Senile-Dementia-Care

Treatment of Dementia

With continuing advancements in the field of neuroscience, the treatment of dementia has progressed beyond simply putting a dementia patient in a nursing home for the remainder of their life. Today, dementia can be successfully treated and controlled either by medication, rehabilitation or brain surgery in the most severe cases.

Dementia is caused by a variety of conditions and diseases, such as stroke, chronic alcoholism, Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s. It involves cognitive functioning and the gradual deterioration of predominantly mental skills, along with abrupt changes in personality and mood. Unless it is prematurely instigated by addiction, stroke or tumor, dementia generally does not affect individuals until they are well into their 70′s, which can be attributed to genetics, lifestyle (physical activity, eating habits) and overall health.

Treatment Depends on Cause

Treatment of dementia is initiated once the underlying cause is determined. Depending on whether it is reversible–tumors, hormone imbalance or nutritional–dementia can be effectively contained with surgery or medication. For example, someone who has suffered a stroke and is now exhibiting signs of dementia will be treated by physicians in ways that seek to reduce the risk of another stroke. A program of no smoking (if they were previously smokers), aspirin therapy to thin blood and prevent clotting and administration of blood pressure medication are some of the ways in which doctors will treat stroke-related dementia.

As a treatment of dementia, the integration of psychotherapy, medication and environmental changes have been proven to be successful.  Many dementia patients suffer bouts of impulsive aggressiveness, which is often incurred by a decline in their mental faculties that frustrates and confuses them. In conjunction with medication, behavior modification can be facilitated by treating the complexity of the dementia patient’s environment. Finding ways in which to simplify daily tasks such as dressing and feeding themselves, or rearranging items within their living quarters so they can be easily accessed by the patient, are some of the methods counselors and physicians use to help these individuals.

Simply by avoiding situations which may over-stimulate them and cause more bewilderment than they are already experiencing, dementia patients can be successfully treated and permitted to live as normally as possible.

Treatment of dementia that is caused by irreversible physical issues, such as Alzheimer’s, Pick’s Disease, Huntington’s and other progressive disorders are generally treated with an ongoing regimen of medication to reduce the severity of symptoms. Full-time care is often needed as dementia in these forms cannot be improved or maintained.

Medications Used For Treatment of Dementia

Some of the medications used by physicians in the treatment of various types of dementia include:

• Cholinesterase inhibitors–Donepezil, Reminyl and Exelon all benefit cognition and memory with few side effects. However, it is not yet known how long these medications continue to improve dementia and further research is being done to investigate this question.

• Rivastigmine–improves mental faculties in those suffering from Parkinson’s disease and Lewy body dementia. This medication is now available in skin patch form, which steadily releases it into the bloodstream and produces fewer side effects.

• Namenda–is successful in impeding the later stages of Alzheimer’s disease. Namenda can also help individuals with moderate vascular dementia, or dementias caused by strokes.

• High blood pressure/high cholesterol medications–known causes of many strokes and vascular dementia

• Antidepressants/SSRI’s–Prozac, Celexa and Paxil can help prevent depression in dementia patients and inhibit bouts of aggression

Alternative Treatments for Dementia

Strong medications like the ones mentioned above can sometimes cause adverse reactions in people with dementia. While alternative methods are available, they need to be assessed with a doctor’s opinion as some may not be beneficial to the dementia patient. Alternative treatments such as Vitamin E, omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants like coenzyme Q10 and herbal methods using ginkgo and huperzine all claim to improve cognition, blood pressure and mood.

Treatment of dementia should always be discussed with a qualified physician, before attempting these kinds of alternative treatments.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/dementia/DS01131/DSECTION=alternative-medicine

www.medicinenet.com/dementia/article.htm