Several studies have been conducted to investigate the link between dementia and multiple sclerosis.
Dementia is not a specific disease but a group of conditions that are characterized by impairment of various brain functions like judgment and memory loss amongst others.
Multiple Sclerosis (MS) can be described as a neurological condition where the immune system attacks the human body. This leads to a process known as demyelination.
Note that nerve cells are covered in myelin which is a fatty protective coating.
This allows messages to travel faster between the brain and nerve endings. Myelin sheath found on the nerve cells is damaged when demyelination happens.
This can cause damage to the nerve cells leading to a wide range of mental and physical symptoms. Sclerosis stands for lesions or scars that appear in the white matter section of the brain.
Comparison of Dementia and Multiple Sclerosis
MS affects individuals in different ways. Some will experience loss of coordination, weakness, paralysis, and neuropathic pain.
Cognition is how well memory works and the ability to think things through. It is also about how people maintain attention, focus, remember new things, learn, solve problems, use and understand language, reason, and carry out activities, etc.
Based on various studies with statistics varying depending on the type of study, experts estimate that about 40-60% of persons with MS experience cognitive impairment.
Another difference between dementia and multiple sclerosis is the age of diagnosis.
With dementia, many people will get the disease when they are older. This is different from MS because it mostly affects younger people.
Differences between Dementia and Multiple Sclerosis
One of the major differences between the two illnesses is the fact that brain damage in dementia is different from that of multiple sclerosis.
While some people with MS may showcase cognitive problems like slowed thinking, poor focus, and fuzzy memory, the symptoms are normally mild and do not affect daily life.
With dementia, everyone with the illness will have problems with their day-to-day lives.
Also, as the disease progresses, they may have to be fully dependent on caregivers for activities of daily life.
In most cases, multiple sclerosis will not hurt long-term memory or a person’s intelligence.
Experts also agree that MS does not majorly affect the ability to read or carry conversations. These are things that dementia changes.
Similarities between Dementia and Multiple Sclerosis
In the beginning, they may have trouble understanding what people are saying.
They may also have a hard time using the right words to complete sentences; thus, making it hard to have conversations with others.
This also happens to people who have multiple sclerosis especially the ones who develop cognitive issues like blurred thinking.
This is where they will have challenges with finding the right words to say. They may also forget tasks they have already done or the things they need to do.
A high percentage also struggle to set priorities or plan ahead.
Many will likewise have challenges with concentrating especially when two things are happening at the same time.
Some people with MS may also experience emotional problems such as personality changes and mood swings which is common with persons with dementia.
Closing Thoughts
There is little known information about the coexistence of multiple sclerosis with other diseases of aging like dementia.
More research needs to be done in regards to the link between dementia and multiple sclerosis.
Anyone who has dementia and they suspect they have cognitive impairment should consult their doctor as soon as possible so that the professional can identify the best treatment options.
It can be described as a sleeping disorder that causes people to have trouble falling or staying asleep.
The condition can come and go and it can also be chronic or acute.
Acute or short-term insomnia lasts from a single night to a few weeks.
Long-term or chronic insomnia can go on for a minimum of three nights every week to three months or more.
Managing Dementia and Insomnia
Lack of proper sleep often leads to reduced functioning during the day and can also lead to increased health problems that may reduce the quality of life.
This not only causes strain on ill individuals but caregivers as well. It is not uncommon for persons with dementia to experience early institutionalization because of insomnia.
When caring for a person who has dementia and is experiencing insomnia as well, there are a few tips you can use to manage sleep problems, which we cover in detail below.
Treating Any Underlying Conditions
A person with dementia can experience sleep problems because of some untreated ailments or pain.
Some medical conditions like sleep apnea, depression, or restless leg syndrome can be the cause of sleep issues.
Visiting a doctor as soon as you spot the signs of insomnia can help treat such conditions or alleviate pain to help individuals with dementia enjoy a good night’s sleep.
If you want to know whether a person has sleep apnea, you can watch them as they sleep.
Most people with this condition will stop breathing momentarily because it causes them to pause while breathing.
An individual with restless leg syndrome will twitch or move their legs uncontrollably. Some individuals may experience burning, tingling, or fizzing sensations in the legs.
Avoid Over-Sleeping During the Day
One of the reasons why a person with dementia may not sleep well at night is because they sleep too much during the day making it hard to get some shut-eye at night.
For this reason, it is important to ensure that the individual with the neurodegenerative disease does not spend most of their days sleeping.
While it is okay for a person to take short naps during the day, they should not end up sleeping for hours.
These should only last 30 minutes to an hour.
This means that you have to come up with fun and engaging stuff for the suffering person.
Encouraging physical activity is also important as this promotes better sleep thanks to a better flow of blood in the body.
It will keep them occupied during the day so that they do not resort to sleeping even when they do not have to.
Keeping a person busy during the day also means that they will be tired by the time the sunsets.
This is something that can help them fall asleep faster because their bodies will be craving some relaxation.
Stay Away from Stimulants before Bedtime
Nicotine, caffeine, and alcohol are some of the things that can interfere with sleep.
To manage dementia and insomnia, limit or completely avoid these substances when a person is about to retire to bed.
Effects of caffeine can last many hours; thus, end up interfering with sleep. This substance can lead to frequent awakenings, or challenges initiating sleep.
Although alcohol can offer a sedative effect after a few hours of consumption, it is not advisable to take it at night because it often results in arousals as well as a non-restful night’s sleep.
It is also recommended that you keep away from stimulates during those wakefulness periods at night.
These include things such as engaging in conversations, reading books, or keeping the TV or radio on.
Using Light Therapy
Many people agree that exposure to light therapy especially during the daytime can help maintain the circadian rhythm.
The main source of this light is ideally the sun.
Take the person with dementia outside, and when the sun sets, the body will know that time for sleeping is around the corner.
If the sun is not an option, you can use some special lamps that are designed to emulate light from the sun.
Several studies reveal that light therapy is most beneficial for people with mild to moderate dementia.
Creating an Ideal Sleeping Environment
A person’s sleeping area can end up affecting the quality of sleep.
You want to make sure that the person with dementia and insomnia gets a comfortable place to sleep every night.
Some of the things that can help with the creation of a great sleeping place include:
Where possible, make sure that the individual with dementia only uses their bedroom to sleep or for intimacy. They should move from the room when they wake and not have any meals there. This way, they will associate the specific room with sleeping.
At night the bedroom should remain quiet and relatively dark. Blackout curtains are a great option for eliminating disturbances coming from outside. Persons who insist on sleeping with lights can use low levels ones. If there is noise from the surrounding areas, white noise can help with masking it out. Some experts state that using lights with violet colors helps to induce drowsiness.
The temperatures inside the bedroom also need to remain at comfortable levels.
Beds should be well made and comfortable. Remember to change sheets, pillows, and comforters. You can also invest in special pillows and mattress pads that work for the specific sleeper.
Keeping the room safe may also help. You can re-enforce safety by using the appropriate window and door locks. Motion detectors and door sensors can also be used to alert caregivers when a person starts wandering.
You can consider placing a clock next to the bed that shows a person whether it is day or night.
A person with dementia can try and take a hot shower or bath before bedtime. For some people taking warm milk or cuddling with their favorite soft toy can help with relaxing before sleeping.
Create and Maintain Schedules
Regular routines can help people with dementia sleep better.
Encourage the individual with dementia and insomnia to go to bed and wake up around the same time every day.
A consistent sleep schedule can enhance circadian rhythm to help persons with dementia not only sleep faster but also have better quality sleep.
It can also help to maintain regular meal schedules.
Take Steps towards Reducing Stress
People with dementia are likely to experience stress that can make them suffer from insomnia.
As a caregiver, you can try the following tips to help the person with the neurodegenerative illness reduce stress and probably sleep better.
Let the weak person enjoy some alone time as they engage in the things they love to have a bit of fun and forget about their troubles for a while.
It can be anything from doing hobbies like knitting, playing music, watching movies, and so forth.
They can also socialize with their loved ones as they catch up and make each other laugh one of the best ways to relieve stress.
Help the person talk about their expectations. If some are unrealistic, find a soothing way to tell them that they have to accept that some things cannot be changed.
Although the person may shy away from support, try and give them as much as you can without forcing it so that you can reduce and finally eliminate the harmful effects of stress on the body and mind.
When it comes to mealtimes, make sure that persons with the illness do not take heavy meals and processed foods just before bedtime.
If possible they should take their last meals at 6:00 PM. Anything a person eats after this should be low in carbs and sugar.
Experts state that eating some foods around bedtime can help induce sleep.
For instance, calcium is known to help in the production of a natural hormone called melatonin that is responsible for inducing sleepiness.
This means that a person can have a glass of milk before they go to bed.
Oatmeal is another option to consider.
Using Medicine
Most of the time, it is recommended that you try and use natural therapies when dealing with dementia and insomnia. Sadly, this may not work for everyone.
In such cases, it is important to consult a doctor who can prescribe drugs that can help with insomnia.
Sedatives, sleeping pills, and tranquilizers are examples of medications that a person can take to help with the situation.
Some doctors may even recommend the use of sleep aids that come with some kind of sedating antihistamine.
Keep in mind that there are some drugs a person may be taking that could be responsible for sleep problems.
The doctor should replace these as soon as possible with alternatives that will not negatively affect a person’s sleep.
Many persons with dementia develop communication challenges where some even stop speaking leading to the question of why do dementia patients stop talking.
Below, we are going to explore several reasons that may cause a person with dementia to stop speaking.
Why do dementia patients lose the ability to speak?
Brain Damage
One of the top answers to the query why do dementia patients stop talking is because of the damage the disease causes to their brains.
When a person is first diagnosed with the illness, they may be communicating well.
From here individuals may start experiencing some communication challenges mostly because they have difficulties remembering things.
After some time, they will completely lose the ability to talk.
At this point, therapies aimed at enhancing communication become futile. This mostly happens in the later stages of illness where dementia affects almost all aspects of a person’s life.
This renders the suffering individual dependent on all activities, and their willingness or ability to talk reduces among other severe changes.
Frustrations
Another reason persons with dementia may stop speaking is that they are frustrated with not being understood by the individual they are communicating with.
They can reach a stage where they keep repeating the same sounds, words, or phrases; thus other people will not understand the message they are trying to pass across.
Numerous studies done by linguists focusing on the language of individuals with dementia reveal that the affected individuals may be communicating about the reality from their past world but are not able to use “dictionary words” which results in misunderstandings.
Communication challenges can make a person feel discouraged and just not try and talk to other individuals.
Social Withdrawal
Social withdrawal may be another answer to why do dementia patients stop talking.
Many people with the neurodegenerative disease find their current world filled with loneliness, pain, noise, and confusion.
The affected individuals may also be dealing with an array of emotions from fear, anger, or sadness, etc.
They, therefore, find comfort in solitude as they retreat to a world that they once lived in. Here they can relive happier moments when the disease was not taking a toll on them.
Lack of Engagement
At times, a person with dementia may stop talking because of a lack of engagement.
They may opt to keep to themselves because they feel bored or isolated.
This is why you will find that some persons with the disease will spend a lot of time alone.
Even when they are in the company of others, they may remain mum because not much conversation may be going on.
Some people with dementia will find it difficult to start a conversation; thus opt to stop speaking especially when other people do not put in the effort to engage with them.
Hearing Loss
A high percentage of people who have dementia will end up suffering from hearing loss. This makes it one of the answers to why do dementia patients stop talking.
When individuals with dementia lose their ability to hear, it will most likely be associated with communication problems that can result in a person not talking because they cannot hear properly.
Closing Thoughts
Sadly, when a person with dementia stops talking especially because of excessive damage to the brain, it may be an indication that they are living their last days on earth.
Caregivers may want to consider hospice care at this point to ensure that the affected persons remain as comfortable as possible until they breathe their last breath.
Researchers continue to investigate the link between seizures and dementia.
This is after observing several people with dementia experience seizures as one of the symptoms of the neurodegenerative disease.
Seizures and Dementia in the Elderly
Seizures can be described as uncontrolled and sudden electrical disturbances that happen in the brain.
This can cause levels of unconsciousness, feeling, or movements as well as changes in behavior.
While seizures are usually an indication that a person has epilepsy, not everyone who experiences seizures has epilepsy.
Naturally, persons who have dementia are at risk of seizures.
People with dementia are at risk of seizures
Alzheimer described this way back in 1911. What is not clear yet is how common the seizures are.
This is because some seizures can be quite complex.
Many people are familiar with the generalized tonic-clonic seizures that make people fall to the ground, become stiff and unresponsive and their bodies shake with convulsions.
However, there is another type of seizure that mainly affects individuals with dementia.
These are known as focal onset seizures.
They generally involve short periods of increased unresponsiveness or amnesia.
The person going through this can showcase involuntary repeating movements of the arms, hands, face like swallowing, lip-smacking, or chewing.
Because it does not go on for long, it can easily be missed.
At What Stage of Dementia Do Seizures Occur
In the past, it was believed that only people who had been diagnosed with dementia for years developed seizures.
Recent studies on seizures and dementia, however, reveal that it is also possible for seizures to occur during the early stages of the disease.
Some people will even experience seizures before memory loss become obvious.
Reasons Persons with Dementia Develop Seizures
Individuals with dementia may experience seizures because of the structural changes that happen in the brain.
In some cases, they will occur after a brain infection like meningitis, head injury, or stroke.
As the cells in the brain begin to die, the size of the brain will shrink and this is something that can lead to seizures.
Some types of dementia like Alzheimer’s disease are a result of protein build-up in the brain that interferes with how cells in the brain communicate with each other.
This can result in nerve cells becoming “hyper-excitable” which implies that they will start to behave uncontrollably which can cause seizures.
The Role of Seizures in Dementia
While studying seizures and dementia, scientists were also triggered on the topic of the role seizures in the illness.
A study was conducted towards this end. Researchers observed 55 patients aged 50-69 years.
They were all admitted to an Israeli medical center with their first known seizure. A quarter of the participants developed dementia later on.
Another study that was done in the US looking at almost 300,000 veterans who were all over 55 years uncovered that seizures increased the risk of people developing dementia over a period of one to nine years.
Managing Seizures in People with Dementia
When talking about seizures and dementia, many people are usually concerned as to whether the seizures are manageable or not.
The good news is that there are drugs that a person can take to stop or reduce the seizures.
It is, therefore, important to consult a doctor when a person who has dementia suspects that they have seizure episodes.
In short, the medics will perform the necessary tests and prescribe medication that will treat the issue.
It is important to talk about hallucinations and dementia seeing that this is one of the most common symptoms that persons with this neurodegenerative disease experience.
Hallucinations are incorrect perceptions about experiences or things that involve the senses that can result in a negative or positive experience.
Hallucinations in People with Dementia
They normally seem real to the person who is experiencing them, but other people cannot see them the way the person hallucinating is.
In most cases, however, they will affect the visual or auditory senses where a person can see something that does not exist or hear voices or noises that are not there.
For example, a person can be convinced that they are seeing crawling bugs on their bed or seat but they are not actually there.
What Causes People with Dementia to Experience Hallucinations
People will dementia will experience hallucinations because of the changes that happen in their brains.
Some of the possible causes for hallucinations when a person has dementia include:
Physical problems like bladder or kidney infection or intense pain
Responding and Treating Hallucinations
Below we cover twelve steps that caregivers can try and take when they are dealing with a person who has hallucinations and dementia, like:
How do you deal with hallucinations in dementia
1. Ensuring that their environment is well-lit.
2. Making sure the person with dementia gets proper nutrition and stays hydrated because dehydration and malnutrition can lead to depriving the brain of the nutrients it needs to thrive and function normally.
3. Maintaining schedules and routines.
4. Where possible do not change the environment where the person stays and make sure it is as comfortable as possible, limiting distractions and people who visit or stay.
5. Look out for signs of physical injury like scrapes or bruises that may be causing hallucinations.
6. Come up with creative distressing techniques. For instance, if a person insists that a person has stolen their jewelry, do not outrightly tell them they are wrong.
Instead, offer to help search for the items or you can even look for another interesting activity that will distract them from their current thoughts.
7. Avoid arguments at all costs because at the end of the day the hallucinations are real to the person with dementia even though they may appear far-fetched to you.
Always responds to the person’s feelings rather than the issue as this shows that you acknowledge their concerns. Seek to constantly reassure the person at all times.
8. Figure out if the hallucinations have a negative impact. If they have a positive impact, it is best not to address the issue.
9. At times, it helps to investigate any suspicions that the person raises because it may end up being true.
10. Being flexible. Sometimes, you have to indulge in little fibs to make the person with hallucinations and dementia feel safe.
For instance, if they hear an imaginary sound you can tell them that you were the cause and that everything is okay.
Where possible have multiples of some of the things that a person loves. This way, if they keep misplacing them, you can always search for them and magically find them.
It is helpful because it helps frustration from boiling over to aggression or disappointments which can dampen someone’s mood.
12. Visiting a doctor to rule out any vision or hearing problems. The medic might also change medication if it is the source of hallucinations.
Medication for Dementia Hallucinations
If the hallucinations are severe, physicians can prescribe medications to treat hallucinations. Different drugs can do the job such as:
Nuplazid
This is one of the first drugs that has even been approved to treat hallucinations that relate to Parkinson’s disease dementia.
Antipsychotic medication
These can treat hallucinations by offering a calming effect which makes the hallucinations less distressing. The drugs can also reduce or eliminate the frequency with which they occur.
Cholinesterase Inhibitors
These are medicines that doctors will give people to treat both hallucinations and dementia. They increase levels of specific neurotransmitters in the brain which helps to boost cognition as well as alertness. They also have the potential to reduce hallucinations.
It is also recommended that caregivers seek out support because dealing with persons who have hallucinations and dementia is not an easy task.
This is because you may end up dealing with feelings of frustration, exhaustion, guilt, distress, and exasperation.
Seeking support helps you to effectively deal with such so that you can be in the best possible position to look after the individual with dementia.
Which Dementia’s Cause Hallucinations
Lewy Body Dementia is the number one culprit for causing dementia in person with this type of illness.
It is usually common in the early stages of the disease and might disappear as it progresses into the middle or end stages of the illness.
The hallucinations are usually persistent and last for a long-time. Studies also reveal that hallucinations can affect people who have Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease.
With these diseases, the hallucinations occur during distinct periods for a short time. They can occur during the middle to late stages of the disease.
As dementia progresses, it can affect a person’s language skills to the extent that they are not able to express when they are in pain.
Some affected persons may not even remember how they hurt themselves or the source of their pain which adds to the challenges of trying to communicate about their pain.
Caregivers should, therefore, know how to detect when a person is suffering from dementia and pain so that it can be treated as soon as possible.
Because persons with dementia will experience pain differently, at times it may be possible to ask directly whether a person is in pain.
This is where you shoot direct questions like “does it hurt”, “are you in pain? “ “Is it sore?” and they will give you an answer.
However, when a person is not able to communicate how they are feeling, perhaps because they have advanced dementia, their behaviors might give you a clue when they are experiencing pain.
Some of the behaviors include social withdrawal or becoming increasingly agitated. Other non-verbal cues that a person may use to communicate that they are in pain or distress include:
Facial Expressions
Some signs on a person’s face that may be an indication they are in pain include clenching teeth, distorted expressions, wrinkled forehead, rapid blinking, tightened or closed eyes, grimacing, frightened or sad face.
This may tell you that a person may be suffering from a combination of dementia and pain.
Body Movements
Some changes in body movement might also be a way of communicating that an individual is in pain.
This is where a person might start fidgeting, pacing, guarding a certain part of the body, rigid, have a tense body posture, or experience restricted movement as well as mobility or gait changes.
Changes in Emotions or Thinking
When a person with dementia is crying, highly irritable, confused, become combative, aggressive, resists care, or have decreased social interactions, it may mean that they are feeling pain.
Physical Changes
At times, a person with increased sweating, blood pressure, and heart rate may be experiencing pain.
The same person might also be reluctant to move or experience slow movement or a limited range of motion.
Vocalizations
Although a person may not clearly say they are in pain, there are some verbalizations they can use to express how they are feeling.
This can include being verbally abusive, cursing, asking for assistance, grunting, calling out, chanting, noisy breathing, groaning, moaning, or sighing.
Tips for Avoiding Common Causes of Pain for Persons with Dementia
Because pain is easier to prevent than relieve, there are some tips that you can work with to help avoid some common pain causes like:
Ensuring clothes fit right
Checking to see if dentures fit well as well as practicing good oral and dental hygiene
Making certain that the ill person has appropriate and comfortable footwear
Regularly checking assistive devices like eyewear and hearing aids to ensure that they are properly working and fit well
Encouraging gentle movement of all limbs by stretching and bending frequently
Visiting the doctor if there is a slight change in behavior so that whatever is disturbing a person may be caught early
Managing Pain for Individuals with Dementia
When you suspect that a person is going through dementia and pain, it is advisable to seek medical attention.
Doctors have special tools that they can use to detect pain in seniors who have dementia.
The health care workers are also in the best position to prescribe appropriate pain medication depending on the cause of pain.
Some of the drugs that doctors may prescribe include opioids, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, aspirin, laxatives, and analgesics.
There are also non-drug therapies that can help with dementia and pain.
Depending on doctor’s instructions they can be implemented alone or in combination with pain alleviating drugs.
If a person needs to be on long-term pain management, you can always consult different professionals like tissue viability nurses, a general practitioner, physiotherapist, or a pain specialist team in your locality to get expert advice on effective pain management strategies.
Consequences of Not Treating Pain for Persons with Dementia
When a person develops dementia and pain, some consequences that may arise when the pain goes undetected and untreated.
The most obvious is that the affected person will end up suffering unnecessarily.
The individuals may also receive inappropriate treatment in a bid to curb some of the behavioral changes they may adapt. For instance, a person may be put on antidepressants when chronic pain results in depression.
A person going through persistent pain may also experience decreased mobility which may affect the quality of life in the long-run.
Experts also agree that pain can affect thinking and other functions of the brain which can lead to worsening of dementia symptoms.
This is why it is crucial to recognize and treat any form of pain that a person with dementia may have before it results in poor medical outcomes and other proud negative implications in their lives.
A statistic from the CDC indicates the condition of dementia affects as much as 5.8 million Americans.
Dementia is caused by the degeneration of the cerebral cortex region of the brain. This occurs by head injury, stroke, brain tumors, and other factors not yet fully understood.
Is it Common for Patients to Experience Incontinence?
Yes. Patients with dementia will typically have more issues with incontinence compared with someone of the same age.
The main reason is that they tend to have trouble connecting with the impulses to go to the bathroom.
There are many unknowns about the exact scientific relationship between dementia and incontinence.
Is There a Cure for Dementia?
Researchers are searching for answers for cures, new treatment options, and more advanced knowledge of these conditions and more.
To date, there are many clinical trials underway and progress is being made. We have seen many advancements in the way of diagnostic and imaging technology in addition to identifying important biomarkers.
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Why Are Dementia and Incontinence Related?
As a standalone issue, incontinence is a difficult condition. Incontinence is classically defined as the inability to control one’s urination or bowel movements.
The severity of causes of incontinence vary from person to person and there could be more than one contributing factor or causes.
Some of the more common reasons for incontinence stem directly from one or more medical conditions such as age-related stress incontinence paired with limited mobility.
Dementia tends to complicate incontinence factors in a myriad of ways:
It becomes difficult to identify the urges to go to the bathroom.
Sometimes there may be issues remembering the location of a bathroom.
They may be physically unable to reach the restroom in time.
There may be the inability to control the muscular control needed for voluntary bowel movements and urination.
Are There Any Treatment Options for Dementia Patients Suffering from Incontinence?
The first thing to do would be to determine as best you can the type of incontinence that is being experienced.
Your doctor should be able to help assist with any underlying medical issues that might be a factor.
This could translate to a change in medications or even addressing a possible urinary tract infection.
An example of possible medical interventions could be as simple as recommending pelvic floor exercises to undergo corrective surgery.
You may also find that you or your loved one qualifies for use of a medical device or procedure designed to strengthen pelvic floor muscles and to retrain the bladder.
These represent some of the more modern methods of managing bladder control. These and other treatment options are best explored with the help of your personal physician.
How Do You Manage Incontinence in Dementia Patients?
Managing incontinence is best achieved with a plan and a simple level of preparedness.
Making sure the caregiver is paired with adequate resources, preferences, and supplies can help shape the experience in a new light.
The key to effectively managing incontinence lies in maintaining one’s dignity and health intact in every possible way.
Daily Care
There are many things you can do to help offset the helplessness that accompanies incontinence.
Keep a clear course or route to the bathroom. Make it as easy as possible.
Eliminate bladder aggravating foods and drinks such as coffee, alcohol, soda, or teas.
Choose clothing that makes getting the bathroom easier and is easily removed or changed.
Create a routine for taking medications and eating to help facilitate predictable bowel patterns.
Create a plan for keeping clean. Think out of the box and consider the installation of shower tools, benches, or other modifications if you are in a caregiver role.
Get creative. An example might be to set timers to help remind patients to use the bathroom.
Don’t’ forget about privacy – Help your loved one keep his or her dignity.
Planning for Trips
Plan accordingly for trips away from the comfort of one’s home.
Good practices might be assessing the need for extra stops along the way, or simply knowing the layout of a place ahead of time for an easy bathroom location.
These simple ideas may prevent an accident and help simplify visits to the doctor or even marketplaces.
Tip: Understand ahead of time what restroom facilities are available to you – especially in the cases of staying in a hotel or event location.
Don’t be afraid to call ahead and ask for any modifications that may make your stay easier.
Services and Resources
Finding support for yourself if you are a caregiver and your loved one should be a priority.
Many aren’t designed to navigate these waters alone. The CDC estimates that there are 25% of adults in the U.S. that are providing care to a loved one.
There are specialty organizations and hospital affiliates designed to assist with affordable incontinence supplies, counseling, and in some cases in-home care visits.
To learn more about the resources available to you, contact your care provider or visit informative websites like this one.
How Do You Overcome the Emotional Obstacles Associated with Incontinence and Dementia?
It goes without saying, the level of embarrassment felt by someone with incontinence is debilitating. Left unchecked, these emotions can quickly escalate to severe depression.
Encourage dialogue and healthy emotional outlets – a little compassion can go a long way.
Consider finding avenues to maintain discreet cleaning, and personalizing care options.
Don’t be afraid to experiment with the fit of personal care products.
Do your best to honor personal preferences regarding incontinent product choices.
Never underestimate the humanity and value of being comfortable and feeling your best in the face of unpleasant circumstances.
It could be the one thing that makes the experience of embarrassing incontinent situations bearable.
Conclusion
Living with incontinent associated dementia isn’t easy.
However, it can be managed effectively with knowledge and a little understanding.
Make your physician your partner in creating a personalized healthcare strategy. It might be one of the best things you can do aside from staying positive.
Most importantly, stay connected with what is trending for available treatment options.
Remember communication, patience, and quality care are the hallmark vehicles to effectively managing complications of incontinence due to dementia.
For a person with dementia, the topic of dementia and eating is important to discuss.
This is because individuals with dementia usually go through several changes; one of them being how they eat.
Below you will explore some of the common eating challenges persons with dementia face.
It is important to understand each to act accordingly.
Common Eating Challenges for Persons with Dementia
Poor Appetite
A high percentage of individuals who have dementia experience lack of appetite at some point.
There are several explanations of why individuals can lose their appetite, including:
1. Depression
It is common for people with dementia to go through depression, which can be the cause of loss of appetite.
If you notice that a loved one or person under your care has depression, talk to your doctor right away.
He or she will prescribe the ideal medication or other therapies to help treat depression.
2. Constipation
This is another problem that can make one feel nauseous and bloated; thus, feel less likely to eat.
Try and avoid constipation by making sure the person with dementia takes lots of fluid and foods that are rich in fiber. If this condition becomes worse, consult your GP.
3. Communication
An individual who has the illness may have a tough time communicating well that they are hungry or do not like the food in front of them.
Take cue of how such people try and pass the message. For instance, closing the mouth for refusing to swallow can be an indication that they do not like the food that is on the table.
You can offer food choices using pictures and prompts so that a person can enjoy what they are eating.
Other factors that can trigger loss of appetite include when a person is experiencing pain, tiredness, changes in medication, or lack of physical exercises that make one not feel hungry.
Mouth Infections
There are times when dementia and eating issues come about because a person simply cannot eat the food even when they want to.
They can have bad teeth, redness, or sores in the mouth. If this is the case, visit a dentist to get a practical solution.
Caregivers can also help by taking care of their loved ones’ dental hygiene. This includes ensuring that they brush and floss their teeth at least two times a day.
It is also advisable to serve foods that are easy to chew. Solid foods can be cut into small pieces to make them more manageable.
You may also have to seek the services of an occupational therapist if a person is having challenges moving their muscles to open the mouth.
The professionals will come up with ways to help them eat.
Insatiable Appetite
While some people with dementia will experience loss of appetite, others will want to eat non-stop.
It may be possible that they may have forgotten when they had the last meal or be afraid of where the next one will come from.
Naturally, this is not healthy as overeating also comes with its fair share of negative health issues.
To try and tackle such a situation, you can serve five-to-six small meals throughout the day.
You can also avail of low-calorie snacks like carrots and apples that the person will munch on when they feel hungry.
Remember to cut down on processed foods, refined sugars, and foods with high sodium levels.
Some individuals with dementia will all over sudden develop a sweet tooth where they are always craving something sweet to eat.
Although you can give in to their demands a couple of times, it is not right to always give them sweet foods that are not good for their health.
To manage the cravings, you can opt to try food items like egg nogs, milkshakes and low-calorie ice cream that can help satisfy the cravings without causing too much damage.
Fruit can come in handy during such times. You should also check some of the side effects that the medicine the person with dementia is on.
Some antidepressant medications can make someone crave sweets. It is also advisable to share meals with your loved ones as this might increase their chances of eating the healthy meal you provide.
Decreased Judgment
Another factor that may contribute to dementia and eating problems in an individual is decreased judgment.
This is where a person with dementia may not be able to know what food items are on their plate or what to do with the cutlery before them.
You may notice that a person tries to eat from a cup rather than a plate.
Some may even use knives to try and pick up food instead of a spoon or fork.
To help with such, you can cue the person with actions or words so that they can mimic the effects of eating like putting food on a spoon and taking it to the mouth.
If the person is still struggling, be respectful and ask if they need assistance and go-ahead to offer a hand in a way that does not make them feel less of a person.
You can also serve finger foods that do not require utensils to consume like sandwiches and miniature quiches.
This can come about as a result of the changes that occur in the brain.
Environmental changes like noisy dining rooms can also make one experience difficulties while swallowing.
You must be very careful with this because it can cause further problems like choking, poor nutrition, aspiration where food goes down the wrong way in the lungs, and reduced life quality.
To give assistance, it is vital to create a comfortable and relaxed eating environment where a person will be at ease.
You can also use contrasting colored cutlery and plates so that the individual can easily see the food.
It may also help to offer small food amounts so that they can swallow without too much difficulty.
Softer textured food might also be an option as it is easy to chew and swallow.
A speech and language therapist can help when you feel like the swallowing issue is getting out of hand.
These can manifest in different ways like spitting out food, throwing away the food, or simply refusing to eat.
Before you dismiss the individual, try and find out why they are acting this way.
Some possible reasons for this behavior changes may include:
The food is too hot
A person does not like what is on the table
They are frustrated by the eating difficulties they are facing
Rushed eating
They do not like the eating area or the people around
They want assistance eating, etc.
When faced with such a scenario, remember to be as calm as possible so that it does not escalate and become worse. Never put pressure or rush a person as they eat.
You can also take the food away and wait for them to cool down before offering something to eat or drink.
It is also important to try and read body language to pick up clues on what the person wants.
You should also note that this is not the time for criticism and nagging. Offer plenty of support keeping in mind that the individual may not be in control of how they react.
They act the way they do because of the changes that happen in their brain because of the memory-loss disease.
Declining Motor and Visual Abilities
In regards to dementia and eating problems, the individual with the illness may experience a decline in motor and visual abilities as the disease progresses.
He or she may have a difficult time trying to comprehend where some objects concerning each other.
This often affects co-ordination and movement, which can cause problems when a person is eating.
Some helpful tips that can make things a lot easier for the person with dementia include offering colorful foods that are easily distinguishable.
You may also want to avoid the use of paper napkins or Styrofoam cups that a person might eat by mistake.
Store away the fragile China porcelain and do not place sharp knives on the table. It is also recommended to offer one food at a time to avoid overwhelming the person with dementia.
Closing Thought
Eating well is essential for anyone who has dementia if they want to stay healthy. A balanced diet is key to enhancing the quality of life. Not eating enough makes you prone to unhealthy weight loss, lower muscle strength, higher risk of infection, and a myriad of other health problems.
For people with dementia, it is vital to work closely with a dietician who will advise on the best foods to consume at every stage of the illness.
You should also note that each person’s dementia and eating journey is unique. For this reason, it also helps to take into account an individual’s culture, history, beliefs, and preference when coming up with diet plans.
This will help you to tailor appropriate eating solutions that will meet their preferences and nutritional needs.
There is a pertinent question that everyone especially the elderly should know the answer to and that is: what conditions can be mistaken for dementia?
Disorders of the heart and lungs are some of the top answers available for anyone who asks what conditions can be mistaken for dementia.
This is mainly because the two organs provide nutrients and oxygen to the brain; hence, they are essential for normal functioning.
As people age, they may develop vascular diseases that interrupt cardiac output. Others can get lung diseases that affect oxygen delivery to the brain.
When this happens the affected person may have issues with executive function, memory, and alertness which can fool people into thinking that it is dementia.
UTI’s (Urinary Tract Infections)
Some seniors may experience sudden outbursts of confusion. In some cases, this may be a result of UTI.
Urinary tract infections occur when germs get into the urethra and make their way to the kidneys and bladder.
This often makes a person experience fever, painful urination, or abdominal pain.
Alongside these symptoms, elderly persons may also experience symptoms like withdrawal, mood swings, and agitation.
While UTIs and dementia may have similar symptoms, it does not automatically mean that an older person who has UTI has dementia.
Worth noting is that a majority of UTIs are treatable with rest, a lot of fluid, antibiotics, and a healthy diet.
Experts state that with early and timely treatment, individuals with NPH can regain their independence.
Sensory Limitations
Sensory issues like having problems with hearing and seeing can also create a picture where a person experiences worsening cognitive impairment.
Many people who cannot hear or see clearly prefer to stay on their own because they feel like other people do not understand what they are going through.
If this happens and a person is older, their loved ones might assume that they have dementia.
Depression
Before going in for a professional diagnosis, it is easy to conclude that a person has dementia when they are suffering from depression.
The two conditions have comparable symptoms like isolation, detachment, and declining interest in the things an individual loves.
With depression, however, it is possible to reverse the condition through regular exercise, medication, stress-reduction techniques like prayer, yoga, and medication, as well as cognitive therapy.
Delirium
Delirium happens when there is a sudden change in the brain that causes emotional disruption and mental confusion. It makes it hard to pay attention, think, sleep, remember, and many more.
This is another condition that can lead to dementia misdiagnosis.
Just like with many conditions that mimic dementia, delirium can be reversed as soon as doctors identify the cause of the condition.
This can happen when there are local effects of a tumor.
For instance, the tumor may be compressing or invading a brain tissue or it can harm the immune system by producing antibodies that fight the brain.
Subdural Hematoma
When a person has subdural hematoma, it means that there is abnormal bleeding which results in a build-up of blood around the tissue that surrounds the brain.
When the pressure goes on for long it can make a person develop dementia-like symptoms such as confusion, apathy, and behavioral changes.
This makes it one of the answers to what conditions can be mistaken for dementia.
Unlike dementia, however, subdural hematoma is treatable.
The hematoma can disappear on its own when it is not severe. Some people with hematoma may have to go through surgery to get rid of it.
Confusion
When an individual starts to have a hard time recognizing where they are or the time of the day, others will assume that he or she is in their first stages of dementia.
It mostly happens when they become agitated or anxious about their current situation.
At times, the confusion symptoms may come from different situations like dehydration, hunger, chest, or urinary infection.
Closing Remarks
Nowadays, dementia-like warning signs such as stress, fatigue, memory lapses, and many others are becoming more common.
When you start to showcase such, it is easy to think of the worst.
Thankfully, it is not all the time that you will get a positive dementia diagnosis from your doctor.
Above, we have listed a majority of the answers you will get when asking what conditions can be mistaken for dementia.
You will notice that many can be treated; thus, you will not be dealing with them for a lifetime.
One study indicates that it is possible to use a peanut butter test to diagnose if a person has Alzheimer’s disease.
The study that was published in 2013 in the Journal of the Neurological Sciences states that the diagnostic test involves measuring an individual’s ability to smell peanut butter through each nostril to determine whether or not they have Alzheimer’s.
How does peanut butter detect Alzheimer’s?
The researchers that conducted the study believe that persons who have dementia cannot smell peanut butter through their nostrils.
Even when the peanut butter is placed close to their noses.
Why Was the Research Conducted?
Jennifer J. Stamps who was the leader of the study opted to use the peanut butter test because from her research after she concluded that smell is dependent on olfactory nerve.
She noted that this was among the first thing that cognitive decline affects.
Additionally, the temporal lobe’s front part is one of the first regions in the brain to degenerate because of the illness.
She thought of the idea when working with Dr, Kenneth Heilman a distinguished neurology and health psychology professor.
This is after observing that they were not testing patients in the clinic for their sense of smell. She chose the peanut butter because according to her, the butter is a pure odorant that is easy to access and the olfactory nerve can detect it.
While conducting the study, the experts thought that there would be a difference in the left nostril because the neurodegenerative disease affects the left side of the brain.
However, they found out that people with Alzheimer’s were not able to smell peanut butter through their left and right nostrils as well.
How was the Study Conducted?
Jennifer Stamps led a team of researchers from The University of Florida.
They requested more than 90 participants to smell a spoonful of peanut butter (about 14 grams) that was placed a short distance from their noses on a metric ruler.
All the subjects had to close their mouths, eyes, and one nostril and have the peanut butter moved closer until they could smell it. The process was repeated after 90 seconds with the other nostril.
After everyone was through smelling the peanut butter, the team found out that the only people who had difficulties in smelling the peanut butter test were the ones that had first-stage Alzheimer’s.
The researchers also recorded that these groups of participants had more trouble using their left nostrils to smell the peanut butter.
The individuals were able to use their right nostrils to smell the peanut butter ten centimeters farther away than the left one.
The difference in smell between the two nostrils is unique to Alzheimer’s disease.
Reactions to the Study
The results of the study were not readily accepted in the medical field. Many neurologists like Dr, David Knopman said that there were doubting about such a simple study being used for a complex disease.
Other professionals also recorded their concerns stating that other kinds of dementia record greater smell impairments; thus, the peanut butter test cannot distinguish different forms of dementia.
Some experts, however, commended the efforts of the research saying that it may lead to more affordable and non-invasive ways of detecting Alzheimer’s.
Closing Remarks
The results of using the peanut butter test as an Alzheimer’s diagnostic test remain inconclusive. This is because the study was only done on a small sample size which included 94 participants only.
A follow-up study that was done at the University of Pennsylvania could not replicate the results of the initial study.
This research team said that their study showed no difference in the ability to smell peanut butter in their right and left nostrils.
More research needs to be done to identify more cost-effective, accessible, and accurate testing measures not only for Alzheimer’s disease but other dementia types as well.
