Today, it is estimated that about 5.2 million Americans suffer from Alzheimer’s disease. It is the sixth leading cause of death in the US and the most common form of dementia. As with most forms of dementia, the cause is the neurons in the brain that stop communicating and start to die. The more neurons that become isolated, the more it affects the memory, mood, behavior, learning, and eventually the physical functions of the body.
The number of seniors who experience depression ranges in the millions. The issue of aging parents and depression goes hand-in-hand for many and often goes undiagnosed. A cranky senior may be one suffering from the effects of depression. The signs of irritation, loss of appetite, worrying about dying, and sadness often go unnoticed or are misdiagnosed for seniors.
It should be noted that mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is not dementia. While dementia is a progressive disease, MCI is a condition where people are more forgetful than normal. A person with mild cognitive impairment may have the following symptoms:
For seniors suffering with dementia, the gradual progression of the condition often leads to withdrawal and depression. However, a new study from the University of Helsinki have demonstrated the benefits of music for seniors which manage to improve not only the mood, but their memory capabilities as well.
Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease represent a loss of cognitive ability that progressively gets worse over time. However, it is easy to mistake the early signs of dementia with occasional forgetfulness that everyone experiences. For seniors, the warning signs can be deceptive or mistaken for the occasional forgetfulness that many older adults will experience.
The prospect of facing dementia and other senior-related illnesses such as Alzheimer’s disease is not a pleasant thought, but there are methods you can use to improve your chances of staying healthy. Understanding how to reduce your risk of dementia starts with these simple tips.
Although there is no cure for dementia, there are certain treatments that can help slow the progress of the disease. Dementia may rob the victim of their cognitive abilities, but there are some surprising ways that the progress can be altered. One of the more interesting is exercise. The benefits of physical activity for dementia may help slow down the effects while keeping those afflicted with the disease healthier.
Getting older means having to deal with certain issues that you did not have to face before. One of the more misunderstood is dementia which in most cases slowly robs a person of their mental faculties. However, learning how to spot dementia is important because it differs from the normal issues that most people face.
Here are some of the signs that a senior may be suffering from dementia and understanding what to do when that occurs.
When bringing a loved one who suffers from Alzheimer’s disease into your home, you will need to make some basic changes to the interior and exterior that will limit accidents from occurring. This is because those with the disease will require 24/7 care and removing all potential injury-causing obstacles will help make your job much easier.
In addition to becoming a member of the family, pets provide many benefits such as reducing stress, stabilizing blood pressure, and having another heartbeat in the house. In addition to improving emotional and physical health, pets can also help people with dementia lead happier, healthier lives.