Senile Dementia: Treatment

Dementia or dementia is a syndrome of acquired and persistent cognitive decline in memory( to a greater extent), level of judgment, speech, spatial intelligence and personality in general. Senile dementia is a disease that affects the elderly. The syndrome of dementia or dementia affects up to 8% of people over 65, up to 20% - over 75 years and up to 50% of people over 85 years old.

How is senile dementia treated?

If senile dementia is diagnosed, regardless of the cause of this disease, a referral is usually given to a hospital, only if the patient is helpless. If due to a disease a person is not able to cope with his daily tasks, when he needs care and supervision. Sometimes people with this diagnosis become dangerous, both for others and for themselves. In this case, competent supervision simply becomes a prerequisite.

If a person starts to lie down for days, it becomes quite likely that the patient will lose the opportunity to walk with time. Therefore, in the treatment of senile dementia, many clinics organize walks for patients. Treatment of senile dementia should be carried out by a professional physician, and care for the elderly by qualified nurses.

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Proper care, also symptomatic therapy, is not unimportant for the fate of patients. Dementia, treatment of this disease with the initial stage of development should be carried out at home, if the patient's condition allows, of course. Translation into an unfamiliar situation for patients can cause decompensation.

Many complications, such as bedsores, ulcers, etc., with care for neatness and proper skin care can be prevented. It is very important in the treatment to prevent, also to eliminate somatic complications, most importantly, heart failure.

From the stage of dementia, from the presence of psychotic disorders depends on the selection of drugs for the patient. To slow down the processes that contribute to the progression of senile dementia, the patient is prescribed drugs, the action of which is based on the pathogenesis( presumed) of the disease. The glutamatergic system is affected by akatinol-memantine. The level of acetylcholine is affected by: exelon( rivastigmine), reminol( galantamine), donepezil( aricept).

If there is a need for behavior correction, other drugs are prescribed to treat dementia in the elderly. As a rule, low dosages of psychopharmaceuticals are prescribed for anxiety and depressive disorders, when psychomotor behavior, delusions, deceptions of perception occur.

It is necessary to know that a number of medications in the elderly can cause confusion, especially in persons with signs of dementia. Such properties are possessed by some hypnotics, antihistamines, analgesics, etc. But cancellation of medications is possible only on the recommendation of a specialist.

Also included in the treatment of senile dementia is special nutrition. In the diet of the patient must be a lot of vegetables, fruits, greens, dishes from fish and seafood. Also, patients need to consume fish oil. Prescribed vitamin complex.

What you need to know for relatives caring for a patient

Persons who care for a person with senile dementia, you should know that patients are prone to infectious diseases. Patients may have side effects from the drugs they take. It is necessary to know that such people are at increased risk of getting various kinds of injuries, fractures( especially falls).In people suffering from dementia, life expectancy decreases. Also for relatives caring for patients, material assistance is put. And do not forget about the necessary nutrition and additional fluid intake.

Senile dementia is a disease that progresses gradually. Therefore, it should be treated at the initial stages, in order to slow the progression of the disease.