Dementia is not a disease but rather a general terminology for memory loss, language deterioration, impaired problem-solving, etc. These progress to levels that become disruptive to daily living. Alzheimer’s disease is known to be the most common cause of dementia.
People with dementia suffer a decline in cognitive abilities, sometimes so advanced that independent functioning may become significantly impaired or impossible, even. Disorders classified under dementia directly affect the patient’s behavior, emotions, and relationships with others.
What Is Dementia?
Dementia is caused by damage to or the depletion of nerve cells. Dementia affects people differently and may manifest uniquely, depending on the brain area that suffered the damage.
Although its early signs may vary in different people, some early symptoms of dementia are common. These include:
- Memory difficulties, particularly recalling recent events
- Disorientation
- Poor concentration
- Changes in behavior or personality
- Depression, withdrawal, or apathy
- Inability to accomplish everyday tasks
Doctors diagnose dementia based on a thorough medical history, physical examination, lab tests, and observation for changes in thinking, behavior, and daily function. Doctors can quickly determine that a person has dementia. However, it’s more challenging to decide on the type of dementia present due to some overlaps in symptoms across the different kinds of dementia.
Early Signs of Dementia
Sometimes, people fail to recognize behavior changes as early symptoms of dementia and instead attribute the changes to aging. Symptoms of dementia may develop gradually, going unnoticed for a long time. If you live with a person affected by several signs below, it might be time to seek a doctor’s assessment.
- Memory loss — A person with dementia may forget things more frequently than usual or even not remember them at all.
- Difficulty with daily tasks — While it’s normal for people to get distracted and overlook, like putting on perfume after dressing up, someone with dementia may have difficulty with all the steps of actually dressing up.
- Disorientation — There now is confusion with where they are, or there is marked difficulty in finding their way to a place that’s otherwise familiar. It is also common to think that they are back at some point in their past.
- Language difficulties — Someone with dementia may forget simple words or substitute inappropriate words, rendering their sentences incomprehensible. They may also have difficulty understanding what others are saying.
- A decline in abstract thinking — A person with dementia will suddenly have trouble recognizing what the numbers mean or what to make of them.
- Poor judgment — A person with dementia will seem to be making inappropriate decisions over simple matters, such as not crossing the road when there’s a car approaching.
- Low spatial awareness — There can be difficulty in judging direction or distance.
- Changes in behavior, personality, or moods — The mood swings are more erratic and for no apparent reason. Some may seem suspicious, confused, or withdrawn. Others can become uncharacteristically brazen.
Non-drug Approaches and Coping with Dementia
Living with someone afflicted with dementia requires awareness of symptoms to manage these for the patient. The aim should be to alleviate physical and emotional discomfort for the patient.
If you care for someone with dementia in the home, do:
- Recognize that the person is not just acting cruelly but is manifesting symptoms of the disease.
- Make adjustments to the patient’s environment to address obstacles to security, comfort, and peace of mind. Assess if you can provide a conducive home for your loved one. You may also consider a nursing home facility with memory care.
- Check for pain, thirst, hunger, constipation, infections, etc. Ensure that room temperature is always comfortable.
- Avoid engaging the patient in an argument. For example, if the patient states that they wish to visit a house that’s been demolished years ago, do not argue that the place no longer exists. Instead, say something like, “that house was charming. I wish to visit sometime, too.”
- Be patient. Support the patient by responding to the emotion driving the behavior and not the behavior itself.
- Foster a peaceful environment. Remove or avoid noise, glare, unsafe spaces, and too many objects in the background which have no purpose.
- Afford the patient enough rest, especially between stimulating situations.
- Give them a “security blanket.”
- Acknowledge all the patient’s requests and responding accordingly.
- Try to determine the reasons behind every behavior. They may be symptoms or side effects of the medication.
There is no scientifically proven way to prevent dementia, but research has shown the benefits of exercise, social work, keeping an active mind, avoiding smoking, etc. Engaging in a healthy lifestyle, including diet, sleep, and managing cardiovascular risk factors, will positively contribute to physical and mental well-being.
Meta title: Caring for a Loved One Suffering from Dementia
meta desc: Dementia is a progressive disease that can be difficult to manage over time. What is dementia, and what can you do if you live with someone who has it?