When dealing with dehydration and dementia, it is important to learn strategies that can help to keep dehydration at bay.
Some of the most effective ones include:
Leaving a jug or glass of water within reach
If a person does not take enough water because of mobility issues, help them out by making sure water is within reach. It does not have to be a clear glass.
You can use a brightly colored cup so that it draws attention to the person who needs to drink the water.
If this does not work for a particular person, using a dark-colored cup can help make the drinking process easier.
Make sure the glass is not too heavy or has a weird shape. Straws might also prove to be helpful.
Prompt the person to take water
If a person with dementia does not take water because they are constantly forgetting, you should remind him or her to take a drink frequently.
Phone reminders can assist with this.
You may even have to call the sick person to remind them to drink water if you will be far away from them but still want to remind them to drink water.
You can even make this a sociable activity. This is where you pick something to drink and prompt the sick individual to also drink with you.
Do this several times each day when possible.
Eliminate challenges
Elderly persons with muscle weaknesses, arthritis, or Parkinson’s disease are at high risk of developing complications that come with dehydration and dementia.
This is because they may have a hard time gripping a cup or taking it to their mouth.
Offering no-spill smaller cups can give a solution, making the ill person more confident in their drinking abilities.
Finding Creative Ways to Slip Liquids into a Person’s Daily Activities
This is especially helpful for persons who refuse to take liquids.
Some of the options to explore include vegetables, fruits, hot chocolate, ice-cream, Jell-O, applesauce, and popsicles.
While it is best to drink clear water throughout the day, the sick individual may not have a taste for pure water.
Here you can try flavored water, herbal teas, and healthy juices to ensure a person gets enough liquid.
Review medicine interactions
Some drugs that people with dementia take may contribute to dehydration. These include both over-the-counter-drugs and prescription medication.
Review warning labels and consult your doctor if the sick person is taking medicines that cause dehydration.
The professional can change the drugs or advice on the best way to avoid dehydration.
Recognize early dehydration warning signs
Early detection of dehydration is the best way to give the person with dementia the help they need.
Go through the list of some warning signs above to treat the problem as soon as it manifests itself.
Avoid giving people with dementia alcohol, coffee, and high-protein drinks in large quantities.
These normally have diuretic effects, which lead to increased levels of losing water in the body leading to dehydration.
Dehydration and Dementia Final Thoughts
People caring for their loved ones with dementia need to be proactive when it comes to ensuring that sick individuals have enough to drink.
This is because a person with dementia may not always ask for a drink, hence end up suffering from the problems that come with dehydration and dementia.
Note that dehydration can lead to increased mortality rates.
It is important to understand what are the most beneficial vascular dementia treatment techniques and support since you can truly alleviate the condition.
Vascular dementia is a general term that represents one of the most common types of dementia. It occurs when the brain does not receive enough blood supply because of blood vessels that have been affected by the disease.
An illness that mostly affects seniors, it is said that one of out of four people above the age of 65 will get vascular dementia.
Unfortunately, there are still no approved pharmacological treatments available for anyone with this type of dementia.
This is not to say that individuals with the disease are usually left alone unattended.
There are several measures individuals with the illness and caregivers can take to manage the risk factors and health conditions that contribute to vascular dementia such as:
Best Vascular Dementia Treatments
Making Lifestyle Changes
The primary aim of vascular dementia treatment is to take care of any underlying causes that are making the condition to worsen.
One of the top things that a doctor may recommend is a lifestyle change for an individual with the illness. This usually involves a number of things such as:
Losing weight if a person is overweight/maintaining a normal weight.
Cutting down on alcohol intake or giving up drinking altogether.
Making healthy lifestyle changes is key to helping you maintain a healthy body that will effectively combat a majority of the health issues that are associated with vascular dementia.
These help to make day to day living a bit easier. Examples of such include:
Psychological therapies – These help to enhance problem-solving skills, memory, and language abilities.
Occupational therapy – Experts who facilitate this type of therapy usually identify the problem areas that individuals with vascular dementia face on a daily basis. It can include anything from dressing up properly to eating. The experts then offer practical solutions to tackle the problems amicably.
Physiotherapy – This typically helps the persons who have difficulties with movement.
Medication
It’s also common for people with vascular dementia to take meds as part of vascular dementia treatment.
These do not take care of the condition but help treat some of the medical issues that individuals with the illness usually get.
Some of the most common medications that medics prescribe help to treat diseases like:
Anyone who is taking different types of medicines needs to communicate this clearly to their physician.
This way, the professionals will know the drugs to add or eliminate so that there is no interaction that will hurt the person with vascular dementia.
Managing Stress
Many people with vascular dementia go through stress for one reason or the other. Being stressed does not help at all because stress also contributes to other medical conditions like heart diseases and blood pressure.
You need to find ways to relax so that you can manage stress to avoid going through other medical issues because of stress.
There are a number of relaxation techniques you can try when you feel like things are getting out of hand. These include:
Yoga
Deep breathing
Meditation
Rhythmic exercise
You can also engage one or more of your senses i.e. taste, sound, sight, touch, smell, or even imagination to reduce stress at a given moment fast.
Engaging the Brain
Another option available for a person seeking vascular dementia treatment is challenging the brain. Understand that the brain remains capable for the entire lifetime of a person.
This simply means that a person can enhance the ability to retrieve and even retain memories. It’s advisable that a person with this kind of dementia sets some time either in the morning or in the evening to build memory capacity.
Activities that may help with this include learning new skills such as painting, a new language or anything else that interests an individual.
If you do this consistently, you will notice beautiful results after some time.
Having Fun
After a vascular dementia diagnosis, you may feel the need to sulk and get lost in a world of your own. It is important to fight this urge because it will do you no good.
After getting over the initial shock, it is vital to note that life must move on. If you do not want the disease to progress at a speedy rate, you must make a point of having some fun.
Happiness can be a game-changer inspiring lifestyle changes and may compensate for cognitive and memory losses as well as stop further strokes.
Join a Support System
It may be a relief to know that you are not the only person with vascular dementia. You can join forces with other people out there who share the same predicament.
It can help to make the burden even lighter as you interact with other people. Share your experiences as you tackle the journey ahead. Being in a group is therapeutic because you can also learn new ways of managing the condition.
You can look for a support group easily online to find the ones that are closest to you.
This way, you do not have to think about the troubles of traveling just to be with other people who share the same illness.
Create a Personal Support Network
Support groups are not all about people who share the same illness. You can also seek encouragement and assistance from other people such as:
Friends
Family
Church members
Colleagues
Neighbors
A spouse
Health care experts, etc.
If you are still not at the stage when you need round the clock assistance, spending time with other people that you love or care about can help you better cope with your condition.
Relying on one person may not really work out well especially if they are not professional caregivers.
This is why it helps to have more than one person to lean on. It even makes the other party more willing to spend time with you and offer the assistance you need.
Managing Memory Loss
Learning how to manage the symptoms of vascular dementia goes a long way as part of vascular dementia treatment.
One of the most significant symptoms has got to be memory loss. You must learn practical ways to manage this loss while staying as realistic and optimistic as possible.
While it may not be possible to bring back everything you have lost, it can still help to make a difficult situation more bearable.
Things you can do to help with memory loss include:
Using memory aids
Following regular routines
Clearly communicating your needs
Maintaining social activity
Being upfront about your current condition
Being patient with yourself
Accepting help when other people offer
Home Modifications
If a person with vascular dementia will be staying at home, it is best to create a stable and supportive environment where they will thrive without too many problems.
Modifying the home is one of the steps that help to reduce any potential stressors that may disorient or agitate the individual with dementia. Some of the things to remove from the house are mirrors that reflect other surfaces.
Also, items that can cause loud and identifiable noises, patterned wallpaper, and colors that contrast highly. If an individual has problems with moving around, they can transfer to the ground floor.
This way, that they are not always tasked with the responsibility of moving from one level to another.
Being Part of a Clinical Trial
The fact that there is still no definite vascular dementia treatment does not mean that researchers and other professionals are not out there trying.
If you are willing, you can become part of a clinical trial that is testing new interventions and treatments to help detect, prevent, manage, or treat the disease.
This, however, requires a lot of due diligence on your end. You must get all the information you need about a particular trial before deciding to be a part of anything.
Seek advice from your doctor on whether a specific study will be beneficial. Your loved ones can also help you make a wise decision about these clinical trials.
Nursing Home Care
Home care for some people who have vascular dementia may not be viable after a while. This means that you should look into nursing homes or any other types of care homes that will be able to accord the type of assistance you need.
Although it may be a hard decision to make at times, there are several good things to look forward to in such homes as:
Around the clock care.
Assurance that the individual with the condition is somewhere safe.
Interaction and social activities with other residents, and much more.
Be sure to do your homework well to find a suitable care home that will meet the needs of the individual with the illness well.
Lower blood pressure
Keeping your body healthy and fit is crucial when it comes to vascular dementia. That said, even when it comes to blood pressure, you need to keep it low.
Or, if you are a caregiver or a family member of a patient with dementia, you need to do whatever it takes to get the blood pressure down.
There are tons of different ways that help lover it. From increasing daily activities and losing weight to removing refined carbohydrates from the diet, eating less sodium and staying away from processed food.
Stop drinking alcohol and smoking is also a must. As mentioned earlier, reducing excess stress will also do you and the patient with dementia nothing but good.
Even though there is still no sure vascular dementia treatment, controlling the conditions that are associated with the illness can slow down the rate at which the condition worsens. At times, it may even prevent further decline.
People with the illness, as well as their caregivers, need to put their best foot forward to ensure that the individual ends up living a good life in spite of what is going on.
One of the topics that have taken the healthcare industry by storm is virtual reality dementia therapy.
Experts suggest that VR (Virtual Reality) can help make the lives of people with dementia a lot easier.
Several studies have been conducted in regards to this. We will discuss some of the findings below to uncover how VR can help persons with dementia.
Virtual Reality Can Support Dementia Patients
Help with the Recollection of Past Memories
When it comes to virtual reality and dementia, multiple studies indicate that VR can help persons with dementia recall memories easily.
VR is no longer a tool for gaming, but it is also invaluable for people who experience loss of memory.
Virtual reality experiences can help persons retrieve long-lost memories through the incorporation of novel stimuli that are usually challenging to access because of declining poor health or limited environments.
For instance, seeing a water body can remind a person of a vacation they once took at the beach. This is not only good for the ill individuals but the caregivers as well.
A majority of persons with dementia end up losing their mobility, especially during the latter stages of the illness. This usually creates a sense of loneliness that can lead to other medical conditions like depression.
Today, however, weak individuals can benefit from assistive technology like VR to age in place, even in scenarios where they can longer walk or drive with ease.
Even though virtual reality cannot replace going somewhere, it helps to bring the ideal location close to a person offering a much-needed lifeline to the outside world.
Many people can use VR to reconnect with places that they thought they would never visit again because of their current condition.
For persons who live in senior homes, caregivers can create a group virtual reality experience where many persons with dementia visit one place at the same time.
This creates a fun bonding experience where group members can talk about the things they are doing or seeing.
This is one of the perks of virtual reality and dementia. Even when the exercise is over, participants are bound to remain excited and want to talk about this experience for a long time.
Ease Some Symptoms
Many people who have dementia often experience symptoms like extreme mood swings, agitation, and stress.
Medics have already jumped into the VR bandwagon to treat anxiety and pain. Something that makes virtual reality a good fit for addressing some of the symptoms that dementia patients experience.
VR is known to calm ill persons. In some cases, it can make uncommunicative persons speak again. This happens when suffering persons get into a virtual world where they experience several calming scenes.
These scenes, which can be anything from a beachfront or a flower garden, help to interpose repetitive behaviors. Meaning, the person with dementia can take advantage of non-drug approaches to reduce stress levels and improve moods.
Tribemix, one of the companies that offer virtual reality experiences for individuals with dementia, reports a 70% stress reduction rate.
Aids with Caregiver Interactions
When talking about virtual reality and dementia, it is also important to note that this technology also helps impaired persons through their caregivers and professional healthcare providers.
This is through building empathy where other people get to experience what it is like to live with the illness.
An example is The Dima Lab, a virtual reality experience that was developed by Embodied Labs.
Caregivers use this to experience different kinds of conditions related to dementia via protagonists with diverse backgrounds. This allows persons to go through a more active role to experience what people with the disease go through.
This mainly stimulates the physical and mental challenges that persons with the illness get without the use of sensory stimulation instructions and devices.
It seeks to create more empathy and understanding of what persons with dementia face to help improve their lives.
Closing Thoughts
Virtual reality offers tons of benefits for persons with dementia. It can help people recollect memories, improve relations with caregivers, reduce agitation and other dementia symptoms as well as travel to their favorite destinations without leaving their house, among many others.
VR is continually improving, aiming to produce 360-degree videos that may allow engineers to tailor-make the virtual reality experiences for greater satisfaction as well as enhanced quality of life.
Despite all this, more research still needs to be done when it comes to virtual reality and dementia. This is because it is not a proven aid that a doctor can prescribe.
Nonetheless, persons with dementia can still use VR cautiously over short periods to see if it will be of any help.
You must not ignore changes in an older adult and these signs of Alzheimer’s will help you pay attention. Instead of being lost and wondering what to do next, first skim through the different signs and go from there.
Bear in mind, if they forget a name or where they put their keys every once in a while does not necessarily mean they have dementia or Alzheimer’s disease.
However, if it happens repeatedly, it might already be a sign of the condition.
Once you are fully aware of the most common signs, you will easily recognize changes and act accordingly.
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is not something that happens overnight.
It is a brain disorder that keeps evolving over many years. There are numerous different factors that contribute to the development, yet still, no scientist and doctor fully understand its development.
If you notice any of the signs and symptoms appear in your relative or friend, and they keep on repeating, we advise you to see a doctor.
Due to the complexity of the disease, you need to understand the signs vary from person to person.
Also, while it is most common that Alzheimer’s disease develops in the mid-60s, some experience it earlier while others in their 70s and beyond.
In other words, the progression of the condition is person-specific.
Study Signs of Alzheimer’s Disease Carefully
1. Memory Loss
Memory loss is one of the earliest signs of Alzheimer’s and initially, it might seem just like normal age-related forgetfulness.
In the later stages of the disease, it affects the ability to recognize places and people including family and friends. People with Alzheimer’s have a propensity to start wandering in the late afternoons and evenings.
Repetitive movement due to memory challenges is what causes the person to wander around. It poses challenges when they are unable to remember their way back home and they end up putting themselves in dangerous situations.
Memory challenges often lead to losing things, forgetting to keep appointments, and misplacing items or storing them in odd places.
2. Spontaneity/ Poor Judgements
Mood swings and personality changes are some of the signs of Alzheimer’s that are easy to spot. With Alzheimer’s, poor judgment is not only about questionable decisions.
Instead, it is a pattern of unfortunate actions and decisions.
You may find that a person with Alzheimer’s constantly uses vulgar language or can start undressing in public. Most people cannot even recognize danger.
You may find a person with Alzheimer’s constantly putting themselves in harm’s way. For instance, if a person underwent surgery of a broken hip, the doctor may put them on bed rest for a while.
People with Alzheimer’s will not listen to the doctor but will insist on moving around even when it hurts badly.
3. Problems in Completing Daily Tasks
One of the notable changes that affect someone with Alzheimer’s is their inability to see daily tasks to their completion. It includes activities like shaving, cooking, and cleaning which all of a sudden becomes challenging.
A shortened attention span is the reason why someone with Alzheimer’s will start working on a task and move to another activity without completing the first.
The progression of the disease eventually affects a person’s ability to organize their thoughts or think logically.
Another challenge sparked by memory loss is repetitiveness, which causes a person with Alzheimer’s to lose their chain of thought and repeat themselves severally.
4. Trouble Managing Finances
Managing money is a huge problem for people with Alzheimer’s. In fact, it is one of the first noticeable signs of Alzheimer’s.
Solving numerical problems becomes a big challenge. Coupled with memory problems, a person with dementia starts forgetting to pay bills or overpays for items when shopping.
As the disease becomes worse, the individual may not even realize that they can no longer handle money matters. Some will even try and hide financial problems in a bid to protect their independence.
A trustworthy family member or trustee needs to step in and check bank statements as well as other financial records monthly.
This protects the individual with Alzheimer’s from fraud or financial abuse.
5. Aggressive Tendencies
Increased anxiety, might cause someone to lash out aggressively when they feel out of their comfort zone. Often, the anger outbursts might seem out of the blue to onlookers and wildly inappropriate.
Someone with Alzheimer’s will also have problems coping or accepting new situations because they are always worried or restless.
The later stages can spark hallucinations and paranoia, which leads the person with Alzheimer’s to see things that do not exist.
Although no one certainly knows why it happens. Multiple factors can cause aggression. These include poor communication, stress, environmental factors, and physical discomfort.
6. Inability To Grasp New Concepts
As memory loss, entering the moderate stage of Alzheimer’s, it affects the ability to learn.
Difficulty with language is also experienced and a person with the disease often has challenges reading and writing legibly.
Repetitiveness is also experienced when the person might ask a question severally despite receiving an answer.
In the severe stages of the disease, the person with Alzheimer’s might lose their ability to communicate entirely. Other than learning impairments, some individuals with the illness block the information they think they should know.
This is one of the signs of Alzheimer’s that may pave the way, go together with, or follow a burst of other anxiety symptoms and sensations.
7. Over Sleeping
Someone with Alzheimer’s goes through many changes and one of them is tied to sleep. Disruption of the sleep/wake cycle is one of the negative effects of Alzheimer’.
It may involve yelling out, getting violent or pacing.
8. Weight Loss
Losing weight is a manifestation of Alzheimer’s disease. The medial temporal cortex responsible for memory and feeding behavior is affected at the onset of the illness.
Eating becomes more difficult in the later stages of Alzheimer’s disease.
As the disease progresses, food tends to be less appealing to people who have Alzheimer’s. The primary reason behind this is that the disease dulls the senses of smell and taste contributing to the loss of appetite.
Some individuals will even lose a lot of weight despite eating enough food. People with Alzheimer’s may also struggle to recognize food or beverages; thus, end up not eating because of the damage the illness causes the brain.
9. Skin Infections
It is common for people with Alzheimer’s to pick or scratch their skin because of infections.
One of the signs of Alzheimer’s to look out for is incredibly dry skin that gets irritated and itchy. Use of harsh soaps and other body products can also cause this.
Another reason someone with Alzheimer’s may get skin infections is through pests such as fleas, lice, mites, ringworm, and bedbugs. The individual may also be experiencing allergies that cause scratching and itching.
It is advisable to seek medical treatment as soon as you notice this sign to treat the cause of skin infections fast. This way, the person with Alzheimer’s can live more comfortably.
10. Trouble Swallowing
A person with dementia may struggle to chew and swallow food. Caregivers may misconstrue this sign of Alzheimer’s thinking that the person simply does not like the food on the plate.
Some people simply forget to chew the food and end up holding it in their mouth.
In the later stages of the disease, dysphagia or swallowing difficulties become more prevalent. These can lead to dehydration, weight loss, high fever, belly pain, chest congestion, choking while eating and malnutrition.
Aspiration pneumonia is one of the unfortunate consequences brought about by difficulties in swallowing.
It’s pneumonia that causes the lungs to take in liquids or food instead of air.
11. Recurring Falling and Tripping
Before we even continue if you or anyone else who you know is falling or tripping frequently, you need to tell the doctor about it.
A study showed that the older adults who were falling the most during the research showed early signs of Alzheimer’s disease after they did the brain scans.
Have in mind, it is not a guarantee that someone who is on the floor a lot or simply becomes very clumsy will develop dementia, particularly Alzheimer’s disease.
However, cognitive problems may occur as it is not normal for a healthy human being to misstep and slip very often.
Always watch after yourself and act early enough when you discover something uncommon.
12. Vision Changes
Because the eye and the brain work together, someone with Alzheimer’s may go through vision changes. Different areas of vision may be affected by the elderly generation.
One of them is the inability to detect movement. Persons with the disease may perceive everything around them to be a still photo instead of an ongoing video.
Individuals with Alzheimer’s may also experience limited peripheral vision. They may not be able to see both sides when gazing forward.
This results in intense disorientation where a person may end up bumping into things. Recognizing colors also becomes an obstacle particularly in the violet-blue range.
13. Social Withdrawal
Alzheimer’s can be an isolating and lonely illness. Many people with Alzheimer’s disease spend a lot of time alone and when in the company of others, they do not participate much.
It can lead to withdrawal from family, friends, and a lack of interest in familiar things and surrounding activities.
Persons with AD can start to remove themselves from the things they once loved including work projects and hobbies.
It is also likely that because of all the changes they are facing, they feel ashamed or embarrassed; thus, they do not want to face the world.
At times, a person may become withdrawn because they feel bored or isolated.
14. “Childlike” or Clingy Behaviour
Persons with Alzheimer’s can at one point become totally dependent on another individual. This is where they never want to leave the other person’s side and are constantly shadowing them.
Experts reckon that this mostly happens in the evenings as the day is about to end. This is where an individual with AD starts to feel fearful, worn down and confused.
They follow the person they trust around because they are not sure how long they will be gone if they leave their sight. This is why they do not have a problem following a person everywhere they go even to the bathroom.
15. Seizures
Seizures occur in people with dementia at a high rate. Unprovoked seizures affect a huge percentage of individuals with Alzheimer’s.
It is not yet clear the exact mechanisms that trigger the seizures. The seizures are also not easy to diagnose because the behaviors that the individuals present may mimic those of the illness.
Individuals may go through non-epileptic episodes triggered by confusion and inattention not to be confused with seizures.
Many studies conclude that seizures are uncommon for people with Alzheimer’s, but they do occur more in people with AD than those in the general population. With Alzheimer’s, younger age is also a risk factor.
16. Difficulty Communicating
As Alzheimer’s progresses an individual’s communication and language skills start to diminish. You may be talking to a person and in the middle of the conversation, they suddenly stop because they do not know what to say next.
Vocabulary can be particularly troublesome.
A person may struggle to identify the correct word; thus, end up using the wrong names to refer to things. For instance, an individual may call a house a car. Some individuals also have tendencies to invent new words and phrases.
Others will use one word repetitively. As time goes by, an individual may turn to the use of gestures.
It is essential to know the most common and not so common Lewy body dementia symptoms as it can help with treating a person early.
You also need to understand that this type of dementia is, according to statistics, the third most common one. Alzheimer’s disease/dementia and vascular dementia are the only two more frequent.
Fun fact: Robin Williams (August 2014) had Lewy body dementia (LBD), and it is one of the main reasons for suicide.
Someone who is affected by LBD develops problems with thinking, movement, mood, alertness and starts showing signs of depression.
Of course, diagnosing LBD is not as easy as it sounds. There are other brain diseases that also have similar symptoms and are often confused.
What is Lewy body dementia?
Lewy bodies are another name for the significant increase in the creation of proteins that occupy the brain. This same protein is also linked to Parkinson’s disease.
Similarly, those with Lewy body dementia have alike symptoms compared to Alzheimer’s disease.
Moreover, predominantly, more men than women are affected by LBD in their sixties and above. Also, if a family member has Lewy body dementia or Parkinson’s disease, relatives are at higher risk.
Common Lewy Body Dementia Symptoms
1. Changes In Reasoning
Lewy body dementia (LBD) or dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) presents itself as progressive dementia that affects thinking, independent function, and reasoning.
Abnormal protein deposits that accumulate in certain areas of the brain over time damage its cells over resulting in the condition.
Depending on different circumstances, everyone affected by the condition will display differing symptoms from the onset. A few people experience changes in reasoning seeing them struggle to process information and plan.
Their flow of ideas may become unclear, disorganizer or seem illogical. Changes in behavior are also common when someone with the condition rationalizes things differently.
The person may gravitate towards risky behavior that is out of the norm because of their impaired judgment.
2. Visual Hallucinations
Hallucinations are amongst the most commonly experienced Lewy body dementia symptoms. In fact, about 80% of people with LBD experience hallucinations marked by seeing things that in real sense aren’t present.
In the beginning, someone with the condition will often see animals or children who aren’t present.
Rarely, a few people may also experience nonvisual hallucinations meaning that they respond to smells or hear things that don’t exist.
Often, if the hallucinations aren’t disruptive in nature then there isn’t a cause for concern or treatment isn’t required.
However, if the person begins to respond in harmful or dangerous ways concerning their hallucinations, it’s crucial to seek prescribed medication.
3. Movement Difficulties (Parkinsonism)
Some people suffering from DLB might never experience movement problems or it could take several years for them to start having this challenge.
It projects itself initially as things like handwriting changes in mild forms that it may easily be overlooked.
Often referred to as Parkinsonism, it describes the set of symptoms experienced during the offset of Parkinson’s disease dementia.
Some people with LBD will start suffering from restless leg syndrome which is a condition that compels them to move their legs while resting.
It may even happen while sleeping and the only way to stop the unpleasant sensation is by moving to relieve the discomfort.
5. Problems With Cognition
A person with LBD will often stare into space for prolonged periods of time and they also usually appear drowsy and lethargic. Problems with cognition is some of the common Lewy body dementia symptoms a majority of people experience.
It’s also identifiable from unpredictable changes in concentration, wakefulness, attention, and alertness throughout the day as well as from day to day.
The person will seem better one day only for them to re-occur the next day or worsen as the days progress. Typically, cognitive fluctuations are some of the symptoms that help physicians distinguish the condition from Alzheimer’s disease.
6. Sleep Problems
Sleep disorders can arise as one of the Lewy body dementia symptoms, but they often go undiagnosed. Visiting a sleep specialist can help with treating sleep problems as well as possibly diagnose the root cause.
Most people with DLB experience insomnia which is attributed to difficulties falling or staying asleep. People with LBD also experience excessive sleeping during the day where the person sleeps for two or more hours.
A few people also exhibit REM disorder which is a condition where someone seems to act out their dreams. In the case of REM, the person might talk while sleeping, display violent movements, and may even fall out of bed.
7. Memory Loss & Dementia
Degenerative thinking abilities or severe memory loss marked eventually set in and affect a person’s ability to perform their normal daily activities.
Memory loss is a primary Lewy body dementia symptom and it’s marked by forgetfulness, misidentifying objects, challenges multitasking, reasoning and problem-solving.
Confusion is yet another symptom that accompanies dementia and the person may suddenly have difficulties making sense of time and place.
However, unlike with Alzheimer’s dementia, the memory problems do not manifest at first but they start becoming apparent as LBD progresses.
Dementia can also alter mood and behavior leading the person to start displaying loss of initiative or poor judgment.
8. Inattentiveness and Confusion
Related to memory loss, a person with LBD may become more inattentive than usual combined with sudden confusion.
It’s best described as spacing out where someone in a situation that requires their undivided attention wanders off in their thoughts.
Several other symptoms collectively contribute to inattentiveness including difficulties with sleep. Once again it is something that will affect someone’s ability to perform daily tasks and it’s more pronounced for people who are employed.
They often find it difficult to get work done and grasp new information which leads to frustration for the individual and those around them.
As the condition progresses, it also affects both written and spoken speech.
9. Trouble Interpreting Visual Information
People with LBD have difficulties processing visual information with regard to object size, perceiving objects as overlapping, and they also display difficulties with counting tasks.
For instance, they may have problems drawing common objects like a clock and the symptom is worse in people who also experience visual hallucinations.
They also have trouble perceiving spatial information leading them to misjudge the distance between objects.
Often, a few of these visual issues can be handled either by prescribing antipsychotic medications or with the help of an eye-care practitioner.
Oftentimes, the diagnosis of visual problems can help in making the correlation to DLB as opposed to other neurodegenerative conditions.
10. Depression
People with LBD have a sense of understanding about the changes that they are experiencing. Before they receive a diagnosis, it can be frustrating trying to understand the root cause of the problems they are experiencing.
Often, they cannot control most of the symptoms on their own and they may feel like a burden to family or friends trying to help them through the challenging time.
It leads them to develop a feeling of sadness and they also start feeling worthless because of their inability to get tasks started or complete them.
Problems with sleep as well as eating only aggravates the situation, and soon people with LBD go into depression.
11. Apathy
Along with depression comes the disinterest in enjoying fun activities or even normal tasks. Apathy as one of the Lewy body dementia symptoms leads someone to withdraw from social interactions. Someone with LBD becomes upset easily, and they often resort to pacing around or wringing their hands because of their inability to feel settled.
They also repeat words or phrases severally which impedes their ability to hold a decent conversation. They can recognize their shortcomings in social settings which makes them rationalize that withdrawing from such situations is the solution.
It becomes more pronounced when the person becomes bedridden perhaps owing to the progression of one of the other symptoms.
12. Unpredictability Of Symptoms
One of the striking signs of DLB is the fact that the severity of symptoms changes from time to time. The shifts are often dramatic and someone can never tell when they are going to strike and in what form.
Often, it can give a false sense of hope that someone with the condition is cured only for the symptoms to come back in more severe forms. The shifts in “good days and bad days” makes it somehow easy to recognize that there is an existing health problem.
Subsequently, early diagnosis can come about from catching on to these unusual changes at the very start.
13. The One-Year Rule
Doctors typically use the one-year rule to make a diagnosis distinction between Lewy bodies dementia and Parkinson’s disease.
The rule of thumb is that cognitive difficulties precede movement issues by more than a year when someone has Parkinson’s diseaseis suffering from Parkinson’s disease dementia.
However, in the case of LBD, the cognitive problems may start concurrently with movement problems or within a year of developing issues with cognition.
The symptoms of Lewy bodies dementia are treatable on their own and complete recovery is based on their severity. However, much like all other forms of dementia, there is still no cure for this type of dementia.
14. Staring Into Space/Zoning Out
If a person is staring into space, it does not necessarily mean he or she has Lewy body dementia. However, once they keep doing it over and over again, over a longer period of time, you need to start taking things into consideration.
Indeed, staring into space or zoning out is one of Lewy body dementia symptoms, you should be aware of. For your information, they can stare into objects far away or items nearby.
One of the reasons they might begin to stare or completely lose track of what is happening around them is due to hallucinations. We already mentioned the latter above, so please re-read it if necessary.
15. Imperfect Digestive Process
Since Lewy body dementia affects all sorts of different parts of the body, one of the symptoms is an imperfect digestive process. A patient can experience all kinds of inconveniences, like dizziness, constipation and bowel issues.
If the body does not get enough nutrients through quality food, an array of other conditions can occur that can worsen dementia. Not just that, but rapidly speed up the progress.
As a caregiver, it is crucial to understand the ill person’s eating habits even from before the symptoms and the possibility of dementia become a thing.
You should act immediately and take the person to the doctor as soon as possible.
Lewy body dementia is a type of brain disorder where Lewy bodies start to build up in areas of the brain.
These are microscopic deposits that damage the brain and may eventually lead to the death of the brain’s nerve cells.
Lewy bodies are abnormal protein deposits known as alpha-synuclein.
The build-up of these proteins can affect a person’s thinking capacity, movement, bladder and bowel movements, autonomic body functions, and behavior, etc.
The condition is diagnosed through a sequence of tests that include both neurological and physical tests. During these tests, a person’s memory, visuospatial skills, and attention span undergo assessment.
At times, the doctors may also recommend MRI and CT brain scans to confirm the diagnosis along with blood tests.
The disease mostly affects individuals who are above the age of sixty though there are a few cases where a person may get it when they are younger.
Progression of Lewy Body Dementia
One of the things that you must note is that Lewy body dementia does not have a straight progression path. It, however, has some characteristics that are likely to show up during the early stages.
Other symptoms also come about when a person already has the illness in the later stages.
What stands out with LBD is that the symptoms often fluctuate.
Many at times a person may function well one day and the next, they experience intense and abrupt memory loss. This can be quite puzzling to people around them, as this may also happen in a single day.
Understanding the fluctuation aspect of the disease is helpful to the person with the condition and those around them as well.
This way, a person will not feel like the affected individual is pretending to forget or like they have moved from one stage of the disease to the next.
While in all honesty, variation in functioning is typically a constant with almost all of the stages of Lewy body dementia.
On average, after diagnosis, people with Lewy body dementia will live for six to twelve years though some live longer, for twenty or more years.
Lewy Body Dementia Stages
With a little bit of information about Lewy body dementia, it’s now time to jump into the stages of the disease. Like many other dementia types out there, the phases are not cast in stone.
This dementia type also tends to develop at a very slow pace.
Different people may have different experiences.
Below we will tackle three stages that a person with Lewy body dementia may go through.
Stage One
During the onset of the disease, there are a few changes that an individual with Lewy body dementia may experience. Some of the early symptoms may include:
At this point, memory is usually still intact, although some mild cognitive changes and slight confusion may be present.
The majority of individuals with LBD can live pretty healthy lives going to work and socializing.
Stage Two
As the disease develops towards the middle Lewy body dementia stages, the symptoms become more prominent. Many people usually start to seek medical attention at this point because the changes in the body become clearer.
The symptoms that people may showcase at this stage strongly mirror those of Parkinson’s disease. They may include:
Increased impairment of the motor functions of the body
Leaning to one side when sitting, walking, or standing
Agitation
Capgrass Syndrome (thinking or seeing identical duplicates of objects, people, locations, etc.)
Continued cognition decline which may bring about long periods of confusion
Most people at this stage are relatively independent and can perform a majority of daily living activities without needing a hand.
These can include things like taking a bath, eating, and even taking medication though this differs from one individual to the next.
A few individuals may need supervision as they go about their day to day activities, while others may be more dependent on their caregivers.
During this stage, it is also advisable for caregivers to have Medical Power Of Attorney and Power of Attorney document on the person with the disease as it is usually downhill from here.
Individuals with the disease should also collaborate with their family members to identify ways of protecting their wealth and assets.
Some unscrupulous individuals can take advantage of people with the disease and may end up getting away with it if proper protection channels are not put in place.
Stage 3
During the final Lewy body dementia stage, symptoms become worse than what people experience during the early and middle stages.
Many will agree that during this point the illness affects almost every aspect of an individual.
From the way one moves, talks, thinks, and their mood amongst many others.
Some people may complain of extreme sensitivity to touch, as well as muscle rigidity. The speech also becomes difficult with some people whispering while others may not talk at all.
Proper diagnosis at this point is more likely. Other symptoms that a person will possibly showcase are:
Higher risk of falls
Problems with transfers and ambulation to an extent that one may need a Hoyer Lift, hospital bed, suction machine, or other aids.
Unable to take part in hobbies and other leisure activities a person may have enjoyed before
Higher confusion levels
Inability to comprehend the passing of time
Higher risk of skin breakouts
More muscle contractions especially in the arms, and legs
Difficulties eating and drinking (a few persons may require feeding tubes
Excessive drooling, chocking, and aspiration
Sleeping more hours during the daytime and having problems sleeping at night
Hallucinations are prevalent but they tend to be less troublesome
Mood fluctuations where a person may experience a mixture of anger, anxiety, paranoia, and depression. In such cases, medical monitoring becomes a priority.
It’s also important to note that symptoms from the earlier stages can also show up during this phase.
Many people at this stage cannot function on their own; thus, care becomes a necessity in almost all aspects of their lives.
It may mean that a person may have to resign if they were still working or running their businesses.
Some individuals may respond to simple commands or follow brief conversations without any difficulty.
It’s also worth mentioning that fluctuations may decrease or increase during these final Lewy body dementia stages.
Extra care is essential
Persons may require long-term care to avoid problems that come with a personal safety risk, psychological symptoms, health, and caregiver risk.
This implies that a person may need a professional caregiver who goes to their house regularly.
Alternatively, an individual may move into a senior care facility that offers care services to golden agers who have Lewy body dementia.
This heavily affects the finances of the person with LBD. The illness also causes people to become susceptible to other infections and diseases like pneumonia because the immune system becomes weaker over time.
The introduction of new medical conditions may hit someone hard because some cases end up being fatal.
Closing Remarks
Lewy body dementia is not a rare disease as it affects millions of individuals and their families all over the globe.
Each person, nonetheless, experiences LBD differently. After reading through Lewy body dementia stages, it is worth noting that a majority of the symptoms of the illness are treatable.
Your doctor can prescribe medication that will treat symptoms related to other illnesses like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease.
These usually offer symptomatic benefits for movement, cognitive, and behavioral problems.
Accurate and early diagnosis of LBD is also essential. This is because the affected person can jump on a comprehensive treatment plan as soon as possible to enhance the quality of life.
People who have Lewy body dementia should not be left to face this disease on their own.
They need all the support they can get from loved ones and professional doctors as well.
Further research on LBD is also required because currently, there is no sure way of preventing or curing Lewy body dementia.
More physician education about the disease is also vital as this will help to reduce the cases of misdiagnosis.
This way, the experts will be able to differentiate the symptoms of Lewy body dementia and other memory-related illnesses.
We will look at the most typical and common symptoms of Alzheimer’s in elderly people.
As a caregiver or a relative, you need to be aware of these so you can take action early enough.
As soon as you start working on getting a senior to see a doctor and they prescribe an appropriate treatment, the easier the process.
Even if you think (or believe) sudden changes in behavior are due to old age, think again. With more and more people getting diagnosed with dementia (and Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause), you should take thing seriously enough.
There are about ten million new cases of dementia each year worldwide. Old people of the age sixty and beyond are those who are affected the most commonly.
What’s even more shocking, Alzheimer’s disease is one of the top leading causes of death in older adults. And the numbers keep on increasing due to the fact that there is still no cure for dementia.
But there are different treatments that lessen the impact, which is why you must be aware of the symptoms first and foremost.
Most Typical Symptoms of Alzheimer’s in Elderly
1. Misplacing Belongings
Scientists haven’t fully established the root cause of Alzheimer’s disease in relation to how it affects different people.
The condition is generally attributed to genetic components that are responsible for triggering the early-onset symptoms and a series of complex changes in the brain over time which results in late-onset Alzheimer’s.
One of the earliest symptoms of Alzheimer’s in elderly people presents itself as misplacing belongings.
It could be things like forgetting where to store items or placing things where they don’t belong. In the case of elderly people, it’s often thought of as a sign of aging and easily dismissed.
2. Trouble Forming New Memories
Age is a contributing risk factor when it comes to the prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease as noted between people who are 65 to 85 years old.
Research suggests that the incidence of Alzheimer’s doubles every five years after the age of 65.
However, the disease does not correlate directly with aging but the odds of diagnosis is higher in older people. That is why signs like problems with forming new memories are hard to discern because several other issues related to aging have often become prominent by that time.
The illness, in general, affects the brain process and a person’s ability to form new memories.
3. Confusion Of Time
Abnormal plaques and tangles that develop as we age have been linked with the damaging and ultimate demise of the brain’s nerve cells.
Plaques refer to deposits of protein fragments known as beta-amyloid which may build up within nerve cell spacings over time. Tangles are twisted fibers of a different kind of protein known as tau.
Alzheimer’s affects most regions of the brain which in turn affects thinking, memory, judgment, problem-solving, language, behavior, and movement.
Confusion is yet another symptom of Alzheimer’s in elderly people that is often attributed to the aging process.
It affects someone’s ability to perceive places and also perceive the passing of time. They might forget what’s typical and also forget simple things like the day of the week.
4. Impairments With Abstract Thinking
As the damage developed by the brain cells worsens, it affects a person’s ability to organize their thoughts and express themselves. The disease begins to attack the brain cells long before the symptoms of Alzheimer’s in elderly people become apparent.
The pre-clinical stage is only discernable in research settings but the mild cognitive impairment that follows comes with signs related to diminished thinking and memory skills.
A person with Alzheimer’s disease often has challenges performing complex tasks that require critical thinking. Much like misplacing belongings, they might forget what numbers are for or have trouble co-relating the written digits with their corresponding names.
Someone with the disease also starts having challenges with things they often did with ease like balancing a checkbook.
5. Moderate Dementia
At some point, when the damage to the brain cells continues to worsen a person with Alzheimer’s develops moderate dementia.
The person becomes more confused and their forgetfulness also becomes heightened. It’s at this stage that they start having more challenges with activities of daily living, including things like grooming.
The period is marked by confusing names and even the inability to recognize friends or family members.
For the elderly, this is the point when they begin to wander around more, searching for places that feel familiar. The conditions make it unsafe to leave them alone and they start requiring a given level of assistance.
6. Inability to Communicate Coherently
Yet another symptom of Alzheimer’s in elderly people that is often confused with the natural aging process is the inability to communicate coherently.
As people age, it’s often typical for them to start speaking at a slower speed. People with Alzheimer’s often have trouble finding the simplest of words to express what they intend and they may substitute them with unusual words.
It makes both their written and spoken speech much harder to understand. They may want to find a hairbrush and refer to it as “that thing for the head,” which might seem odd or unusual of them particularly if they are the ones who misplaced the item in the first place.
7. Impaired Visuospatial Abilities
Some people might start having challenges with processing visual information pointing out to the possibility of the disease.
Problems are quite common, particularly in the case of people who develop cataracts during the aging process.
The change comes through as problems with reading, determining color, and judging distance. Given that different areas related to vision could develop sudden lapses, a person with Alzheimer’s might also have trouble perceiving movement as well as issues with their peripheral vision.
These are all things that pose a great problem when driving and signal that it’s time for the person to stop operating any type of machine.
8. Muscle Memory Loss
Several ailments affect fine motor skills including Parkinson’s disease but it’s also a symptom of Alzheimer’s in elderly people.
The tricky little tasks most of us take for granted like threading a needle, writing neatly, and buttoning a shirt all become problematic to someone with Alzheimer’s.
In the same way memory loss associated with remembering information affects people with the illness, they also suffer from muscle memory loss.
It refers to a diminished ability to make use of motor skills when the part of the brain that communicates with the muscles becomes damaged.
It’s visible through aspects like taking shorter steps with a shift to a particular side. Numbness experienced in the extremities can also signal the disease.
9. The Sundowner Syndrome
Insomnia is another symptom of Alzheimer’s in elderly people marked by shifts in patterns of sleeping.
However, the sleep issues one person develops may vary from what someone else with Alzheimer’s experiences.
It could be problems with falling asleep in the first place or conversely sleeping more than usual.
Often, the day/night sleep cycle suffers, resulting in the Sundowner Syndrome. It’s noticeable by the sudden increase in the length or number of day time naps.
At the same time, experts attribute it to one of the normal changes that come with aging but it’s safe to bring it to a physician’s attention.
10. Poor Grooming and Hygiene
Whether due to apathy or increased forgetfulness, poor grooming and hygiene are among the other symptoms of Alzheimer’s that are noted in the elderly.
It’s more apparent in individuals who often take good care of their appearance and all of a sudden start looking disheveled. You can identify it through aspects like a senior wearing the same clothes several days consecutively.
It also presents itself when someone stops shaving or stops brushing their hair or handling other grooming aspects like brushing their teeth.
Poor or lack of grooming also becomes more apparent as the condition progresses and affects a person’s motor skills.
11. Mood or Behavior Shifts
There is a tendency to notice that most seniors seem forlorn or less enthusiastic about life in general. Often, it’s even more evident in older adults who are suffering from terminal medical conditions.
People with Alzheimer’s experience the same symptoms marked with mood or behavior changes.
It is always inverse behavior, for instance, someone outgoing suddenly becomes withdrawn and another person known to keep to themselves might suddenly embrace an outgoing personality.
Anger and aggressive tendencies are also exhibited by people with Alzheimer’s when it’s unnecessary and appears out of line.
It all often comes from feeling extremely confused, suspicious of others in unfamiliar surroundings, and experiencing heightened anxiety.
Someone with the condition may feel out of their comfort zone and start being wary, suspicious, and distrustful about those around them.
They might also start seeing, hearing, smelling or even tasting things that don’t really exist.
Experiencing any of these symptoms whether in a woken state or when asleep isn’t usual by any account and seeking medical treatment could lead to an Alzheimer’s diagnosis.
The fact that it’s also a symptom that is characteristic of other conditions like schizophrenia could also lead to a false diagnosis.
13. Body Shuts Down
It’s unfortunate that Alzheimer’s, just like other neurodegenerative conditions, doesn’t have a cure. The conditions progressively worsen and soon enough, the person suffering from it loses their physical functions entirely.
That includes being bedridden and losing the ability to see, hear, or talk entirely.
It’s difficult to assess individual prognosis due to how the disease affects every individual differently and in the course of an indeterminate period before conclusive diagnosis.
Life expectancy after a diagnosis is roughly seven years; fewer than 3% of people who are diagnosed with Alzheimer’s live past fourteen years.
The best that doctors can do following diagnosis is to manage the symptoms to the best of their abilities.
14. Repetitive Questioning
One of the symptoms of Alzheimer’s in the elderly is the fact that they keep on asking the same question over and over again. If you are blind to their condition, this may annoy you what can get you to react inappropriately towards them.
With this, you create even more tension in the person with Alzheimer’s disease, which can end up with irrational behavior. With that in mind, keep calm if the older adult asks the one question for the tenth time.
One thing you need to understand is that they, very likely, are unaware of the repetitive questioning.
If you have not already taken them to the doctor, now is the right time to seek help from a practitioner.
15. Poor judgment
It is very common that a person with Alzheimer’s disease starts experiencing poor judgment. This can affect all sorts of different aspects of one’s life.
For instance, they cannot make the right decision when it comes to money anymore. They do not have control over the money, payments and cost, paying less or giving away more money. It is sad that some people then start taking advantage of the latter.
Moreover, it is also widespread that an individual begins forgetting about taking care of themselves.
From washing themselves and their teeth to taking care of their clothes and other whatnot, hygiene becomes a struggle.
Records from The Alzheimer’s Association reveal that about fifteen million people in the US actively participate as caregivers for people dealing with dementia.
It presents a wide range of challenges for both professionals and novices. This is because the illness comes with several symptoms like disorientation, inability to effectively communicate, and memory loss, etc.
That can take a toll on the person experiencing the condition as well as the individuals who provide regular care.
As a caregiver, your main responsibility is to ensure that the individual who is under your care remains as physically, mentally, and emotionally healthy as they can be.
While serving as a caregiver, it is vital to know how to deal with the issues that may crop up daily skillfully.
Below you will get to learn some priceless tips caregivers can employ to make the task at hand more manageable and fulfilling.
Best Tips When Dealing With Dementia
Understand that Patience is Paramount
A majority of people underestimate the level of patience you need to care for a person dealing with dementia. Note that an individual with dementia has to deal with the unexpected changes that are happening to their body.
They are continuously struggling to regain some of the skills they lose including thinking and speaking. It can make one feel agitated or hopeless most of the time.
This is why a caregiver needs to practice patience and try as much as possible to relieve the mental and emotional pressure that a loved one with dementia has.
Plan your time accordingly because rushing the individual you are caring for will not help much. It will only lead to more confusion between both parties.
Do Not Be Afraid To Ask For Help
Whether you are caregiving for a relative or you offer expert help, always be ready to accept support. Several support groups for family caregivers exist.
Search for the groups close to your location and pick the one you are most comfortable with.
Such groups are beneficial in that they create a safe space that caregivers can use to talk about the issues they have with other people who are in similar situations.
The interaction that happens in a group setting can also act as a learning environment where you can pick up one or more techniques to incorporate into your care plan.
Support groups are not a preserve for family members.
Expert caregivers can also join such groups where they can ask for assistance from colleagues, mentors, and other able individuals when facing challenging times.
Never feel bad for seeking a hand or wanting to talk to someone when things are tough.
Avoid Open-End Questions
It is advisable to limit the questions you pose to individuals who have dementia. When you have to ask questions, let them be simple queries that need a “yes” or “no” response.
Do not overwhelm the person who is under your care. Ask one question at a time and study the behavior of the respondent to know when it is time to go easy with all the questions.
Do Not Argue With a Person Who Has Dementia
Caregivers need to know that arguing with a person who is dealing with dementia is highly frowned upon.
Worth noting is that the brain of a person with dementia usually malfunctions.
This means that they may end up saying things that do not make sense or make false statements because this is what the brain is instructing them to do.
Express Love and Care Through Touch
One of the simplest ways to support a person with dementia is through touch. By holding their hands, you can share your love and assistance, making them feel better.
No one truly understands what goes through their mind; however, with simple gestures, you can help alleviate the condition they are experiencing both mentally and physically.
Even things like caressing their back or face, as well as brushing their hair and whatnot, all positively impacts the person.
Sometimes, the simples things have the biggest and the most positive effect.
It is not always about the treatment and the pills, expressing appreciation and care can be done in all sorts of different, drug-free ways.
Maintain Positive Healthy Relationship
Before you sign up as a caregiver, you must understand that at times the job can be harsh. It is, therefore, your duty to try and maintain a positive relationship with the person with the memory illness since there isn’t much they can do to control the situation.
Come up with creative ways to support the relationship so that both of you are happy.
As you are caring for an individual dealing with dementia, you may notice that the person you are caring for just wants to sit at home and lock out the entire world.
This is not good as it may end up doing them more harm than good. Encourage the person under your care to take part in physical outdoor activities if they are capable.
Start small even if it is just going out to walk for a few minutes. Numerous studies show that regular physical activity or exercise plays a significant role in living better with the illness.
Ensure you pick out activities that both of you enjoy. Remember to involve the person you are looking after to avoid forcing them to do something they do not want.
Break Down Activities into Manageable Steps
Rather than expecting the individual under your care to jump on a task and complete it right away, break it down so that they complete it in a series of steps.
Cheer the person on and tell them to do as much as they can without too much pressure.
If there are some steps they forget, gently remind them. Step in and offer assistance in the areas where he or she cannot complete an activity on their own.
Experts also advise on the use of visual cues when communicating with the individual because it helps show them what to do next.
Take Care of Yourself
It is not possible to properly look after a person when you are not in the best state yourself. You would rather have someone else take up the responsibility than end up suffering.
Take breaks when necessary and do everything in your power to be happy and positive. This may demand that you increase physical exercise, eat a balanced diet, meditate, or go for long walks in nature depending on what you like.
It is the only way you will be able to handle the “job” in the best possible way.
Create a Peaceful Environment
This particularly applies to people with dementia who still live at home. Go the extra mile to make sure that the person who is dealing with dementia gets to live in a serene environment.
Get rid of clutter in the room because this can overwhelm anyone even when they are not ill. Simply create a dementia-friendly home.
You may need to change the colors of the room where the person under your care spends the most time. This is because bright colors normally act as stimulants, while subtle colors promote calmness.
The use of pleasant fragrances from sachets and fresh flowers can also be aroma-therapeutic fostering a sense of peacefulness. If one wants to listen to music, let it be something soothing.
Avoid Power Struggles
The following has a lot to do with how you communicate with the person you are caring for. Your primary responsibility is to make them feel secure and happy.
Do not be the person who always nags and causes avoidable conflict. Learn to listen more with your heart, eyes, and ears.
It is also wise to respond with reassurance and affection because people with dementia often feel anxious, confused, and unsure of themselves.
Avoid trying to tell the person they are wrong because this will only make them feel worse. Be keen to pick on the feelings that the person you are caring for showcases and respond with physical and verbal expressions of support, comfort, and reassurance.
Sometimes something as simple as hugging, touching, holding hands, and praise can get the person to respond when all other avenues fail.
Schedule Routines Wisely
Many people who care for individuals with dementia will tell you that routines are vital to peaceful coexistence between caregivers and the persons they are looking after. When you are coming up with these routines, be sure to plan things well.
For instance, tasks like medical appointments and taking a shower need to be placed earlier on in the day. This is where a person is feeling most refreshed and alert.
Schedules should also not be rigid. Allow flexibility for some spur-of-the-moment activities or those rather tricky days.
Create Time for Reflection
As you are planning activities, it is vital to have some time for reflection.
This is particularly important in the early stages when the person has been diagnosed with dementia since most people usually have a hard time accepting the new developments.
Alter expectations and be ready to deal with fresh challenges with each new stage of the illness. Caregivers also need to find the strength to celebrate successes and mourn losses.
Maintain a Sense of Humor
Indeed, humor is important for any person looking after a loved one or client with dementia.
Tell jokes when possible being careful not to do this at the person’s expense.
Laughter has been known to be therapeutic for many people. Studies also confirm that it is beneficial to those with memory loss.
Laughing makes a person forget about their troubles for a while because it acts as a stress reliever. Laughter can also help relieve some of the pressure you may be feeling like someone’s caretaker.
Closing Remarks
Taking care of an individual who has dementia does not come naturally for most. Caregivers have loads to learn along the way as they spend time with people dealing with dementia.
It starts by having a deep understanding of the dementia process so that you can know the type of care to extend.
The care process, however, does not have to be stressful at all times.
You can work with some of the tips above to improve the quality of life of the person with dementia enjoying heartening bonding experiences for both of you.
With each passing year, we need to be more and more aware of the warning signs of dementia.
Why so? The fact of the matter is, there are more and more people affected by the disease in one form or another.
However, if you act early, you can positively impact the person with dementia and help alleviate the condition.
That said, you can discover some of the most common signs that are connected to a person with dementia. But only if you are familiar with them.
Some are pretty basic, almost mundane, but we just do not link them with dementia. Thus, it almost should be part of the general knowledge, knowing what signs to take into consideration.
Bear in mind, millions and millions of people are impacted by dementia globally and the number is only to increase year in and year out.
For instance, all of a sudden, they start having trouble making a cup of coffee or even bringing a meal to the table. Moreover, they forget how to tie shoelaces or clean the floor.
What was once a piece of cake, unexpectedly, a person gets distracted too frequently or completely forgets/ignores the process.
When you observe drastic and repeated changes in their behavior, it is very advisable to seek a doctor or a practitioner.
Together, you can then investigate the condition further and diagnose whether he or she has dementia.
Trouble Concentrating or Thinking
Concentration and thinking are essential for us to get going with our daily tasks. One of the early signs of dementia is having trouble concentrating or thinking.
We can characterize this symptom of dementia when one cannot maintain his focus on one thing or situation at a time.
He or she is constantly dealing with “having a million thoughts on one’s mind” at the same time which demands your attention. One might also have an unusual difficulty focusing on or remembering what he just said, the last food he ate or what he was doing just minutes ago.
There is also the tendency of forgetting names, phone numbers or what one was just thinking of.
Since concentration and thinking are necessary for accomplishing intellectual tasks, losing those will make living life much more difficult than usual.
Poor Short-term Memory
When one thinks of poor short-term memory, Dory from Disney’s Finding Nemo easily comes to mind. The character of Dory perfectly represents yet another one of the signs of dementia.
Similarly, a person suffering from dementia may not remember the address of the scuba diver written on the goggles which the Disney characters saw before almost getting eaten alive by an anglerfish.
This symptom can go as mild as forgetting some random events or even romantic conversations with one’s loving spouse which transpired just about twenty minutes ago.
There are also extreme cases where one becomes unable to recognize his spouse and whom he starts chasing out of the house for mistaking them as thieves breaking into their home.
Problem Finding the Right Words
Have you ever encountered someone whom when you were having a conversation with but usually utters a lot of filler words instead of articulating their thoughts?
How about a person who often says, “It’s at the tip of my tongue.” Or “I know the right word but I just cannot seem to find it.” Having difficulties finding the right words to say is one of the signs of dementia.
This is because a part of the memory of a person who has dementia, which is also called semantic memory, is impaired. It leads them to forget a person’s name even if they’ve known them for decades.
Once the semantic memory starts to be impaired, the part of the individual’s memory for understanding and recognizing words are similarly affected.
Easily Distracted
Getting easily distracted is another symptom that is mostly connected to being out of concentration. One who struggles with distractions regularly may experience difficulty meeting deadlines or keeping belongings organized.
If a person usually feels that he is getting quickly irritated with a sudden noise, music or anything that would be considered normal as to others, this circumstance results in making that person inefficient in his daily tasks.
Distractions clearly affect one’s functioning and cause social, academic or occupational impairment. Thus, one feeling this symptom of dementia may find himself overly stressed which may result to behave anxiously.
Misplacing Objects
Do you know someone who is constantly experiencing forgetting things; the location of the object or item he or she is searching for or even where they placed it?
Misplacing objects is one of the most recognizable signs of dementia.
A person may actually put things in very unusual places, such as remote control in the fridge or wristwatch in the trash bin. If you have someone suffering from dementia at home and he starts hiding things, be cautious of their future activities.
Such a person may not even realize that the items are not his nor do they belong to him.
People who have dementia are not intentionally trying to hide an important item but because of their mental incapacity, they just do not understand what they are actually doing.
Unmotivated
Loss of interest in social activities and hobbies are one of the main outcomes of being unmotivated.
Experiencing this sign of dementia lets that person feel that he is losing the meaning of life. He or she perceives that everything that they do is useless.
Instead of being the old positive risk-taker, this person has now become pessimistic and weak. Unmotivated behavior occurs when other symptoms severely affect your daily responsibilities.
Psychologists have labeled this as having a low level of self-efficacy which is the innate ability to influence the outcome of a project or venture.
People who have dementia also tend to forget thinking of long-term rewards and benefits. At the end of the day, isn’t that an essential element of motivation?
Confusion
It all starts with losing memory, forgetting names and lacking the ability to complete sentences. This leads to confusion that may begin to irritate the person with dementia.
It is a prevalent sign of dementia when patients get confused for not knowing where they put keys, their wallet, heck, even shoes.
Not just that, it goes so far they do not remember the person they just met. In some instances, they try to fake it, like they know who they are; however, in reality, they have no clue.
For everyone with dementia, it is important to speak openly about their situation, even if it is only about slight memory loss.
Appropriate treatment can help alleviate the condition.
Loss of Feeling for a Time
There are occasions when time or the place of their current location confuses people with dementia.
We identify this sign of dementia when one usually loses track of dates, seasons, due dates and even the passage of time. They may also have trouble understanding something if it is not happening immediately.
Thus, they have the tendency to forget what another person just said and act as nothing happened.
Worse is, sometimes they may even forget where they are and end up asking the questions, “Where am I?”, “What am I doing here” or even “How did I get here?”.
Alternatively, we can also call this symptom disorientation which may eventually result in having sleeping problems.
Avoiding Company
Sometimes, a person becomes unnecessarily and extremely withdrawn from his surroundings and the people around him.
People suffering from this symptom of dementia spend much of their time alone. Besides, even if they are with others, they may not have much of a conversation with them as they feel lonely or bored with engaging conversations.
They just do not feel comfortable when people are around them.
A person with dementia may find it difficult to initiate a conversation or participate in any social activity. Instead, the affected person may spend much of their time sleeping.
They may also seem disinterested if somebody tries to engage them or offer them something to do.
They are also more likely to lose interest in group interest, such as playing sports or going out for a movie. Instead, they rather choose to stay alone.
Difficulty Managing Money
Having money problems may be one of the first noticeable signs of dementia. At the early stages, a person with dementia may be able to perform basic tasks, such as paying bills, among others.
However, the affected person may have difficulty with more complicated tasks, such as balancing a checkbook. A person with dementia may also have trouble counting changes, paying for a purchase, calculating tips or even understanding bank statements.
The person may also not be comfortable, even afraid when he or she talks about money.
Moreover, he or she may sometimes perform unreasonable and unnecessary withdrawals from their bank account.
As the disease gets worse, the person may even try to hide their financial problems to maintain independence from their family and friends.
Rapid Mood Swings
A person who has been diagnosed with dementia can go from good to bad mood pretty quickly. Predominantly every living human being experiences mood swings, some more and the others less regularly.
It is hard to feel full of joy all the time, but we definitely need to do something about it when we are down all the time.
A healthy person can control the mood to some extent.
However, when it comes to a person with dementia, their rapid mood swings are uncontrollable. That said, if you are in the company of a person with this condition, their mood swings should not have any effect on you mentally.
Keep calm and understand that they are very likely not aware of their temper.
If you are aware of the beginning signs of dementia, you can do a lot in regards to helping both yourself and your love ones.
Dementia is a general term that describes a decline in mental ability that ends up interfering with a person’s life. Experts link its development to the brain, losing some of its nerve cells, causing the brain to malfunction.
The severity of the illness ranges from early stages, which affect how a person functions to severe stages where an individual loses their independence.
To confirm that a person has dementia, doctors carry several tests to confirm the individual does not have other illnesses. Dementia medical assessment may include a physical exam, studying the medical history, and neurological examinations.
Medical practitioners will also study the symptoms a person is showcasing to help them come up with a conclusive report. Before visiting the doctor, there are some eye-brow raising signs that a person or their loved ones may notice to indicate that everything is not right.
Below you will find some of the beginning signs of dementia that might tell a person is experiencing the early stages of the illness.
Beginning Signs Of Dementia
1. Memory Changes
One of the earliest sign of dementia is memory loss. This is where a person begins to forget important things that end up interfering with their day to day life.
At the onset of the disease, the affected individual may find that they are always asking for the same details over and over again. They may also have to rely more on notes that family members and loved ones write.
Note that occasionally misplacing keys and remembering where you put them does not count as a memory loss issue that relates to dementia. This is because mild forgetfulness is usually a normal part of aging.
2. Trouble Problem Solving and Planning
During the early stages of dementia, it is common for individuals to make plans and not go through with them. A person may have so many ideas for the future but does not focus on any.
Someone might not even be able to follow a simple recipe that they have used several times in the past.
During this stage, it may also become increasingly difficult to focus on detailed tasks, especially the ones that involve crunching numbers.
For instance, a senior may find that they can no longer balance a checkbook correctly, manage budgets, or even keep track of bills. One might not even comprehend the numbers and signs on a calculator compared to how skilled they were before.
3. Lack of Enthusiasm for Usual Activities
Lack of interest in things that a person once loved and apathy are among the beginning signs of dementia.
You may notice that your loved one no longer cares about things like woodworking, knitting, or even meeting up with family members for get-togethers. Some will not even want to spend time with their grandkids, an activity they once treasured.
Most individuals who have dementia value seclusion and they want to stay away from other people.
It does not necessarily mean that they enjoy their company. At times, they may feel embarrassed about the changes that are starting to happen in their bodies.
4. Difficulties Completing Familiar Tasks At Work, At Home, Or Leisure
When a person finds that it is tough to finish daily tasks successfully, it may be time to see a doctor for a dementia diagnosis. This is where one might not be able to finish dressing or even make breakfast on their own.
You may find that an individual starts to get into trouble with their boss for tasks that they seamlessly handled before. One might even get into their car and have to rack their brains to drive to a familiar place.
When a person gets together with their relations to play their favorite games, they may suddenly forget all the rules.
5. Disorientation to Time or Place
When you suddenly wake up from deep sleep, it’s usually impossible to determine the location, day, and exact time right away. It is a phase of disorientation that quickly passes and you can get to know the above details.
This is what a person with dementia may experience regularly. Only that the intensity of the disorientation is typically way worse.
An individual may not be able to tell their location or why they are there. They may also not be able to figure out the current season. Some persons possibly will start believing they are much younger because they are oblivious of the passing time.
6. Problems Writing or Speaking
Communication problems are ranked among the beginning signs of dementia. A person who is at the early dementia stages may no longer enjoy holding conversations because they do not flow naturally.
People around them may find it difficult to know what they are saying because words may be strewn all over the place in a way that does not make sense.
They can instantly forget what a person they are talking to has said; hence, not know what to replay. When writing, folks with dementia may perhaps find that their pieces have issues with punctuation, spelling, and grammar.
The illness occasionally affects a person’s handwriting, making it illegible.
7. Visual – Spatial Difficulties
Among the signs, you should observe when you suspect that a person has dementia is if there are any visual-spatial changes. It is where the elderly face a rough time when it comes to distances and depth perception. This is a sign that mostly affects driving because the driver cannot tell the correct distances.
Recognizing familiar faces or items becomes an uphill task.
Some cannot tell colors apart.
In such instances, a person may be forced to give up some things, like navigating stairs or reading a book because they cannot interpret what they see in front of their eyes.
8. Changes in Behavior
In addition to being withdrawn and quiet, doctors might also look for changes in behavior as part of the beginning signs of dementia. An individual may go through a wide range of emotions when one second they are happy, and the next they are spewing anger and frustration.
They may, furthermore, develop anxiety and insecurity. Poor judgment can also crop up at this point.
You can observe someone putting daily items in uncommon places. For example, one might put store food in a washing machine and clothes and shoes in the refrigerator.
The person with dementia might also insist on putting on winter clothes during summer.
Some of the things that people may do include packing and unpacking clothes, opening drawers without getting or putting anything and shutting them repeatedly, pacing and getting in and out of a door, among many others.
People who do not understand dementia might think that the person has lost their mind.
Experts explain that persons with dementia will act this way so that they can fulfill a need to be busy or do something productive with their time.
10. Loss of Sense of Touch and Motor Skills
Many people who develop dementia experience a loss of motor skills. Moreover, a sense of touch is among the beginning signs of dementia.
When it comes to fine motor skills, it is not rare to see a person’s hand trembling in that they cannot do easy tasks like buttoning a shirt or combing hair.
An individual with this progressive illness may also have a difficult time at the dining table because they cannot properly use cutlery.
Note that motor problems may also be an indication of another medical condition such as Parkinson’s disease. It is; therefore, essential to consult an expert doctor to know the illness this symptom is associated with.
11. Paranoia and Delusions
Most people with dementia will experience delusions and paranoia at a later stage.
A small percentage, however, will experience this at the early stage of the illness. The individuals may at first have some suspicions that someone is taking their items or misinterpret the things they hear or see misinterpret.
This can fast graduate to the individual firmly believing that a person is trying to hurt or even kill them.
Additionally, they may also experience hallucinations or hearing, tasting, or smelling non-existent things.
For example, a person might start to hear voices or see the face of a person they have not seen in a while.
12. Lack of concentration
It is widespread that a person with dementia starts to lack concentration. However, while older people begin to have a decrease in concentration naturally, it does not immediately mean they have dementia.
It is important to observe them over the course of several days, even a week or two, before making any decisions. That said, if you notice that their difficulty with concentration becomes troublesome, you should take them to the doctor or specialist as soon as possible.
The older adult begins to have evident issues with staying focused on a particular task, heck, even memorizing names and other information.
Closing Remarks
It is important to understand that dementia is progressive. This implies that the above symptoms may get worse while new ones may also crop up in later stages. At the onset of the disease, a person may still be independently requiring minimal supervision as they go about their daily life.
As time passes a person with dementia may find that they become increasingly dependent on caregivers.
Worth noting is that dementia does not affect everyone in a similar way. Each person has their unique experiences depending on factors like the type of dementia they have, the support they receive, environment, and personality.
