Blog - ReaDementia

Wandering and Dementia (Comprehensive Guide)

Petra Boh Blog, Causes, Signs March 13, 2021September 6, 2023dementia, wandering

Many people with dementia may at one time have to deal with wandering and dementia.

The Alzheimer’s Association reports that 6 in 10 people who have dementia will wander. This normally happens in the early stages of the illness.

Studies also show that the risk of wandering is usually higher for men than women.

Read on to find out more details about wandering including symptoms, causes, management & prevention strategies, caregiver goals, and planning for emergencies.

Warning Signs for Wandering in Dementia

There are several symptoms loved ones or caregivers can look out for to know if a person with dementia is at risk of wandering and some of them include:

Forgetting how to get to familiar places
Taking longer periods to get back home from regular drives or walks
Wanting or trying to “go home” even when a person is at home already
Talking about fulfilling former obligations like going to the office
Pacing, making repetitive movements, or being restless often
Asking about the whereabouts of past relatives or friends
Having a hard time accessing familiar places in the house like the dining room, bathroom, or bedroom
Acting anxious or nervous in public places with crowds such as restaurants or malls
Acting as if a person is engaging in a chore or hobby but they are not getting anything done. For instance, a person may be in the kitchen with a pot but they are not cooking anything

Reasons People with Dementia May Wander

The exact causes of wandering are not yet fully understood.

However, there are certain triggers associated with wandering and dementia and some of them include but are not limited to:

Fear or Stress

Individuals with dementia may start to wander as a reaction to feeling nervous in their current environment.

New Environments

People with dementia may feel disoriented or uncertain when they have to adapt to a changed environment like a new home or care center.

Many people may also want to escape from busy or noisy spaces. Wandering may stop once a person gets used to the chances.

Unmet Basic Needs

A person may wander off as they go looking for water, food, or the bathroom. Some people may also want to explore the outdoors and forget the way back home.

Loss of Short-Term Memory

Wandering may be caused by loss of memory. An individual may set off to go visit a friend or go to the shops and then forget where they are going or why.

A person may also forget that their loved one was going out and set off to look for them.

Searching

Affected individuals may get lost while looking for something or someone like a long-lost friend.

Excessive Energy

An individual may also start wandering as a way of using excess energy, which is one of the reasons why patients with dementia walk so much. It may be an indication that the individual needs to exercise more.

Visual-Spatial Issues

Individuals with dementia may get lost even in familiar places because the illness affects the areas of the brain that are responsible for navigation and guidance, even vision.

Expressing Boredom and Loneliness

People with dementia find it more challenging to concentrate on one thing as the illness progresses. Wandering can be one of the ways they keep occupied.

Following Past Routines

Some people will wander off as they try to go back to their former workplaces or grocery stores.

Devices to assist caregivers with monitoring wandering

	Product	Features
	Bed Alarm for Elderly Dementia Patients	Motion sensor Portable pager Fall prevention Easy to install Wireless
	Caregiver Pager, Wireless Panic Buttons Elderly Monitoring Assistance	Intercom Waterproof Durable 58 loud chimes Easy to install 500ft wireless
	4pc Security Home Camera	24/7 full HD recording Enhanced night vision Video alarm system AI identification Home app for family
	Smart Caregiver Corporation Cordless Bed Exit Monitoring System Alarm with Bed Pressure Sensing Pad	Prevent falls & wandering Wireless portable (300ft) Pressure pad and monitor
	Elderly Cellular Medical Alert Device\| Wearable Panic Button Necklace \| Medical Alert Systems for Seniors	Fall detection 2-way communication Waterproof 5 emergency contacts Lifetime warranty
	Elderly Cellular Medical Alert Device \| Medical Alert Smartwatch	Fall detector 2-way communication Heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen monitor Lifetime warranty

Strategies for Preventing and Managing Wandering

While chances of wandering are pretty high, there are various prevention and management tips that caregivers can use to help reduce the chances such as:

Visiting a Doctor

When a person with dementia starts to wander, it is advisable to consult a doctor who will conduct a physical check-up.

This helps to identify whether discomfort, pain, or an existing illness is triggering wandering. It may help to discuss any side-effects of medication that the person is taking.

It is best to avoid medication that increases confusion or causes drowsiness and incontinence

Creating Daily Routines

When looking after a person who is battling both wandering and dementia, it is advisable to create a routine the person with the illness follows every day.

This helps to offer structure so that the affected individual is “busy” all day lowering the chances of wandering. Where possible, identify the times of the day or night where the individual is most likely to wander.

This is the best time to plan fun activities or appropriate exercise for the person. It can help reduce agitation, restlessness, and anxiety.

Offer Reassurance

If a person with dementia is feeling abandoned, disoriented, or lost; caregivers should communicate in a reassuring manner.

Focus mostly on validation and exploration. For example, if a person insists that they need to go “home” or to “work” caregivers can tell them something like “It is okay, we will be staying here tonight where we will be safe and can go home or to work in the morning.”

Do not try and correct the person because it can lead to more confusion and agitation.

Meet Basic Needs

Some people with dementia will wander because their basic needs have not been fulfilled. It is; therefore, the responsibility of carers to ensure they meet all their basic needs on time.

This includes making sure they eat well, hydrate, and go to the bathroom when need be.

Avoid Busy Places

This can be anywhere from grocery stores, shopping malls, and other busy avenues. These places can be confusing causing disorientation.

Remove Access to Car Keys

If the person is no longer driving; ensure that car keys are not in sight. This is because persons with dementia do not only wander on foot.

It is easy for individuals to forget that they can no longer drive. If a person can safely drive, it may be best to use a GPS device so that if they get lost, they can be found easily.

Additionally, it is also advisable to keep shoes, hats, coats, and other items that are associated with leaving home out of sight.

Offer Supervision

When taking care of a person with dementia, keep an eye on them especially when visiting new environments so that they do not get lost.

Do not lock the affected individual in a car or house alone.

Beef up Security

There are several options to explore when it comes to this.

For instance, installing door locks that are either high or low so that they are out of the line of sight and not easily accessible by individuals with the illness.

Camouflaging doors by placing removable curtains over doors or painting them a color that matches the surrounding walls can also help.

Investing in devices that signal when windows or doors open can also be helpful. This can be a sophisticated electronic home alarm system or a simple bell placed above the door and window.

This alerts caregivers when people with dementia are attempting to leave the house.

Identification Card

It is also important for the person with dementia to have an identification card on them at all times.

Additionally, they can also wear medical bracelets, or put on clothes that have labels with their information.

Planning For Emergencies

When it comes to looking after a person experiencing wandering and dementia, it is important to have a plan in place for emergency situations.

This is because wandering can pose various safety issues particularly in very cold or hot temperatures. Some of the plans that can be put in place include:

Having a list of people to contact for help- Store phone numbers where they are easily accessible.
Request neighbors, family, and friends to call if they see the person with dementia staying alone.
Take close-up photos of affected individuals regularly and have updated medical information that can be given to the police.
Create a List of Places an Individual may Wander- These can include places such as former homes, past job locations, former schools, favorite restaurants, and places of worship.
Study the Neighbourhood Well- this helps to note down potentially dangerous spots near the house such as open stairwells, water bodies, tunnels, dense foliage, bus stops, and roads with heavy traffic.
To be on the safe side, it is best to consider enrolling an individual with a wandering response service.

If a person happens to wander try and stay calm as you begin the start the search and rescue efforts as soon as possible.

In most cases, persons who wander are usually found within one and a half miles of where they disappeared. If the person is not found within the fifteen minutes, file a missing person’s report by immediately calling 911.

Do not forget to let the authorities know that the individual has dementia.

Wandering and Dementia Caregiver Goals

When responding to wandering from persons who have dementia, care goals can be categorized into:

1. Encouraging, maintaining, and supporting choice and mobility enabling the person to move around independently and safely.

2. Assessing and managing the causes of wandering paying close attention to meeting basic needs.

3. Prevent unsafe wandering.

There is still limited research when it comes to wandering and dementia.

However, caregivers can still respond to the new development appropriately to ensure the person with dementia remains safe and happy.

Sundowning And Dementia – A Pattern Of Deterioration?

Rok Krivec Blog, Signs, Types March 12, 2021August 6, 2023dementia, sundowning, sundowning and dementia

There can be a pattern of deterioration when it comes to sundowning and dementia.

Some people with dementia normally go through challenging times during the late afternoons or early evenings. This is a condition that is known as sundowning.

It is also known as sundown syndrome or late-day confusion.

This is where a person with dementia may experience big changes like irritability, agitation, confusion, and restlessness that can either start or become worse as the day begins to end.

Everything to Know About Sundowning And Dementia

These usually get better by daybreak. At times, this might continue into the night, affecting how a person sleeps and eventually how they function during the day.

In most cases, sundown syndrome happens to persons who have advanced or mid-stage dementia.

Almost 20% of people who have dementia experience the syndrome.

Sundowning itself is not a disease, but it is a group of symptoms that tend to occur at a specific time of the day affecting persons with dementia.

Even though sundown syndrome is real, it is one of the most misunderstood dementia behaviors. Below we get into more details about sundowning and dementia – a pattern of deterioration?

Possible Causes of Sundowning

It is still not clear what the exact causes of sundowning are. Studies, however, suggest a few theories that explain what some of the possible causes might be.

One of the most prominent is the changes that happen in the brain, which in turn affect an individual’s “biological clock,” making them confused about the wake and sleep cycles.

It is where a person cannot tell when it is daytime or when it is nighttime.

The problem becomes worse when the clock changes, i.e. when the daylight becomes extended or suddenly gets lost. This often leads to irritability and other sundowning behaviors.

Other factors that may cause this condition include:

Pain and discomfort
Being overly tired
Boredom
Depression
Thirst, hunger, or other unmet needs
More shadows and less light in the house
Reactions to frustration cues that exhausted caregivers may showcase at the end of a long day
Overstimulation by noisy children, a loud TV or when their caregiver is doing chores around their living space.
Changes in the environment: Most people with dementia are attuned to their environment to the extent that they can become distressed when slight or big changes occur. For instance, if a person lives in a nursing home, agitation may come about when there is a shift change. At home, it is easy for the persons with dementia to pick up bad moods from their relatives which often leads to a reaction.
Disorientation because of not telling the difference between reality and dreams while sleeping
Existence of infections like UTI (urinary tract infection), etc.

Signs of Sundown Syndrome

When discussing sundowning and dementia, It is important to pinpoint some of the signs to look out for if you suspect that a person with dementia has late-day confusion.

Some of the most common ones are:

Yelling
Pacing
Mood swings
Seeing or hearing non-existent things
Arguing
Wandering
Restlessness
Confusion
A compelling sense that someone is in the wrong place
Rummaging through rooms, or drawers, etc.

When a person is going through some of the above behavioral changes, it is not the time to get into an arguing contest with them.

Some of the tips you can work with to help make the situation a little better include:

Approaching the person in a calm way
Asking if there is anything the person needs
Offering gentle reassurance that everything is under control
Reminding what time of the day it is in a kind manner

How to Deal With Sundowning

If you notice that the person with dementia you are caring for has sundowning signs, there are a few steps you can take to cope with the situation such as:

Creating distractions

If an individual becomes excessively agitated, try to take control of the situation by calmly listening to their frustrations and concerns.

Do your best to reassure the person that everything will be fine. You can also create distractions from upsetting or stressful events.

Develop a routine

Setting regular times for meals, waking up, bathing and retiring to bed can help with the situation.

It is also important to try and schedule outings, appointments, and visits during morning hours when a person is likely to feel their best.

Identify triggers

Another way you can help a person going through sundowning is to look for patterns.

Note down the things that may be triggering the condition and go ahead to limit or avoid them.

Avoid or limit things that affect sleep

Persons with dementia should not drink alcohol or smoke. Additionally, you can encourage them to consume bigger meals during breakfast and lunch and make evening meals simple and small.

If a person loves caffeine and sweets, let them take these in the earlier part of the day. Long naps in the afternoon should also be discouraged.

Keep them active

Another piece of advice when speaking about sundowning and dementia is to keep the persons with dementia active or busy during the day, something that can promote a good night’s sleep.

Daytime inactivity can result in issues with sleep.

Offering familiarity and comfort

People who have dementia appreciate being surrounded by comforting persons, thoughts, and things.

These usually help one to cope with some of the challenging issues that crop up as they are dealing with the illness.

Whether the person is living at home or at an assisted facility, ensure that they have all the items they cherish.

Loved ones should also try and visit them often to keep them company and keep them smiling. This also helps to combat stress a move that can lessen sundowning symptoms.

Reduce demands on the person with dementia

If a person has late-day confusion, try and make their late afternoons and evenings as stress-free as possible.

It should be a time when they just relax. This includes telling the person to do things that you might think are relaxing, such as taking a bath, listening to music or meditating.

It might be helpful because it means that their brain will not be giving in to the pressures of environmental demands.

Change tone

The way you talk to a person who is going through sundowning episodes must be addressed when tackling the issue on sundowning and dementia.

You must always use “inside” tonal voices talking soothingly and slowly.

Listen carefully to the response of the person you are caring for to see if you can arrest the source of distress.

If you feel like the individual is comfortable, sit close to them and reach out holding their hand and softly stroke his or her arm.

Enhance security in the home

This is especially helpful for those people who tend to wander due to sundown syndrome.

You can keep your loved one safe by putting in place measures like using the right type of window and door locks or installing motion detectors and door sensors so that those around can receive alerts when the person with dementia is on the move.

With this in mind, you need to avoid the use of restraints at all costs.

If the individual needs to pace, you can allow them to do so in a safe environment under your supervision instead of pinning them down a move that can make the situation worse.

Follow a chilled evening routine

Routines are not a preserve for daytime when you are dealing with a person with dementia. You can also have one in the evening to help ease the transition process.

Here you can include activities like stroking a pet, reading a book if it is possible, listening to soothing music, etc.

If you are watching TV or listening to the radio, set this to a program that is relatively quiet and calming.

People shouting or loud noises can distress individuals who have dementia.

If the above tips do not generate the results you desire, it may be time to seek help from a professional doctor.

He or she will check out the individual with dementia to offer appropriate solutions.

For instance, the medic might have to change medicines that an individual is taking so that he or she only takes drugs that help in relaxation and do not cause more confusion.

Medicine to Treat Sundowning

When dealing with sundowning and dementia, it is okay to be curious about whether any drugs that make these symptoms better.

This is because caregivers at times go through extremely overwhelming sessions where any interpersonal strategies they try do not seem to work.

Prescriptions are available, but a person with dementia should only use this as a matter of last resort. You must try everything else first before you go down the drug route.

A situation where it may be necessary to use medication is where there is a high degree of agitation that is running out of control and the caregiver cannot manage this effectively.

Medicine can help reduce distress so that the person who has dementia gets fast relief from their upset.

Examples of drugs that the doctor can prescribe include antipsychotic medicine which in as much as they can be effective, they can also carry certain risks.

This is why it is important to be very cautious when administering any type of drug to a person undergoing sundowning.

Palliative Care: an Underused Support in Dementia

Laura Herman Blog, Prevention March 11, 2021October 16, 2021dementia, palliative care

When speaking about palliative care and dementia, the core focus is improving the person’s quality of life.

Taking care of a family member with dementia can feel incredibly overwhelming at times. There is so much to learn and figure out.

Often it seems that as soon you do get something figured out, everything changes again.

Enter the palliative care team. Specially trained healthcare professionals who focus on improving the quality of life for people with serious illnesses, and their families.

They work hand-in-hand with the person, their doctor(s) and family members to reduce distressing symptoms, enhance communication, coordinate care, and develop a plan to improve quality of life for the palliative care patient and their family.

What can Palliative Care Do for People with Dementia?

The goal of palliative care is to reduce suffering and enhance the quality of life for the ill individual as well as their family.

They are there to help react to problems and discomfort as they occur. However much of what the palliative care team strives to do is to prevent problems from arising in the first place.

By helping the patient and their family understand (to the extent possible) what might lie ahead, they can plan for smoother sailing and navigate around major icebergs, missing most of them altogether.

Assist with Advanced Care Planning

The medical and legal landscape can be confusing and difficult to navigate – all the more so for individuals overwhelmed by emotion, stress or health problems of their own.

Often, this is the case for families that experience dementia.

The palliative care team can help families understand their options.

They can lead conversations about planning for eventualities, such as:

Who is the best choice to advocate for the person as their cognitive abilities decline?
If the person is found unconscious and without a pulse should resuscitation be attempted, or would they prefer to allow nature to take its course?
Should feeding tubes, ventilators or other intensive treatments be considered? Under which circumstances?
What are the person’s beliefs and wishes as they pertain to pain control? Do they want to be kept pain-free at all costs, or would they prefer to deal with some pain, if it means being able to engage positively with family members?

The palliative care team can help ensure that the doctors and medical providers are on the same page with the person in terms of their goals.

Without advanced planning, people often end up spending the last portion of their lives undergoing intensive medical treatments. Spending time in and out of hospitals, rather than remaining comfortable in their own homes.

This can be extremely traumatic or stressful for the person and their family.

This type of advance planning can be especially helpful to undertake with someone in the earlier stages of dementia.

It can enable their voice, preferences and beliefs to be a bigger part of the conversation. Most families find that palliative care support is extremely valuable in this arena.

Minimize Distressing Symptoms of the Disease

People with dementia, and their families, tend to experience a variety of distressing symptoms, such as anxiety and depression.

Pain is not normally a direct symptom of dementia, but because it can impair the person’s ability to recognize and communicate pain from other causes, there is a significant tendency to under-treat pain in people with dementia, according to researchers throughout Europe.

Pain is not only uncomfortable, but it is also exhausting. It can make it harder to think clearly, participate in meaningful activities, or comply with medical recommendations.

For example, it’s hard to comply with exercise recommendations when your feet hurt too much.

Pain is one of the major causes of challenging behavior in people with dementia. These behaviors contribute to their own stress levels, as well as those of their loved ones.

Pain assessment in dementia can be tricky. Even for seasoned professionals in some cases – but it is well worth the effort.

The difference in behavior, functioning and personality in someone with dementia who is hurting, before and after the adequate treatment, can be truly astounding.

The palliative care team can help minimize pain, anxiety, depression, hoarding, paranoid thinking, challenging behaviors, and other symptoms of dementia.

Enable People to Reach their Goals

Palliative care is all about the quality of life, not just medical care. For example, if a person with dementia wants to spend more time with their grandchildren, or figure out how to keep their beloved cat, the palliative care team is passionate about supporting these goals.

They specialize in managing symptoms and overcoming barriers so that people can live their best life.

Palliative Care is Underutilized and Misunderstood

According to the World Health Organization, 40 million people worldwide are in need of palliative care each year as they suffer with physical, emotional or spiritual pain near the end of their lives.

Only about 14% of these individuals currently receive palliative care. The best program availability is located in Europe, North America and Australia.

Most of the lack of utilization is due to the poor availability of palliative care programs. However, some people do have access to it but fundamentally misunderstand its scope.

Patients tend to confuse palliative care with hospice care. They believe that only people with terminal conditions, or those at the very end of life, need or can qualify for palliative care.

Hospice care is indeed for individuals who are expected by their doctor to be in their last few months of life.

However, palliative care is intended for people in any stage of a serious illness – from the time of diagnosis, in many cases – explains Karen Mulvihill, Director of Palliative Care Services at Danbury Hospital in Connecticut, USA.

In fact, palliative care can be most effective when in use as early as possible in the disease. It offers the best chance to prevent problems right from the beginning.

Palliative care can be delivered even while the person undergoes curative treatments, which is another place it differs from hospice.

Other misunderstandings include that palliative care or hospice are in connection to euthanasia or physician-assisted suicide.

This isn’t true.

A key tenant of palliative care holds that the team will do nothing to either hasten or postpone death. They focus on making the best regardless of how much time’s left.

Palliative Care can Improve Quality of Life for People with Dementia and their
Families

For many people living with dementia, palliative care support can alleviate a great deal of physical, emotional and spiritual suffering.

Palliative care can help navigate murky medical terrain, and enhance communication and coordination with medical providers.

Palliative care can help the person with dementia and their families define their goals, and figure out how to reach them.

By achieving these objectives, palliative care can dramatically improve the quality of life for people living with dementia and their loved ones.

For information regarding palliative care programs in your area, contact your doctor, social worker or community resource center.

7 Stages of Alzheimer’s Disease

Petra Boh Blog, Stages March 11, 2021October 16, 2021alzheimer's disease, dementia stages

People with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) experience the illness differently but research shows that affected individuals tend to go through similar stages of Alzheimer’s from the beginning to the end.

The categorization of the illness is useful when it comes to understanding what to expect to plan for appropriate care and treatment through each stage.

What Are the 7 Stages of Alzheimer’s Disease?

Some professionals use a simple 3-phrase model (early, moderate, and end) while others will use a more comprehensive breakdown that explains the progression of the disease.

The most common system breaks down the progression of Alzheimer’s into 7 stages.

It was developed by Dr, Barry Reisberg from New York University.

Below we will incorporate both systems discussing the three main stages of the disease and its seven sub-stages.

Pre-diagnosis

Also known as preclinical Alzheimer’s, these are the stages of Alzheimer’s that a person goes through before there is an “official” diagnosis of the progressive illness.

Note that changes in the brain usually start years before an individual can showcase any warning signs of the illness.

In the beginning, most people will not have a clue that they have the disease because the symptoms they may experience are usually associated with growing older.

People will continue to function independently at this stage.

There is currently no treatment for the pre-clinical stage of Alzheimer’s.

Experts are, however, hoping that in the future, there will be a medication that can halt the progression before people start showcasing symptoms to prevent the illness.

Let’s take a closer look at what affected persons may experience during the three pre-diagnosis stages.

Stage1: No Cognitive Decline

In the early stage of the progressive illness, most people will not showcase any subjective or objective cognition symptoms or functional decline.

They are also free from any mood or behavioral changes and have what is considered to be normal outward behavior.

Individuals at this stage can be referred to as mentally healthy persons. Alzheimer’s disease at this stage cannot be detected.

Stage 2: Basic Cognitive Decline

The 2nd Alzheimer’s stage is primarily characteristic of forgetfulness that occurs with normal aging.

A majority of people who are over 65 years will experience typical forgetfulness.

Alzheimer’s usually affects people who are above the age of 65. Elderly persons may no longer recall names as they would when they were younger.

Some may forget where they had placed their purse, keys, glasses, or other things around the house.

Many people in this stage will perform well on memory tests be able to go on working, drive, and be social.

The symptoms are normally not noticed by the individual, their family, or physicians.

Stage 3: Mild Cognitive Decline

Certain symptoms are common in the 3rd stages of Alzheimer’s.

For instance, a person with mild cognitive decline may find it hard to concentrate or focus on something.

Most people will also experience increased forgetfulness. If an individual is working, their performance at the workplace may be compromised.

People who stay at home may experience decreased performance in household chores like cleaning or even staying updated with paying bills.

Learning a new skill at this point becomes difficult. People may get lost in familiar places and they can find it challenging to find the correct words to speak when having a conversation.

Someone with stage 3 Alzheimer’s may frequently lose their possessions including prized items.

In this stage, a person’s family may begin to notice the changes that are happening in their loved one’s life.

The affected person may not do too well on memory tests and doctors can detect impaired cognitive function.

This stage can last up to seven years and the symptoms may start to be clearer in 2-4 years.

A person may need professional counseling at this stage especially if they have been conducting complex job responsibilities.

Most people will experience mild to moderate denial and anxiety during the 3rd stage of AD.

It is best to consult a physician during this point so that they can come up with care planning and treatment options that will keep the symptoms at bay.

Early-Stage Alzheimer’s

Also known as early-onset AD, this is one of the stages of Alzheimer’s where physicians can diagnose the disease.

The professionals use a combination of medical and neurological exams as well as imaging tests to help in the diagnosis process.

A team of different doctors like neurologists, geriatricians, psychiatrists, and psychologists among others can work together to help diagnose AD.

Stage 4: Moderate Cognitive Decline

Individuals at this stage will start to have more challenges with daily tasks. Denial of symptoms is usually more evident in this stage.

Some people will also have socialization issues where they withdraw from their relatives and friends.

This is mostly because they begin to be aware of the changes happening.

Other warning signs prominent in this stage include:

Having poor short-term memory
Decreasing awareness of recent or current events
Having challenges with simple arithmetic
Forgetting details about life history
Having difficulties paying bills and managing finances
Decreased emotional response
Having challenges cooking or even ordering from a menu
Forgetting about the season or month
Vision loss can also happen in some individuals. It can be as simple as having a hard time reading
Personality and mood changes may also occur some of the most noticeable ones being depression, confusion, fearfulness, and anxiety
Some individuals may also become increasingly irritated when something out of the norm happens.

This stage lasts about 2 years.

Individuals at this stage may need assistance from caregivers. Carers can lend a hand with day-to-day chores and making sure affected persons are well-fed and safe.

This includes looking out for them to ensure no one takes advantage of them financially because many affected individuals can become victims of financial scams.

Some affected adults may not be fit to drive and caregivers should ensure they do not get behind the wheel and endanger their lives and those of others.

Middle-Stage Alzheimer’s

Middle stage (mid-stage) AD consists of the fifth and sixth stages of Alzheimer’s that we will discuss below.

Stage 5: Moderate/Severe Cognitive Decline

In the 5th stage, most people with AD will have significant memory impairment.

Memory loss can either be moderate or severe.

It is usual for some people to forget major bits of details that affect their day-to-day lives such as phone numbers or home addresses.

Many people are unable to tell what time it is or where they are. It is one of the reasons many people in the 5th stage will get lost even after visiting a place they were once familiar with.

Affected individuals might require help with daily living activities like preparing meals, eating, bathing, and grooming.

Most people at this point will also have a hard time dressing.

It is common for a person to pick the wrong clothing for the season. For instance, an individual can insist on wearing summer clothes during winter.

Some individuals will start to wear the same outfit day in day out unless someone reminds them to change.

Caregivers can help out with dressing by laying out clothes for the day on a person’s bed. Depending on the level of independence, carers may have to dress up the person so that the individual with Alzheimer’s is always in proper attire.

A decline in personal hygiene habits may become more noticeable. For instance, a person may not brush their teeth or practice bathroom hygiene.

This stage can last an average of one and a half years.

Stage 6: Severe Cognitive Decline

The 6th stage of AD marks the point of the illness where many affected people will require more help with their daily tasks.

Taking a bath becomes challenging where persons cannot adjust the temperature of bathwater or handle other aspects of bathing.

Persons in this stage normally have limited memory of past and recent events.

Most will not remember the name of the school they went to or life events like their first job and the place where they were born.

Some retain details about their names but they may begin to confuse the names of people they are close to.

For example, a person may call their spouse the name of a deceased parent or use a different name to address someone they know. Most people in stage six might also start to experience incontinence of the bladder or bowel.

Speech ability may also start to diminish.

At this stage, personality changes become more pronounced. Individuals may experience different AD symptoms such as:

Anxiety
Delusions
Agitation
Paranoia
Fidgeting
Fear of being alone
Frustrations
Suspicions
Shame

The ability to calculate becomes challenging where even a well-educated person may not be able to count backward from 10 to 0.

Some people may start to wander at night and sleep more during the day.

The stage can last for around two and a half years.

Caregivers at this stage can offer help with personal care from hygiene to daily tasks.

Late-Stage Alzheimer’s

After going through the middle stages of Alzheimer’s persons with the disease will go through the final and last stage of the illness.

This is the 7th stage which is also known as late-stage AD. Read on to find out what affected persons can expect from this stage.

Stage7: Severest Cognitive Decline

At this stage, most people with AD lose their ability to communicate. Research shows that for most individuals, speech is limited to 6 words or fewer.

After sometime speech will decline to a single recognizable word before it is lost.

For survival, they usually require help with most daily activities including bathing, toileting, eating, and other activities around the clock.

Stage 7 is also associated with loss of psychomotor capabilities implying individuals at this stage may require help with ambulation and some might not be able to walk at all.

Affected individuals normally lose their ability to smile and instead they only have grimacing facial movements.

After a while, individuals may also lose their ability to hold their heads without support and others are not able to swallow.

Body movements tend to become more rigid which can cause severe pain to the affected persons.

Healthline reports that at least 40% of persons with AD form contractures, or hardening and shortening of tendons, muscles, and other tissues.

It is also common for adults to develop infantile reflexes such as sucking.

As cognitive and memory skills continue to become worse, individuals may require extensive care.

At some point, caregivers may have to consider support services like hospice care that will offer dignity and comfort at the end of life.

Although engagement is minimal during the end stages of Alzheimer’s persons with the disease can still benefit from interactions like a gentle reassuring touch or listening to relaxing music. This final stage normally lasts for about 2 and a half years.

Most people with AD will succumb during this stage.

Persons in this stage are usually vulnerable to developing other medical conditions that can lead to their death such as pneumonia, cancer, heart disease, or stroke.

Some individuals survive for years in this stage with proper care and life support.

Stages of Alzheimer’s Closing Remarks

It is important to learn how Alzheimer’s unfolds through various stages of Alzheimer’s.

While these stages do not always fall into neat little boxes and the symptoms may vary from one person to the next, they can be beneficial in taking care of a person with the illness.

It helps in preparing for the challenges that come next by getting the necessary medical supplies and aids like wheelchairs.

It also helps to identify care facilities like assisted living when an affected person can no longer live on their own safely.

AD is a progressive disease that gradually becomes worse over 4-20 years. However, a majority of affected persons will live for about four to eight years after diagnosis.

It is challenging for people with the disease and their loved ones to go through the stages of the illness. Knowing what to expect during these stages can help ease stress and unpredictability.

Cognitive and Physical Exercise and Dementia

Rok Krivec Blog, Prevention March 10, 2021August 11, 2023dementia, dementia activities, dementia exercises

Today, we will look at the best cognitive and physical exercise and dementia correlation, and how you can reduce the risk of the disease.

Developing dementia is one of the biggest concerns for the majority of people as they grow older.

The thought of getting the disease can be quite scary, especially for someone who has seen a loved one affected by the illness.

Benefits of Cognitive and Physical Activity for Dementia

Many individuals believe that all they can do is wait for a pharmaceutical cure for dementia and hope that they do not join the growing list of seniors with the disease.

Promising research, however, indicates that it is possible to reduce the risk of dementia through several effective yet simple lifestyle adjustments.

These include taking steps such as stress management, a healthy diet, quality sleep, social engagement, mental stimulation, and regular exercise.

By identifying and then controlling personal risk factors, it is possible to prolong/ maximize lifelong brain health.

Below we will focus on physical and cognitive exercise and the role they play in mitigating or slowing down the progression of dementia.

Cognitive Exercise

In regards to cognitive exercise and dementia, it is worth noting that continuously challenging the brain and learning new things puts you at less risk of developing dementia.

What this means is that you “will lose it if you do not use it.” Keeping the mind active is essential if you do not want your thinking capacity to decline medical research discloses.

This can help you in several ways, such as:

1. Reduce brain cell damage that occurs with dementia
2. Encourage better communication between the nerve cells
3. Support the growth of new nerve cells

Note that no single exercise will keep the brain sharp. You need to indulge in different exercises that will ensure your brain remains in the highest gear.

Some of the exercises you can try out to exercise your brain include:

Acquiring a new skill

Learning how to play a musical instrument, studying a foreign language, reading a good book, or learning how to paint, etc. can be instrumental in helping the brain remain in tip-top condition.

Look around for classes you can join and set aside some time to practice regularly.

Keep in mind that the higher the challenge, novelty, or complexity, the greater the benefit.

Playing card or board games

Playing games with loved ones has two benefits.

One is that you get an opportunity to bond and the other is that it helps the brain to stay sharper by making it work harder.

In as much as games like chess are fun to play, some research shows that it can lead to better math scores on various standardized tests.

Games like monopoly have also proven to enhance decision-making skills while sharpening cognitive function.

Puzzles are a great way to keep your recalling abilities high. These effects also help to keep dementia at bay.

Practice memorization and the 5Ws

When you start memorization, it is best to practice with something short before moving on to more complex things.

For instance, you can always start with the US capital states or books of the Bible, etc.

Creating patterns and rhymes can help to make memory connections stronger

When you are watching TV shows that may involve themes like crimes or feature detective, you can keep the brain active by thinking of the “Who, Why, When, Where, and What.”

When you capture these visual details repeatedly, you will keep the brain neurons firing.

Playing with children

This is another excellent option everyone should be aware of when curious about exercise and dementia.

The young ones have vivid and rich imaginations that directly link to memories.

When a person spends time playing with kids, you join their interesting world. This is typically a world full of unusual details the brain needs to keep remembering.

Doctors also note that adults who take time to play with kids have low-stress levels.

Additionally, heart rate, blood pressure, and high cortisol levels can drastically reduce.

Staying in good moods for longer periods helps to preserve the brain as well as its higher functions.

Read books with problem-solving mysteries

Problem solving is one of the proven ways to exercise your brain. One of the easiest ways you can do this is by solving puzzling mysteries.

You can find these online or in books. Try and tackle at least one mystery every day.

This will baffle the mind forcing you to think deeply so that you can come up with a solution. It is an entertaining way of getting the brain to work.

Gardening

If you are a person who likes to connect with nature while tending to plants, gardening should be on your list of keeping the brain sharper.

Many people not only feel better, but they also do better after gardening sessions.

Experts suspect that exposure to natural light, touching the earth, getting into contact with soil probiotics, and satisfaction of seeing things grow helps to enhance brain function and mood.

Listening to soothing music

Playing music also falls into the category of group activities to be discussed when tackling the topic of exercise and dementia. Good music tames and soothes.

Research shows that listening to Mozart can help make babies smarter.

Musicians are also said to have a lower risk of developing dementia than the rest of the people.

Music is a combination of breath control, exercise, dexterity, memory games, science, math, art, listening feelings, and a lot more.

Although more research still needs to be done, it is possible that music therapy can help combat dementia. It is not all types of music, though.

Genres like jazz, ethnic, and classical offer the most benefit.

Physical Exercise

The other part to highlight when talking about exercise and dementia is the physical aspect.

You cannot dispute the fact that people who exercise frequently are healthier, make better food decisions and retain their mental health longer than the people who do not exercise.

Although exercise will not work on the brain directly, it positively affects levels of blood oxygen, hormones, and the nutrient load that flows in the body.

When you have better control of your body, it benefits the brain because it receives adequate levels of blood, nutrients, and oxygen.

Aerobic exercises especially help to improve memory and thinking because they help to increase heart rate.

Staying physically active has also been known to increase flexibility, strength, and also improve the quality of sleep.

This is a move that can help to reduce the development of dementia. When you exercise daily or several times a week for about 30-60 minutes, you may:

1. Keep learning, reasoning, and thinking skills sharper.
2. Delay the onset of dementia for individuals who are at risk of developing the disease or slow down the advancement of the illness.
3. Enhance judgment, reasoning, memory, and thinking skills for persons who have mild cognitive impairment.

To benefit from physical exercise, it is important to identify safe and enjoyable activities for a person’s ability level.

Some of the ideas you can borrow from include:

Walking

This is one of the best exercises that a person can take part in. You do not even have to be outdoors to enjoy a great walk. An individual can decide that walking inside their house does them justice.

Regardless of the amount of time you take engaging in this activity, it is beneficial for the mind and body.

To make walking more pleasant, you can combine it with an errand such as rushing to the grocery store or walking your pet.

Dancing

If you enjoy dancing, you will not even feel as though you are engaging in exercise.

Dancing is a fun way to let loose and get the body moving a great addition to the things you need to do when discussing exercise and dementia.

You can opt to do this freestyle. This is where you switch on the music and burst your favorite move.

You can even get together with a couple of friends and head to the disco if this is something you will enjoy.

Alternatively, take things a notch higher and sign up for a professional dance class. The goal is to have a blast while doing some good for your entire body.

Weight or resistance training

This is where you work out muscles against an external force. This type of exercise offers multiple benefits.

These include increased flexibility, bone density, tendon, muscle, and ligament strength, improving posture, and metabolic rate.

Yoga

Although yoga cannot be described exclusively as a physical exercise, it is important to mention it as the activities to try when thinking about exercise and dementia.

Experts advise that you combine yoga and medication for the best results. This can help to improve focus, de-stress, reduce anxiety, enhance mood, and increase healing among many other benefits.

Although it is still difficult to understand specialists explain that a meditating brain is different from the awake brain.

Studies are underway to help people grasp this concept more.

Regular physical and cognitive exercise is crucial for everyone to stay mentally and physically fit.

This is despite the fact that extensive research needs to be conducted to show the degree of physical and cognitive exercise that helps to improve memory or slow down the advancement of cognitive decline.

12 Benefits of Occupational Therapy and Dementia

Rok Krivec Blog, Prevention March 10, 2021November 19, 2023dementia, occupational therapy, occupational therapy and dementia

By understanding the close connection between occupational therapy and dementia, you know the support a patient gets from a professional is crucial.

Dementia is a condition that develops as a result of brain damage causing impaired cognition.

To date, there is still no cure for the progressive illness. People with dementia, however, may be put under other treatments that can help deal with the symptoms of the disease.

These allow one to be as comfortable and independent as possible even when battling dementia.

One of the helpful treatment options that a person with dementia can try is occupational therapy (OT).

Benefits of Occupational Therapy for Dementia

We can describe this as a client-centered health profession discipline that deals with promoting wellbeing and health through occupation.

Occupational therapy experts approach the illness as a condition that interrupts occupational performance.

They evaluate persons who have the illness to determine their level of impairments and strength as well as the performance areas where they need help. This has proved to be helpful in several areas.

Let’s take a look at some of the benefits that people with dementia get from occupational therapy.

1. Improving Safety

Studies show that occupational therapy can help increase the safety of people who have dementia. This is one of the reasons it is important to talk about occupational therapy and dementia.

A huge percentage of people with the illness are at high risk of falling that can result in quicker decline, hospitalization, not being able to care for themselves, or having to move out of the house, etc.

Working with a qualified therapist can help to prevent this.

The professionals assess home safety and the environment where the individual with dementia spends the most time in.

This allows them to make practical recommendations about the changes that need to happen to keep the person safe.

OT therapists can also recommend the equipment that a person needs to use daily to reduce injury incidents.

The therapists can also go a step further to offer guidance on how to make day to day activities more manageable.

These may include the installation of shower bars, removal of carpets, or use of wheelchairs where necessary.

2. Offering Support and Education to Caregivers

In as much as OT experts work with people who have dementia directly, they also offer assistance to caregivers.

They do this in several ways.

One of them is by setting up routines that make the work of looking after your loved ones a little bit easier.

Effective routines are essential.

They can make sure that the individual who has dementia is eating and drinking right, taking their medication at appropriate times, and has decreasing problem behaviors.

An OT can offer guidance in areas like:

Reducing distractions
Availing instructions that are easy to comprehend
The use of visual cues
Breaking down tasks to make them simpler

The therapists play a crucial role in relieving the burden on caregivers because their job primarily involves promoting independence.

Working with the OT experts also means that caregivers are not alone.

The collaboration between the professionals and relatives of friends enables the person who has dementia to continue participating and enjoying life.

3. Promoting Social Relationships

Many people who have dementia tend to exhibit some behaviors that can put a strain on their relationships.

This is where you will find they become socially withdrawn or other people do not want to spend time with them. This can lead to loneliness which is not good for any person.

An OT professional will study the behavioral problems that are affecting social interactions and close relations.

The expert will help the individuals with the illness and their caregivers identify the trigger in a bid to offer possible solutions.

This can help deal with communication problems, frequent outbursts, and how to positively respond to underlying emotions.

Here the person who has the condition may benefit from opportunities to engage in fulfilling tasks.

It can be something as simple as fun puzzles, folding laundry or sorting objects.

4. Enhancing Recollection of Memories

Communication skills are one of the key areas that occupational therapists handle when it comes to occupational therapy and dementia.

In line with this, the professionals can also guide an individual in showing them how to use reminiscence.

It is a move that can help one remember valuable memories that can either bring joy or tears.

By remembering things in the past, the person can feel more secure, confident, and at peace.

5. Access To Other Helpful Services

There are times when an OT therapist will not have all the answers. This does not mean that they will leave the person they are looking after in a limb.

The therapists usually offer services under a larger group of health and social care teams.

It implies that they can connect a person with dementia to the right professionals who will offer the services they need. It is important to note that people can talk to therapists about any aspect of their health.

Based on this, they will be able to direct an individual to the networks and organizations that will offer help.

6. Helps to Enhance Cognitive Function

Occupational therapists can work with people who have dementia to help them improve or maintain cognitive function. Cognitive function refers to several mental abilities.

These may include decision making, learning, attention, remembering, reasoning, thinking, and problem-solving.

One of the ways that professionals can offer assistance is by taking persons with dementia through activities that stimulate cognitive skills.

This is especially useful during the first stages of the illness because it can help to delay progression and prolong independence.

7. Improve Balance and Strength

The experts can also help with the restoration of physical skills which can include a range of motion, endurance, and strength.

This is where exercise comes into play when discussing occupational therapy and dementia.

OT professionals can pick the right type of exercises that a person with dementia can comfortably engage in depending on their ability.

This may result in improving the person’s strength and balance so that they can enjoy life more.

8. Assist In Maintaining a Healthy Lifestyle

Occupational therapists go beyond assisting persons who have dementia stay active. They also offer a hand in regards to maintain a daily lifestyle.

This is where the professionals help the persons to perform various functional activities that are vital to their lifestyles.

These include things that give the person under their care purpose in life or enjoyment.

The therapists play a huge role in ensuring that persons with dementia function to the best of their abilities.

This is whether they are out playing golf, gardening, playing with grandchildren, group activities, or performing tasks in the office.

9. Assist with De-stressing

OT also comes in to enhance the emotional well-being of a person who is suffering from the disease.

Many people who have dementia will become depressed because their functionality becomes limited in one way or another.

The professionals do their best to offer positive emotional support.

They will identify the things that make the person with dementia happy and the tasks they can complete without too many complications.

This can help an individual focus on the things that they can do.

Additionally, the experts can incorporate relaxation techniques and exercises in a person’s daily routine.

This has been known to reduce stress or anxiety as the seniors are able to regain some sense of independence and self-esteem something great for their mental health.

10. Help with Major Life Transitions

The topic of occupational therapy and dementia is quite vast and important for people who have the illness as well as their caregivers.

As aforementioned, dementia is a progressive disease. This means that as months or years go by, people with the illness may have to make some drastic changes in their lives.

These may including having to retire from work or even move from their home into an appropriate senior residence.

Naturally, most people will not have an easy time dealing with these changes.

Occupational therapists have the skill-set required to guide persons through these life transitions to make them as smooth as possible.

11. Helps to Keep other Diseases at Bay

When a person with dementia is going through occupational therapy, they lower the risk of getting other diseases.

For instance, the experts can offer advice on relevant modifications that need to happen around the workplace or at home.

These can help the elderly tackle illness like arthritis so that they can continue to perform tasks normally for the longest possible time.

If a person already has arthritis, the therapist can help them use their hands differently to reduce pain. The professionals can also guide on the best resting positions to increase comfort.

12. Assist with Vision Loss

It is also important to talk about vision loss when talking about occupational therapy and dementia.

If a person who has dementia is also suffering from vision loss issues like glaucoma, occupational therapists can work with them to promote visual awareness.

This is through helpful activities that help in reinforcing perceptual skills. The professionals may also suggest some changes at home that can help with the situation.

These may include more contrast and lighting, color-coded ID tags, and the use of equipment like magnifiers. Therapists can also suggest the removal of items that can post as tripping hazards.

Corticobasal Syndrome (CBS) – Symptoms, Causes & Treatment

Petra Boh Blog, Types March 9, 2021October 16, 2021corticobasal degeneration, corticobasal syndrome

A rare progressive neurological disorder, corticobasal syndrome (CBS) is a condition that causes changes in language skills, movement, or both.

What is Corticobasal Syndrome?

It is one of the illnesses that has caught the attention of behavioral neurologists and movement disorder specialists.

Also known as CBD (corticobasal degeneration) it may start with issues such as stiff muscles on one side of the body involving a leg, arm, or both.

Such motor abnormalities include apraxia which is the inability to perform voluntary or purposeful movements and muscle rigidity.

Persons with this condition often complain about having trouble controlling their arms or legs.

Historically, CBD was recognized as a neurological condition that was mostly associated with movement disorders.

However, in recent years, research has revealed that behavioral and cognitive abnormalities occur more often than what was believed.

In some cases, dementia warning signs may precede the development of motor symptoms.

The initial cognitive symptoms may include impairments in executive function, progressive aphasia, and loss of intellectual abilities.

CBS was first described in 1968 by Rebeiz and colleagues. Most people will this condition will start showcasing symptoms around the age of 60 but some will have the warning signs earlier.

What Causes Corticobasal Syndrome

Scientists are yet to identify the exact cause of CBS.

Experts, however, know that in some individuals with the condition, there is usually a large build-up of tau.

This is a type of protein that usually occurs in the brain, but it is not clear why it at times builds-up in large amounts.

The function of tau within the nerve cells is quite complex and experts do not fully understand it.

It is, however, thought that tau is essential for the normal functioning of brain cells.

The abnormal tau levels in various brain cells result in their deterioration. The specific role that tau plays in the development of corticobasal syndrome is not yet clear.

Tau abnormalities are observed in numerous neurodegenerative brain disorders like Pick’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, frontotemporal dementia with parkinsonism linked to chromosome 17 (FTDP-17), Niemann-Pick disease type C, and progressive supranuclear palsy.

Collectively, these disorders are known as “tauopathies.”

Large build-up of amyloid plaques

Some people with CBS also have a large build-up of amyloid plaques which are similar to those present in individuals who have Alzheimer’s disease (AD).

The excessive accumulation of these proteins in the nerve cells is quite dangerous because it results in brain cells losing their ability to function normally, and they die off eventually.

As a result, the affected sections of the brain will start to shrink.

Researchers believe that several factors contribute to the development of CBD.

These include a combination of multiple environmental, genetic, and factors that relate to aging.

A person develops corticobasal degeneration symptoms due to the progressive deterioration of tissue in various areas of the brain.

The loss of nerve cells happens in specific areas resulting in shrinkage or atrophy in specific brain lobes.

The type and severity of symptoms that a person will get will depend on the section of the brain that has been affected by the condition.

Moreover, the 2 areas of the brain that are mostly affected include basal ganglia and cerebral cortex, but some other areas may also be affected.

The cerebral cortex is mostly involved with higher functions of the brain including learning, memory, voluntary movement, and sensory information coordination.

The basal ganglia can be described as a cluster of nerve cells that is responsible for learning and motor functions.

Symptoms of Corticobasal Syndrome

Trouble with movement is normally the first warning sign of CBS.

It may include poor coordination or trouble accomplishing simple goal-oriented activities like buttoning a shirt, gesturing with hands, or combing hair amongst others.

This symptom may start with one leg, arm, or hand. The limbs might shake and feel stiff.

Persons with this condition may experience movement that is slower than usual, go through changes in the feelings of the limbs or have a hard time making their limbs move.

As time goes by, moving around becomes harder.

In most cases, the symptoms will start on one side of the body and slowly move to the other side.

Other symptoms

Additional symptoms might include a slight tremor when a person is in a particular position or while performing a certain task.

Limb dystonia may also occur sometimes.

Dystonia describes a group of neurological conditions that are characterized by involuntary muscle contractions.

These put certain parts of the body into abnormal and sometimes painful positions and movements.

Affected persons may also experience contractures which is a condition where a joint becomes permanently fixed in an extended or bent position.

This can partially or completely restrict the movement of the joint that has been affected.

Alien limb phenomenon is also common in persons with CBS where a limb will carry out actions or assume certain positions without the awareness of the affected person.

Some individuals will also go through jerky or lightning-like movements.

Communication can become difficult

Language problems may also start to develop as the disease progresses.

Individuals may have challenges naming people and objects, finding the right words to speak, or just getting the words out mostly because of the problems with the muscles that help with speech.

After some time, people with malady may not be in a position to communicate effectively. Reading skills may start to diminish while writing can become harder especially if the movement symptoms have affected the hands.

Some people with CBD may also suffer problems with swallowing, uncoordinated walk, or inability to control eyelid blinking.

Others with CBS may also experience visuospatial difficulties or challenges seeing things and understanding their right place in space.

Persons with these challenges will have a difficult time locating things in space, grasping complex visual arrays like a cupboard, and judging distances while driving.

Individuals with the condition may also have a hard time with number knowledge and calculations.

It is also common for persons with CBS to develop memory problems where they keep repeating questions or misplace objects.

Later in the course of the illness, persons may experience personality changes.

This is where persons may exhibit disinhibition, reduced attention span, irritability, apathy, and obsessive-compulsive behaviors.

Some even get into the habit of saying inappropriate things. Others will experience difficulties when trying to move or open their eyes.

Eventually, persons with CBS might become bed-ridden and they may be susceptible to life-threatening complications like bacterial infections, pneumonia, blood infections, or blockage of one or more main arteries to the lungs primarily because of blood clots.

Keep in mind that the progression, severity, presentation, and symptoms of this disease vary greatly from one person to another.

Diagnosis

A positive diagnosis for corticobasal degeneration is suspected when characteristic neurologic warning signs occur progressively in the absence of a structural lesion like a tumor or stroke.

It is normally challenging to distinguish corticobasal degeneration from other related neurodegenerative disorders.

Currently, there are no tests for CBS.

A clinical diagnosis is done based on the pattern of symptoms and extensive neurological exam involving multiple specialized tests and these include:

An EEG (electroencephalogram)

This is a test that measures the brain’s electrical activity.

Imaging Techniques

CT (computerized tomography) and MRI ( magnetic resonance imaging) are helpful when it comes to ruling out other medical conditions. They also come in handy when the doctor wants to view brain tissue degeneration within the basal ganglia and cerebral cortex.

DaTscan

This technique measure the amount of dopamine which is a chemical that the brain makes.

Neuropsychological testing

It is where professionals conduct various memory tests with pictures and words. These are exclusive to evaluate the extent of a person’s symptoms and the impact they have on mental abilities.

The tests look into multiple abilities like concentration, numbers, counting, memory, understanding language, and how a person processes vital details such as words and pictures.

Diagnosis is also done to rule out other medical conditions that can cause similar symptoms like Alzheimer’s disease, motor neuron disease, and Parkinson’s disease.

It is important that a consultant with expertise in corticobasal degeneration confirms the diagnosis.

Most of the time, this will be a neurologist who is an expert in conditions that affect the nerves and brain.

In the majority of cases, the confirmation of the diagnosis is only possible once professionals conduct autopsy examinations of the brain.

This shows “ballooned” protein, neurons aggregations, and other characteristic abnormalities that are as a result of an abnormal build-up of tau protein.

Treatment Options

There is still no approved cure for the corticobasal syndrome. Nonetheless, there are several treatments that can benefit persons with the disease, and these include:

Medications

Doctors can prescribe medication that can help manage the symptoms. Examples of these drugs include cholinesterase inhibitors which are helpful if a person with CBS is having memory problems.

The most common medicines that persons take include rivastigmine, donepezil, and galantamine.

For the movement symptoms, an individual may be treated with drugs that are used for persons with Parkinson’s disease.

These include carbidopa or levodopa but the effects of the drugs are subject to research.

Physicians may also recommend drugs to help deal with other issues like incontinence and bladder problems, sleeping problems, anxiety, pain, and bone strength.

It is also important for physicians to treat any existing conditions that affect the brain.

These include high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and diabetes.

Eating Right and Working Out

Research indicates that getting physically active helps to improve brain health, general fitness, and mood.

Getting enough sleep, eating a balanced diet, and limiting alcohol intake also helps to promote good health.

Alternative Therapies

Several therapies can help people with CBS and these include:

Speech and Language Therapy

It can help enhance communication between people with the condition and others. The experts can also help manage swallowing problems.

Physical Therapy

This in addition to stretching exercises can help ease movement challenges by maintaining the range of motion and mobility of rigid stiffened joints as well as preventing the development of contractures.

Occupational Therapy

It may be useful in assessing the safety of an affected individual’s home as well as determining the adaptive medical equipment that may boost a person’s independence. That’s when occupational therapy comes into play. Affected people may need to use devices like a walker or a crane to assist in walking.

Cognitive Stimulation

This comes in handy for persons with CBS but is showcasing dementia symptoms. This type of therapy involves engaging in exercises and activities that aim to enhance language ability, problem-solving skills, and memory.

Palliative Care and Advanced Care Planning

Palliative care is normally offered to relieve pain as well as other distressing symptoms a person may be facing while offering spiritual, social, and psychological support.

This can be beneficial at any stage of CBD alongside other treatments. An individual can receive this type of care at home, in a hospital, or at a hospice.

Advanced care planning is where persons with the corticobasal syndrome will make plans for the future highlighting their wishes in regards to medical care and other important decisions.

Affected individuals share the plans with their family members and health professionals who are taking care of them.

Seeing that this is quite a rare condition, clinical trials may at times not be available for persons seeking them.

CBS Prognosis

Corticobasal degeneration is a condition that changes over time and is believed to affect females and males equally.

An individual with the disease can live for years after a positive diagnosis. Symptoms of the conditions tend to worsen over 3-8 years and often cause great disability.

Research suggests that a majority of affected individuals live for about 6-8 years on average although this varies from one person to the next.

Closing Thoughts

Even though currently there are no therapies or treatments that can reverse or slow down the progression of corticobasal syndrome, there is still hope.

Scientists reckon that the biology of CBS may be similar to that of other neurodegenerative diseases.

It is possible that therapies that are useful for these conditions can be helpful to persons with corticobasal degeneration.

Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP) – Symptoms, Causes & Treatment

Rok Krivec Blog March 9, 2021September 4, 2022parkinson's disease, progressive supranuclear palsy

A complex and uncommon progressive condition that affects the brain, progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) is a disorder that causes weakness of various muscles.

Supranuclear is the section of the brain above 2 small areas known as nuclei.

This is the region that the disorder primarily affects.

What is Progressive Supranuclear Palsy

PSP is a rare disorder that has varying estimates.

Research shows that about 3-6 people in every 100,000 people globally or about 20,000 Americans have the condition.

The disorder is also believed to be more common in males than in females.

In most cases, it mostly affects people who are in their 60s but it can occur earlier or later. In short, it is very unpredictable.

PSP was first described as a distinctive disorder in 1964 after three scientists published a paper that highlighted the differences of the condition compared to Parkinson’s disease.

For some time, it was known as the Steele-Richardson-Olszewski syndrome the combined names of the scientists who defined the condition.

How PSP is Different from Parkinson’s Disease

Both Parkinson’s disease and progressive supranuclear palsy cause movement difficulties, clumsiness and stiffness.

However, PSP progresses more rapidly when compared to Parkinson’s disease.

Persons with PSP normally stand exceptionally straight or at times title their head backward causing them to fall backward.

It is different for persons with Parkinson’s disease because most people with this disease will bend forward.

Difficulties with swallowing and speech tend to be more pronounced and common in PSP than in Parkinson’s disease.

Causes of Progressive Supranuclear Palsy

Experts have figured out how PSP happens, but they are yet to pinpoint why it happens.

The disorder develops when brain cells in a section of the brain stem become damaged.

It is still not clear how and why it damages the cells.

NHS reports that PSP happens when brain cells in certain sections of the brain become infected as a result of excessive accumulation of a protein referred to as tau.

Tau naturally occurs in the brain but in this situation, due to the build-up, the body cannot break it down quickly enough.

In persons with PSP, tau reaches high levels forming harmful clumps in the brain cells.

The levels of abnormal tau in the brain, as well as the location of these clumps, usually vary in persons with this progressive condition.

This implies that the disorder may have a broad range of symptoms.

Several areas of the brain are thought to be affected by PSP such as:

Brainstem: this is especially the area of the midbrain where “supranuclear” eye movement resides
Basal ganglia
Cerebral Cortex
Spinal cord
Dentate nucleus of the cerebellum

Research has also linked the disorder to changes in various genes.

The genetic faults are, however, not inherited and the risk to relatives including siblings or children of a person with PSP is quite low.

Symptoms of Progressive Supranuclear Palsy

It is easy to mistake PSP for Parkinson’s disease because the two conditions share plenty of symptoms.

Some of the warning signs for this progressive disorder include:

Problems with Movement: The first sign of PSP is usually a problem with balance while a person is walking. Affected persons may start to fall a lot or feel uncomfortable or rigid when walking.
Challenges Moving Eyes: Many people with PSP will have a hard time directing their eyes where they want them to go. This is especially for a person who wants to look downwards. Some people will also experience blurred vision while others may have no control over their eyelids where they go through unwanted blinking or inability to open eyes. It is also common for persons with this disorder to hold another person’s gaze.
Speech Difficulties
Problems with Swallowing
Becoming more cranky and forgetful
Tremors in the hands
Muscle stiffness especially around the neck region
Having unusual emotional outbursts like laughing or crying at unexpected times
Depression
Extreme tiredness
Becoming angry for no reason
Dementia
Changes in behavior like poor judgment and recklessness
Slowness of thought and some memory issues
Changes in personality such as mood swings, apathy, and irritability
Photophobia: a dislike of bright lights
Disturbed sleep
Loss of interest in pleasurable activities
A frightened or surprised facial expression caused by rigid facial muscles
Headaches, joint pain, back or neck pain
Bladder problems, constipation, and incontinence
Face or jaw spasms or jerks

Because PSP is a progressive disease, the symptoms start out subtle and become worse over time.

Diagnosis Process

A thorough evaluation of symptoms can help with the diagnosis of progressive supranuclear palsy.

PSP is, however, difficult to diagnose especially in its early stages.

Most of the time, this disorder will mimic Parkinson’s disease. PSP can also be misdiagnosed for an inner ear infection because balance is usually affected.

The diagnosis process normally includes ruling out other medical conditions.

Changes in gait and balance issues are two of the clearest symptoms that can identify the brain disorder especially when it is combined with the inability to move or close eyes.

However, for some affected individuals, problems with eye movement may develop in the later stages of the disease.

Doctors conduct several tests and examinations to help with the diagnosis such as:

Neuropsychological Testing

A person suspected to have PSP may also be referred to a neurologist and possibly a psychologist to help with diagnosis. It usually involves going through several tests designed to evaluate the extent of a person’s symptoms and the impact they have on their mental abilities.

The tests look into abilities like processing of visual information like pictures and words, concentration, memory, and understanding language.

Brain Scans

If a person’s PSP symptoms suggest that there is something wrong with the brain, medics will likely request brain scans like:

MRI Scan: Radio waves and a strong magnetic field are used to offer detailed images of the inside of the brain. These can also detect abnormal changes to the brain like shrinkage of certain parts of the brain consistent with PSP diagnosis. Experts are coming up with scans that will identify the build-up of tau protein associated with PSP in the brain.
DaTscan: this is where a doctor uses a gamma camera to take pictures of the brain.
PET Scan: it detects radiation given off by a substance which is normally injected beforehand.

The scans are also helpful when it comes to ruling out other possible conditions like strokes or brain tumors.

Treatment Options

Currently, there are no procedures or medications that can cure progressive supranuclear palsy.

Nonetheless, there are methods and strategies that can help manage the symptoms and offer a better quality of life.

Parkinson’s Disease Medication

Drugs that are used to treat Parkinson’s disease can be effective in enhancing flexibility and balance. These include levodopa which can be used in conjunction with other drugs where necessary.

Physicians may recommend antidepressants for persons who are suffering from irritability or depression.

Assistive Aids

Individuals who have PSP may benefit from the use of certain aids designed to make their lives easier. These include special glasses that feature prisms that can help to enhance vision.

Weighted tools can also help people with walking problems so that they do not keep falling over. At times, all a person needs is specially designed footwear that reduces the risk of slipping and falling.

When symptoms are advanced, a person may need a feeding tube when swallowing becomes a problem.

This is a tube that goes into a stomach’s abdomen from an opening made in the skin to offer the body the nutrition it needs.

Treating Eye Problems

If a person with PSP has problems controlling their eyelids, a doctor may recommend injections of botulinum toxins like Botox which can help relax muscles around the eyelids. The effects of such injections last for about three months.

Artificial tears and eye drops can be helpful when an individual is experiencing dry eyes by reducing irritation and lubricating them.

Regular Exercise

Regular exercise might help to strengthen muscles while improving posture and preventing stiffening of joints.

Therapies

Certain therapies can help persons with PSP such as:

Physical Therapy

This may help to improve flexibility in some affected individuals. A physiotherapist will offer advice on how a person can make the most of their mobility through exercise without overexerting themselves.

They can also teach proper breathing exercises that a person can practice to reduce the risk of developing aspiration pneumonia which is described as a chest infection that is a result of food particles falling into the lungs.

Language and Speech Therapy

A speech and language therapist can help a person with PSP to improve speech and swallowing issues. The professionals can teach various techniques that help make a person’s voice as clear as possible.

They can also recommend suitable communication devices and aids that may be useful as the disorder progresses. The therapist can collaborate with a dietician to recommend the proper foods to eat as well as various swallowing techniques.

Occupational Therapy

Occupational therapists can offer expert advice on how to increase safety while preventing trips and falls as the affected person goes by their daily activities.

For instance, many people with progressive supranuclear palsy can benefit from installing bars along their baths that help them get them in and out.

The professionals can also help identify potential hazards in the home such as badly secured rugs, poor lighting, and crowded corridors and walkways that can increase the risk of falls.

Final words

It is advisable for an affected person to talk to their doctor about all the symptoms they are experiencing.

This allows the professional to consider the best treatment option. PSP is not a fatal disorder, but it can result in complications like pneumonia which can be life-threatening.

Other complications that can be caused by PSP include suffering serious head injuries or breaking bones as the likelihood of falls increases.

Research is on-going into new treatments of PSP and a better understanding of the rare disorder.

Posterior Cortical Atrophy (PCA) – Symptoms, Causes & Treatment

Rok Krivec Blog March 9, 2021October 16, 2021alzheimer's disease, pcs, posterior cortical atrophy

Also known as Benson’s syndrome, posterior cortical atrophy (PCA) refers to the progressive and gradual degeneration of the cortex which is the outer layer of the brain in the part of the brain that is located in the posterior (back of the head).

It is the section of the brain that handles the processing of visual information.

Everything about Posterior Cortical Atrophy

PCA was first described in 1988 by D. Frank Benson. It is still not clear whether this is a unique illness or a possible variant form of AD (Alzheimer’s disease).

For most people with PCA, the part of the brain that is affected shows neurofibrillary tangles and amyloid plaques which are similar to the changes that occur in persons with AD but in a different part of the brain.

For other individuals with Benson’s syndrome, the brain changes resemble other illnesses like Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease and Lewy body dementia.

Most cases of PCA usually occur in persons between the ages of 50-65 but the condition can also affect older people.

Causes of PCA

The exact causes of posterior cortical atrophy are still unknown.

There are also no obvious genetic mutations that are linked to the condition.

Nonetheless, discussions are on-going as to whether the risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease are similar to those of PCA.

Symptoms of Posterior Cortical Atrophy

Different people with PCA will experience varying symptoms and this can change as the illness continues to progress.

Common warning signs for this condition include:

Blurred vision, double vision, difficulties reading and writing, and problems seeing clearly especially in low light conditions
Increased sensitivity to shiny surfaces or bright light
Hallucinations
Challenges performing mathematical calculations
Problems with spelling
Anxiety
Difficulties with visual tasks like reading a line of text, distinguishing between stationary and moving objects, judging distances, inability to perceive more than a single object at the time, and trouble identifying and using common objects/tools.

During the early stage of the illness, a majority of the people affected will not showcase reduced memory.

However, memory and cognitive abilities can be affected in the later stages.

As the disorder progresses, the symptoms may start to evolve and a person may start getting lost while walking or driving in familiar places.

Some individuals will also misrecognize familiar objects and faces.

Some people may experience jerking movements of their limbs while others may suffer from seizures.

Keep in mind that different people will react differently to posterior cortical atrophy.

The Diagnosis Process

Misdiagnosis of Benson’s Syndrome is quite common owing to the fact that it is quite rare and unusual.

Additionally, most people will PCA will first consult an ophthalmologist who may recommend standard eye examinations.

This is mostly because the first warning signs are often assumed to be eye problems. It may not be easy to pinpoint cortical brain dysfunction as the cause.

Currently, there is no diagnostic criterion for Benson’s Syndrome. However, the diagnostic criteria are in the developed.

Doctors start by reviewing a person’s history as well as the symptoms they are experiencing.

Physicians will also use a combination of tests that include:

MRI

This is where a medic uses an MRI machine with powerful radio waves and a magnetic field to get a 3D view of the brain.

The test helps doctors to see if there are any abnormalities in the brain that are causing the symptoms a person has.

Blood Tests

A person’s blood may be tested for thyroid disorders, vitamin deficiencies, and other conditions that may be causing PCA symptoms.

Neuropsychological tests

Doctors conduct these cognitive skills tests to identify if there are problems with a person’s literacy, memory, or visual perception.

Lumbar Puncture

It is the examination of the fluid that circulates around the spinal cord and brain.

Ophthalmology Examinations

Doctors conduct vision tests to check whether there is any other condition that is causing vision symptoms.

PET (Positive Emission Tomography)

A physician will inject a small amount of radioactive material while placing emission detectors on the brain. This offers visual images of the brain’s activities.

A professional can do this in combination with single-photon emission computerized tomography (SPECT) to measure blood flow to various sectors of the brain.

Neuropsychological and Mental Status Tests

Doctors will conduct tests and ask questions to assess cognitive skills. A physician may ask for psychiatric assessments to test for mental illnesses like depression.

Physicians administer the above tests to diagnose the illness and rule out possible causes of the symptoms a person is experiencing.

This is because the symptoms can be caused by other medical issues like tumors, strokes, or other identifiable conditions.

It also helps in the identification of potentially treatable causes like inflammations or infections.

Most people with PCA will live approximately the same number of years as those with Alzheimer’s which is about 10-12 years after the onset of symptoms.

Some will live for more years while others will not make it to the 10-year mark.

Stages of PCA

Just like Alzheimer’s PCA progresses from one stage to the next and these include:

Stage One: No Impairment (Normal Function)

During this stage, most people will not experience any visual, cognitive, or memory issues.

Stage Two: Very Mild Cognitive Decline

At this stage, an individual may experience subtle problems with various complex visual tasks such as:

Challenges assembling novel objects/devices
Loss of confidence in driving abilities owning to the fact that it becomes harder to judge distances
Issues with writing down or recalling telephone numbers
Challenges using a computer such as being slower with entering information or typing
Problems with writing, spelling, reading, and arithmetic

During this early stage, the issues may be intermittent which can make it hard to describe.

The arising problems might also not be noticeable to family, friends, or colleagues.

Stage Three: Mild Cognitive Decline

Visual problems become more apparent at this stage for the person who has the condition as well as those close to him or her.

Most individuals will stop driving at this point. Some persons will also get a positive diagnosis of early-stage Alzheimer’s disease.

Examples of warning signs that are common in the 3rd stage include:

Having a hard time seeing things that are right in front of a person
Getting “lost” on a page when reading
General clumsiness in persons who were not clumsy before such as putting a glass down sideways, and knocking things over, etc.
Inability to tell the time from a watch or clock
Difficulty finding things in familiar places like a handbag or cupboard
Having a hard time dressing and performing other activities like cutting a piece of toast and other activities like using stairs or coordination.
Problems with dealing numbers, spelling, and writing
Paying for items with notes to avoid handling change
Mild memory issues
Challenges with picking the right word for a conversation
Anxiety mainly because a person is more aware of the changes that are happening in their life

Stage Four: Moderate Cognitive Decline

Persons with posterior cortical atrophy at the 4th stage may require help with day-to-day activities like using appliances, dressing, and cooking amongst others.

An individual may have a clear sense of purpose in regards to plans and activities but their attempts to achieve the goals are frustrated by small and frequent visual problems.

Most people during this stage will also have trouble navigating familiar and unfamiliar environments.

Stage Five: Moderately Severe Cognitive Decline

During this stage, the vision continues to deteriorate even further to an extent that a person views the world as different pieces of a puzzle or through the lens of a fractured mirror.

By the end of this stage, some people will be registered as blind implying that they will need support in visually-guided activities.

Stage Six: Severe Cognitive Decline

Considered one of the later stages of PCA, it is normally characterized by impairment of memory, perception, attention, language, and decision-making.

Vision impairment remains the most pronounced.

Stage Seven: Severe Cognitive Decline

In the last PCS stage, the problems that affected individual experiences are usually similar to those that affect persons with Alzheimer’s.

Persons may lose their ability to respond to the environment. They may lose their ability to carry out conversations and eventually affected individuals cannot control movement.

Treatment Options

To date, there are no approved treatments for posterior cortical atrophy that help to halt or slow down its progression.

This is perhaps because, in some people, PCA resembles AD.

It is suggested that some drugs that alleviate brain dysfunction temporarily in people with Alzheimer’s may also be beneficial for persons with Benson’s Syndrome.

This, however, has not yet been scientifically proven. Examples of these drugs include cholinesterase inhibitors like rivastigmine, donepezil, and galantamine.

It is believed that they can help with some of Benson’s Syndrome symptoms by boosting brain cell functions to compensate for the damage that is caused by the condition.

Antidepressant medication may also be useful for persons who are going through irritability, depression, loss of self-confidence, and frustration.

Some individuals with PCA may also benefit from treatment that seeks to alleviate symptoms like anxiety or depression.

The risks and perks of these treatments have not been established.

In addition to medication, doctors may also recommend occupational, physical, or cognitive therapy as a means of managing the condition. The therapies can help an individual retain or regain skills that the PCA affects.

Many healthcare services do not have much experience supporting people who have PCA because the condition is quite rare.

There are still support groups that affected individuals can join to get the support they need.

More research is still necessary to come up with clear answers about posterior cortical atrophy.

Stroke-Related Dementia: What Is It?

Petra Boh Blog, Types March 8, 2021October 16, 2021stroke, stroke-related dementia

When learning about the various types of dementia, it is important to talk about stroke-related dementia.

This is dementia that develops after the brain has been damaged by a stroke.

What is stroke-related dementia?

Strokes happen when there is an interruption of blood flow to the brain causing blood vessels to burst.

Worth noting is that not everyone who experiences a stroke will end up with dementia.

Strokes are normally associated with vascular dementia which is the second most common type of dementia.

In short, dementia is a general term describing problems with memory, planning, judgment, reasoning, and other thought processes.

Symptoms of Stroke-Related Dementia

The symptoms of this kind of dementia can appear suddenly, after a few days, weeks, or months in a gradual or stepwise manner.

The symptoms that a person will get depend on the kind of stroke they experienced as well as the section of the brain that has been damaged.

Cognitive decline normally happens within three months of a recognized stroke.

Examples of some warning signs of vascular dementia include:

Loss of memory especially with remembering recent events
Problems following instruction, inattention, and poor concentration
Poor judgment
Confusion
Getting lost in familiar places
Challenges with problem-solving, reasoning, and calculations
Depression
Mood and behavior changes
Crying or laughing inappropriately
Psychosis: loss of contact with reality, aggression, hallucinations, agitation, delusions, and inability to appropriately relate with other people and surroundings

The Diagnosis Process

It is not easy for medics to diagnose stroke-related dementia.

This is because several medical conditions can cause an individual to experience dementia-like symptoms.

Doctors have to identify the cause of the symptoms to determine whether or not a person has dementia.

It is important because there are some causes of dementia that are reversible with treatment.

The diagnosis process is not an easy one.

Health care providers will gather details from different sources to come up with the proper diagnosis.

They usually start with a medical interview where the doctor will ask questions like:

When the symptoms appeared
Past and recent medical problems
Medications a person is taking or was taking in the past
Lifestyles and habits

Physicians also conduct physical examinations to look for physical disabilities as well as signs of underlying conditions like previous strokes, high blood pressure, or heart and blood vessel diseases.

Doctors will also include mental status examinations to check memory, orientation, language, and attention.

Some professional practitioners will as well conduct neuropsychological testing which is a detailed cognitive assessment that helps them pinpoint and document an individual’s cognitive strengths and problems.

A doctor may also recommend laboratory tests such as blood tests to rule out blood disorders, infections, hormonal disorders, chemical abnormalities, and kidney or liver problems.

The lab tests are also important for identifying other health issues like diabetes and various vascular disorders that might underlie dementia.

Imaging studies can also be done to help detect stroke and rule out other conditions that can cause dementia.

Treatment Options for Stroke-Related Dementia

Sadly, treatments currently available cannot reverse brain damage that is caused by strokes if the injury has lasted for a few hours.

Treatment aims at enhancing vascular health in a bid to prevent the occurrence of new strokes and slow down the progression of cognitive decline and other related symptoms.

Treatment options include surgery, medication, and behavioral interventions.

Warning Signs for Wandering in Dementia

Reasons People with Dementia May Wander

Fear or Stress

New Environments

Unmet Basic Needs

Loss of Short-Term Memory

Searching

Excessive Energy

Visual-Spatial Issues

Expressing Boredom and Loneliness

Following Past Routines

Devices to assist caregivers with monitoring wandering

Strategies for Preventing and Managing Wandering

Visiting a Doctor

Creating Daily Routines

Offer Reassurance

Meet Basic Needs

Avoid Busy Places

Remove Access to Car Keys

Offer Supervision

Beef up Security

Identification Card

Planning For Emergencies

Wandering and Dementia Caregiver Goals

Everything to Know About Sundowning And Dementia

Possible Causes of Sundowning

Signs of Sundown Syndrome

How to Deal With Sundowning

Creating distractions

Develop a routine

Identify triggers

Avoid or limit things that affect sleep

Keep them active

Offering familiarity and comfort

Reduce demands on the person with dementia

Change tone

Enhance security in the home

Follow a chilled evening routine

Medicine to Treat Sundowning

What can Palliative Care Do for People with Dementia?

Assist with Advanced Care Planning

Minimize Distressing Symptoms of the Disease

Enable People to Reach their Goals

Palliative Care is Underutilized and Misunderstood

Palliative Care can Improve Quality of Life for People with Dementia and their Families

What Are the 7 Stages of Alzheimer’s Disease?

Pre-diagnosis

Stage1: No Cognitive Decline

Stage 2: Basic Cognitive Decline

Stage 3: Mild Cognitive Decline

Early-Stage Alzheimer’s

Stage 4: Moderate Cognitive Decline

Middle-Stage Alzheimer’s

Stage 5: Moderate/Severe Cognitive Decline

Stage 6: Severe Cognitive Decline

Late-Stage Alzheimer’s

Stage7: Severest Cognitive Decline

Stages of Alzheimer’s Closing Remarks

Benefits of Cognitive and Physical Activity for Dementia

Cognitive Exercise

Acquiring a new skill

Playing card or board games

Practice memorization and the 5Ws

Playing with children

Read books with problem-solving mysteries

Gardening

Listening to soothing music

Physical Exercise

Walking

Dancing

Weight or resistance training

Yoga

Benefits of Occupational Therapy for Dementia

1. Improving Safety

2. Offering Support and Education to Caregivers

3. Promoting Social Relationships

4. Enhancing Recollection of Memories

5. Access To Other Helpful Services

6. Helps to Enhance Cognitive Function

7. Improve Balance and Strength

Palliative Care can Improve Quality of Life for People with Dementia and their
Families