• Simple hydrocephalus: Simple hydrocephalus may cause typical dementia symptoms or lead to coma. In normal pressure level hydrocephalus, people take trouble walking and get incontinent (unable to control urination) at the same time they start to lose mental functions, such as retentivity. If normal pressure hydrocephalus is diagnosed early on, the internal fluid pressure may exist decreased by putting in a shunt. This tin can cease the dementia, the gait problems, and the incontinence from getting worse.
• Encephalon tumors: Tumors can cause dementia symptoms in a number of means. A tumor can press on structures within the encephalon such every bit the hypothalamus or pituitary gland, which command hormone secretion. They can besides press direct on brain cells, damaging them. Treating the tumor, either medically or surgically, can opposite the symptoms in some cases.
• Toxic exposure: People who work around solvents or heavy metal dust and fumes (atomic number 82 especially) without acceptable protective equipment may develop dementia from the damage these substances can cause to brain cells. Some exposures can be treated, and avoiding further exposure can prevent further damage.
• Metabolic disorders: Diseases of the liver, pancreas, or kidneys can pb to dementia by disrupting the balances of salts (for example, sodium and calcium) and other chemicals (like low glucose levels) in the blood. Often, these changes occur rapidly and affect the person'due south level of consciousness. This is called delirium. Although the person with delirium, like the person with dementia, cannot think well or remember, treatment of the underlying disease may fully contrary the status. If the underlying affliction persists, however, brain cells may die, and the person will have dementia.
• Hormone disorders: Disorders of hormone-secreting and hormone-regulating organs such equally the thyroid gland, the parathyroid glands, the pituitary gland, or the adrenal glands can lead to hormone imbalances, which tin cause dementia if not corrected.
• Poor oxygenation (hypoxia): People who practice non take enough oxygen in their blood may develop dementia because the blood brings oxygen to the brain cells, and brain cells need oxygen to live. The virtually common causes of hypoxia are lung diseases such equally emphysema or pneumonia. These limit oxygen intake or transfer of oxygen from the airways of the lungs to the blood. Cigarette smoking is a frequent cause of emphysema. It tin worsen hypoxic encephalon damage by damaging the lungs and also past increasing the levels of carbon monoxide in the blood. Centre disease leading to congestive centre failure may likewise lower the amount of oxygen in the blood. Sudden, severe hypoxia may also crusade brain impairment and symptoms of dementia. Sudden hypoxia may occur if someone is comatose or has to be resuscitated.
• Drug reactions, overuse, or abuse: Some drugs can cause temporary problems with retentivity and concentration as side effects in elderly people. Misuse of prescription drugs over time, whether intentional or accidental, can cause dementia. The well-nigh common culprits are sleeping pills and tranquilizers. Other drugs that cause dry mouth, constipation, and sedation ("anticholinergic side effects") may cause dementia or dementia symptoms. Illegal drugs, especially cocaine (which affects apportionment and may cause small strokes) and heroin (which is very anticholinergic) may also cause dementia, specially in loftier doses, if taken for long periods, or in older people. The withdrawal of the drug usually reverses the symptoms.
• Nutritional deficiencies: Deficiencies of certain nutrients, especially B vitamins such as low levels of vitamin B12 or B1, can cause dementia if not corrected.
• Chronic alcoholism: Dementia in people with chronic alcoholism is believed to consequence from other complications such equally liver disease and nutritional deficiencies.

Is There a Exam to Diagnose Dementia?

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At that place is no specific test for dementia. However, dementia may exist diagnosed if at to the lowest degree two of the following core mental functions are significantly impaired, according to some researchers:

• Retention
• Communication/linguistic communication
• Attentiveness/focus on a problem or subject
• Reasoning/Judgment
• Visual perception

In some people, the signs and symptoms of dementia are easily recognized; in others, they can be very subtle. A careful and thorough evaluation is needed to place their true cause.

• The individual'southward health-care professional will conduct a detailed medical interview to develop a picture of the symptoms. The interview will accost the symptoms and when they began, the person'south medical problems at present and in the past, family medical issues, medications, piece of work and travel history, and habits and lifestyle.
• Family members, specially those who alive with the affected person, will also be asked almost his or her symptoms.
• The review of medications is very important, especially for seniors, who are more likely to take several medications and to feel side effects.
• A thorough concrete examination will expect for testify of illness and dysfunction that might shed light on what is causing the symptoms.
• This evaluation is designed to identify reversible, treatable causes of dementia symptoms.
• At any point in the evaluation or treatment, the person with dementia may be referred to specialists in conditions of older people (geriatricians), in brain disorders (neurologists), or in mental disorders (psychiatrists).

An assessment of dementia symptoms should include a mental condition evaluation. This evaluation uses diverse "pencil and paper," "talking," and physical tests to identify encephalon dysfunction. A more than thorough blazon of testing, performed past a psychologist, is called neuropsychologic testing.

• Mental status examination or neuropsychological testing pinpoints the nature and measures the severity of the person's mental issues. This can help give a more than accurate diagnosis of the bug and, thus, can help in treatment planning.
• Testing includes noting the individual's appearance, mood, feet level, and experience of delusions or hallucinations.
• Dementia testing assesses cognitive abilities such every bit retentivity, attention, orientation to time and place, use of language, and abilities to bear out various tasks and follow instructions, but in that location is no definitive test for dementia.
• Reasoning, abstract thinking, and problem solving are also tested.

Lab tests may exist used to place or rule out possible causes of dementia.

• Routine claret tests include a complete blood cell (CBC) count, blood chemistry, liver function tests, thyroid role tests, and vitamin B levels (specially folic acid and vitamin B-12), ammonia level, and detection of drugs of abuse.
• Other blood tests (for example, syphilis and HIV testing, levels of intoxicating drugs, arterial blood gases [in hypoxia], specific hormone tests like thyroid function tests, or measurement of heavy metals) are used simply when a person is at high risk for specific conditions.
• Urine tests may be needed to assess blood abnormalities further, to detect certain drugs, or to dominion out certain kidney and metabolic disorders.
• Cerebrospinal fluid testing may exist necessary to dominion out brain infections, brain tumors, and hydrocephalus with elevated fluid pressure. A sample of the fluid is obtained by a procedure called a lumbar puncture (spinal tap), in which a long needle is inserted betwixt two vertebrae of the spine at the lower back.

In some cases, imaging studies of the encephalon may be necessary to detect conditions such as normal pressure level hydrocephalus, brain tumor, or infarction or haemorrhage in the brain.

• CT scan is usually adequate, although MRI may exist used if greater detail is needed.
• Single-photon emission CT (SPECT) imaging detects claret catamenia in the brain and is used in some medical centers to distinguish Alzheimer's disease from vascular dementia.
• Electroencephalography (EEG) is not an imaging written report merely a recording of the electric activity in unlike parts of the encephalon. It is used in people who are having seizures but may aid diagnose other disorders as well.

What Is the Treatment for Dementia?

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Although an individual with dementia should ever be under medical intendance, family members handle much of the mean solar day-to-day care. Medical intendance should focus on optimizing the individual's wellness and quality of life while helping family members cope with the many challenges of caring for a loved one with dementia. Medical intendance depends on the underlying status, but information technology most often consists of medications and nondrug treatments such as behavioral therapy.

However, early investigation into the cause of dementia symptoms is urged because, as mentioned previously in the causes of dementia section. There are some weather that when adequately treated may either limit or reverse dementia.

While at Home, What Can I Exercise to Help my Loved One with Symptoms of Dementia?

Many people with dementia in the early and intermediate stages are able to live independently.

• With regular checks by a local relative or friend, they are able to live without constant supervision.
• Those who accept difficulty with activities of daily living require at least part-time help from a family caregiver or domicile wellness aide.
• Visiting nurses can brand sure that these individuals take their medications as directed.
• Housekeeping help is available for those who cannot go along up with household chores.

Other affected individuals require closer supervision or more constant assistance.

• Circular-the-clock help in the home is available, only it is too expensive for many.
• Individuals who crave this level of assistance may demand to move from their home to the home of a family caregiver or to an assisted-living facility.
• Many families prefer these options considering they give the individual the greatest possible independence and quality of life.

For individuals who are able to remain at dwelling house or to retain some degree of contained living, maintaining a familiar and safe environment is important.

• The individual must be comfortable and condom if he or she is to keep to function independently.
• Minor modifications of the home may be needed. Most important is to forbid falls and accidents. Getting rid of area rugs and putting grab bars in the shower and mats in the tub are piece of cake of import steps to brand the surround safe. Sometimes, disabling the stove or using child proof knobs may be necessary to prevent cooking accidents.
• The balance between condom and independence must be assessed often. If necessary, changes must exist made to keep the individual rubber.

Individuals with dementia should remain physically, mentally, and socially agile.

• Daily physical do helps the trunk and mind function and maintains a healthy weight. Do tin can be equally simple every bit a daily walk.
• The individual should appoint in every bit much mental activity as he or she tin can handle. Mental activity is believed to wearisome the progress of some types of dementia. Puzzles, games, reading, and safe hobbies and crafts are skillful choices.
• Social interaction is stimulating and enjoyable for most people with dementia. Most senior centers or community centers have scheduled activities, such equally parties and clubs that are suitable for those with dementia.

A counterbalanced diet that includes low-fat poly peptide foods and plenty of fruits and vegetables helps maintain a healthy weight and prevents malnutrition and constipation. An individual with dementia should non smoke, both for health and for safety reasons. As a caregiver, make sure to have care of yourself.

What Medications Treat Dementia Symptoms?

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Dementia treatment focuses on correcting all reversible factors and slowing irreversible factors. Some of the important drug treatment strategies in dementia are described. Except for the cholinesterase inhibitors, the U.S. Food and Drug Assistants (FDA) has non approved any drug specifically for dementia. The drugs listed here are some of the most ofttimes prescribed from each class.

• Cholinesterase inhibitors: tacrine (Cognex), donepezil (Aricept), rivastigmine (Exelon), galantamine/galanthamine (Razadyne), memantine (Namenda)
• Antipsychotics: haloperidol (Haldol), risperidone (Risperdal), quetiapine (Seroquel), olanzapine (Zyprexa), ziprasidone (Geodon)
• Antidepressants/anxiolytics: Fluoxetine (Prozac), sertraline (Zoloft), paroxetine (Paxil), citalopram (Celexa)
• Anticonvulsants: Valproic acid (Depakote), carbamazepine (Tegretol) gabapentin (Neurontin), lamotrigine (Lamictal)
• Stimulants: Methylphenidate (Ritalin)

Slowing the progression of dementia

Dementia due to some conditions, such as Alzheimer's disease, can sometimes exist slowed in the early-to-intermediate stages with medication. Many dissimilar types of medications have been or are being tried in dementia. The medications that take worked the all-time so far are the cholinesterase inhibitors.

• Cholinesterase is an enzyme that breaks down a chemical in the brain called acetylcholine. Acetylcholine acts as an of import messaging organisation in the brain.
• Cholinesterase inhibitors, by stopping the breakdown of this neurotransmitter, increase the amount of acetylcholine in the encephalon of a person with dementia and amend brain function.
• These drugs not merely meliorate or stabilize mental functions, but they may too have positive effects on behavior and activities of daily living.
• They are non a cure for dementia, and in many people the effect is fairly modest. In others, these drugs do not have much of a noticeable upshot. Moreover, the effects are temporary, since these drugs practice not change the underlying medical status.
• Another drug, memantine (Namenda), which works in a dissimilar mode, is showing hope in certain types of dementia.

Treating depression

Because depression is so mutual in people with dementia, treatment of depression tin can at least partially relieve symptoms.

• Depression is usually treated with any of a group of drugs known every bit antidepressants.
• The most important of these are the drugs known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), for example, Fluoxetine (Prozac, Sarafem), sertraline (Zoloft), paroxetine (Paxil, Paxil CR, Pexeva), citalopram (Celexa).
• Stimulant drugs such every bit methylphenidate (used to treat attention deficit disorders in children) may sometimes exist used to care for low in people with dementia.
• Some of the medications that care for depression also help with anxiety.

Correcting drug doses and/or withdrawing misused drugs

Many seniors require ongoing medications for chronic conditions such equally heart failure, loftier blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, prostate enlargement, and many others.

• Reviewing these medications can reveal incorrect doses, drug interactions, side effects, or poor compliance (taking drugs inappropriately or not at all) that could be responsible for part or all of the person'southward dementia symptoms.
• Adjustment of doses, elimination of interactions, and development of a drug-taking regimen to ensure that the person takes his or her drugs as prescribed can help contrary symptoms.

All drugs cause side effects. In prescribing a drug, doctors weigh whether the benefits of the drug outweigh the side furnishings. Seniors are especially likely to feel drug side furnishings. People with dementia who are taking any of these drugs must be checked oftentimes to brand sure that the side effects are tolerable.

What Diseases or Weather condition May Worsen Dementia?

Treatable disorders revealed by the diagnostic evaluation should receive prompt attention.

• Common, treatable weather condition that cause or worsen dementia include high blood pressure level, high cholesterol, eye affliction, diabetes, infections, head injuries, brain tumors, hydrocephalus, anemia, hypoxia, hormone imbalances, and nutritional deficiencies.
• Treatment varies past disorder, only some treatments (for case, stopping infections, correcting electrolyte or glucose levels) may rapidly reverse the dementia symptoms.

What Is the Treatment for Symptoms and Complications of Dementia?

Some symptoms and complications of dementia can be relieved by medical treatment, fifty-fifty if no handling exists for the underlying cause of the dementia.

• Behavioral disorders may improve with individualized therapy aimed at identifying and changing specific problem behaviors.
• Mood swings and emotional outbursts may exist treated with mood-stabilizing drugs.
• Agitation and psychosis (hallucinations and delusions) may be treated with antipsychotic medication or, in some cases, anticonvulsants.
• Seizures unremarkably require anticonvulsant medication.
• Sleeplessness can be treated by changing certain habits and, in some cases, by taking medication.
• Bacterial infections require treatment with antibiotics.
• Dehydration and malnutrition may be treated with rehydration and supplements or with behavioral therapies.
• Aspiration, pressure level sores, and injuries can be prevented with advisable care.

When to Seek Medical Care if You lot Think You or Someone Yous Know May Have Dementia?

A person affected with dementia may non be enlightened he or she has a trouble. Virtually people with dementia are brought to medical attention by a caring relative or friend. Any of the following warrant a visit to the person's health intendance professional person.

• Marked loss of brusk-term memory
• Behavior or personality changes
• Inappropriate or uncharacteristic behavior
• Depressed mood
• Marked mood swings
• Inability to carry out daily tasks such equally bathing, dressing, feeding, using the toilet, or household chores
• Carelessness in personal hygiene
• Persistent discussion-finding difficulties
• Persistent or frequent poor judgment
• Persistent or frequent confusion or disorientation, particularly in familiar situations
• Inability to manage personal finances

Which Specialties of Doctors Treat Dementia?

In addition to the patient's primary intendance doctor, neurologists, gerontologists, neuropsychologists and some psychiatrists may diagnose and care for patients with dementia. If the patient has a potentially treatable crusade similar an infection or tumor, various other specialists may be consulted.

What Is the Life Expectancy for a Person with Dementia?

The outlook for most types of dementia is poor unless the crusade is an early recognized reversible condition. Irreversible or untreated dementia unremarkably continues to worsen over time. The condition normally progresses over years until the person's expiry. Life expectancy after diagnosis averages virtually 8-ten years with a range from about 3-twenty years.

Making decisions about cease-of-life care is important.

• The earlier in the disease these issues are discussed, the more likely the person with dementia will be able to express his or her wishes about medical intendance at the stop of life.
• The bug may be presented past your health care professional. If not, ask about them.
• These issues include use of aggressive interventions and infirmary care, artificial feeding, and medical treatment for medical illnesses.
• These issues should be discussed by family members and decisions made about how to deal with them when the time comes.
• The decisions should be documented in the person's medical records.

Can Dementia Be Prevented?

No known style to prevent irreversible dementia or even many types of reversible dementia exists. The following may help prevent certain types of dementia:

• Maintaining a healthy lifestyle that includes a balanced nutrition, regular exercise, moderate use of alcohol, and no smoking or substance corruption
• Taking precautions to prevent infections (such every bit practicing prophylactic sex)
• Using protective equipment such as a seat belt or motorcycle helmet to prevent head injury

The following may allow early treatment and at to the lowest degree fractional reversal of dementia:

• Being alert for symptoms and signs that advise dementia
• Early recognition of underlying medical conditions, such equally hypoxia, HIV infection, depression glucose levels, or low sodium levels

Back up groups and counseling for caregivers

Caring for a person with dementia can be very difficult. It affects every attribute of your life, including family unit relationships, work, financial status, social life, and physical and mental health. Yous may experience unable to cope with the demands of caring for a dependent, difficult relative. Besides the sadness of seeing the effects of your loved one's illness, you may feel frustrated, overwhelmed, resentful, and angry. These feelings may, in turn, go out yous feeling guilty, aback, and broken-hearted. Depression in caregivers is not uncommon.

Dissimilar caregivers have dissimilar thresholds for tolerating these challenges. For many caregivers, just "venting" or talking nearly the frustrations of caregiving can be enormously helpful. Others need more than only may experience uneasy about asking for the help they need. One thing is certain, though: If the caregiver is given no relief, he or she can burn out, develop his or her own mental and physical problems, and become unable to intendance for the person with dementia.

This is why support groups were invented. Support groups are groups of people who have lived through the same set of difficult experiences and want to help themselves and others by sharing coping strategies. Mental health professionals strongly recommend that family unit caregivers take function in back up groups. Support groups serve a number of different purposes for a person living with the extreme stressof beingness a caregiver for a person with dementia.

• The grouping allows the person to express his or her true feelings in an accepting, nonjudgmental temper.
• The group's shared experiences allow the caregiver to feel less alone and isolated.
• The group tin offering fresh ideas for coping with specific problems.
• The group can introduce the caregiver to resources that may be able to provide some relief.
• The grouping can give the caregiver the force he or she needs to ask for help.

Support groups run into in person, on the telephone, or on the Internet. To observe a back up group that works for you, contact the organizations listed below. You tin also ask your wellness care professional or behavioral therapist or proceed the Internet. If you do not have admission to the Net, get to a public library. For more data about support groups, contact these agencies:

• Family Caregiver Brotherhood, National Eye on Caregiving: (800) 445-8106
• National Alliance for Caregiving
• Eldercare Locator Service: (800) 677-1116

From

Possible Early Dementia Signs

The most common symptom of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) by far is retentiveness loss. Other, much less common symptoms include

• disturbances of language (discussion finding),
• attending (poor concentration), and
• orientation (disorientation in familiar surroundings).

References

Larson, Due east. B., MD, MPH. "Evaluation of cognitive impairment and dementia." UpToDate. Updated: May 03, 2019.
<http://world wide web.uptodate.com/contents/evaluation-of-cognitive-harm-and-dementia>

Press, D., MD, et al. "Treatment of dementia." UpToDate. Updated Apr 27, 2016.
<http://www.uptodate.com/contents/treatment-of-dementia>

Press, D., Physician, et al. "Management of neuropsychiatric symptoms of dementia." UpToDate. Updated Jun half dozen, 2016.
<http://www.uptodate.com/contents/direction-of-neuropsychiatric-symptoms-of-dementia>

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