Alzheimer's needs to be managed on several levels - it is almost impossible to treat it with a one-dimensional focus. Towards this end, the treatment of the disease could broadly be divided into three main areas. The first and probably the most important is the diagnosis and treatment with drugs. These are essential for arresting the disease and not letting it spiral out of control. So, a drug regimen will have to be put into place depending on each patient's needs. Of course, in the early stages of the disease, one might opt for a non-drug approach. The next area is to make things better for both the patient and the person or people looking after him. This is vital as it affects all concerned deeply, both physically and psychologically. The third area involves only the caregiver and is one where he or she should be given adequate support - again, both physically and psychologically.
Coming to the first area, with the tremendous strides medicine has taken, there are new-age drugs that manage and treat so many of the problems associated with the disease - from calming the patient to keeping the depression away to stopping the hallucinations and delusions. These pharmacological solutions help in slowing down the progress of the disease and in helping to alleviate the problems that arise out of the cognitive decline that the patient undergoes. Drug therapy is vital in all cases of Alzheimer's in order to stop the rapid deterioration of the cognitive functions.
Today, besides this aspect, medical practitioners are looking at non-pharmacological areas as well to treat patients. These involve exercise, involvement in some kind of activity which interests them and in modifications to the environment to make them calmer and more at ease. They also involve the well-being of the caregiver. Both patient and caregiver should be in good health as other factors like illness or weakness could also contribute to irritability and frustration.
Thirdly, as important as care for the patient should be support for the caregiver. Most families find it impossible to cope with patients within the environs of a home. So for many who suffer from this disease, a nursing home is the only option. This move, in itself could be traumatic for an elderly person who moves away from the security of the familiar into a strange unfamiliar place that evokes the fear of the unknown. Caregivers need to be educated on how to handle this as well as what the symptoms of the disease as it progresses are and how they can deal with them. A clear picture of how things will be can very often take away the frustration and put in a more detached, clinical approach. This, surprisingly is the more understanding and practical way to handle this condition. The more a caregiver knows, the easier is the difficult road ahead.
The good news? There seems to be light at the end of the tunnel. Research about the disease seems to be pointing the way to a cure - not just of halting the disease but of possibly affecting a cure. Can the ravages caused by Alzheimer's be reversed? Time alone will tell.
If you want to stay sharp and in control of your life well into your golden years, there are proactive methods to achieving the mental alertness you need. More and more research is pointing to the fact that physical activity and lifestyle choices have more to do with preventing Alzheimer s disease (AD) and other forms of dementia - once thought to be a normal part of aging - than pure genetics. So if you had a parent, grandparent or sibling with AD it doesn't mean you have to follow the same path.
Statistics gathered from extensive research do point toward a higher risk of developing AD if you had a close relative with AD - as much as 50%, but that has less to do with genes and more to do with following their lifestyle patterns. If for example, your parents were smokers who rarely exercised, you may have developed some of the same destructive habits.
What can you do to break the cycle and prevent AD? Take action and take control today. Even if you are in your 60s or 70s you can reverse some of the damage done to your brain through poor diet, inactivity, or damaging lifestyle choices. Scientists have discovered very recently that the brain has the ability to repair cells and neurotransmitters and improve cognitive function and memory.
It's Not Too Late to Make A Difference: Start the 5 Steps Today
1. Eat Right. It seems so simple, yet too many people just don't get enough of the mind preserving antioxidants found in fresh fruits and vegetables. A well-balanced diet, free of diary products and using low fat sources of protein will protect both heart and mind.
2. Supplement where necessary. Many diets lack the nutrients proven to promote brain health. These include sources of essential fatty acids found in fish and specific herbs and minerals that can enhance cognitive function.
3. Exercise. Originally it was thought that exercise increases blood flow and oxygen to the brain cells. This is still true, but a report prepared for the National Institutes of Health states that exercise can also stimulate the production growth factors, which are molecules produced by the body to repair and maintain nerves.
4. Lower Your Cholesterol. Many people with early dementia or AD symptoms may have actually experienced small strokes that damaged the brain's neurotransmitters. By keeping cholesterol levels in check, the arteries are free and clear of plaque that can cause stroke.
5. Do your Mental Exercises. Keeping up with current events, working puzzles each day, learning and memorizing new information all work to keeping a mind strong and alert. It is normal for people to sometimes forget a name or date, but the more practice recalling such information the greater the brain's ability to do this throughout old age. In the case of mental challenges, the more you do the more you can push back the clock on cognitive decline.
Five easy steps, when you think about it, can do much to make aging an event to celebrate instead of dread. With age there comes experience and wisdom, and we should all do whatever is within our power to be able to pass that on to the next generation.
Both Tom Sample & Frank Mangano - are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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