by Sari Cada
Losing the essential foundations making up the solid block of your thinking abilities is a huge blow. It means you suffer from forgetfulness, problem-solving skills and a failing speech. These indicate that the brain is suffering from damage or the connective brain nerve cells are no longer working well. Thus, understanding the different interventions for dementia is crucial.
Life becomes increasingly difficult for someone suffering from this cognitive disorder. Why? Because it affects a human being's cognitive abilities that ultimately change their daily routines.
Patients with dementia deal with a spontaneous barrage of emotions which are hard to deal with.
Here are some interventions for dementia:
Use of Drugs
It's worth noting that there is no known cure for dementia. But, you can delay the rate of cognitive decline in people with early-onset dementia with drugs. The pharmacological way of managing the disorder is not degenerate to severe levels.
A doctor administers anti-dementia pills depending on the type of dementia a patient has. So which are the most common drugs used to manage this condition?
Acetylcholine Inhibitors
Acetylcholine is a neurotransmitter present in the brain, and its presence influences how these medications work. It influences how dopamine – a neurotransmitter facilitating communication between neurons in the brain – works. Ideally, the inhibitors raise brain levels of Acetylcholine.
The most common inhibitors are:
- Galantamine
- Donepezil
- Rivastigmine
- Memantine
Research shows that the three medications have significant merits in bolstering cognitive functions and aiding daily activities. Memantine has a unique mechanism of action because it prevents a chemical called glutamate from secretion by brain cells destroyed by the illness. It is, therefore, administered to patients with more advanced stages of dementia.
Non-medication Ways
Non-medication ways offer excellent interventions in the management of this cognitive disorder. And one of them is dementia therapy which stimulates cognitive functions in patients suffering from mild to moderate dementia. This non-medical method gives a patient a chance to work on essential cognitive functions.
Some of the famous therapeutic approaches for treatment include the following.
Validation Remedy
It focuses on the use of empathy and an understanding of the underlying meanings of the patient's words and actions. The practitioner tries to connect with the individual suffering from dementia through empathy.
Reminiscence Remedy
This technique gives a demented patients a chance to access their long-term memory and relive happy memories. It is the most popular drug-free treatment method. It can take various forms, such as a life story, a simple recollection, or a specific recollection.
Cognitive Stimulation Treatment
Those with mild to moderate dementia can rely on it. The person with dementia participates in therapeutic sessions with a trained practitioner knowledgeable in interpersonal communication and dementia care.
It incorporates theme-based activities in each session, and they can discuss a wide-ranging debate about politics, social welfare, and nutrition.
Other non-medical interventions include:
Realism Orientation
It works by reminding the person with dementia of the present. It also reaffirms their sense of self-worth and brings their attention back to their immediate surroundings. They do it through group or individual cueing with the help of calendars, signposts for notice boards.
Exercise
Even those without cognitive impairment can reap the benefits of physical activity. And this is especially true for those with dementia who were once quite physically active. You design a physical activity program for them, factoring in their interests, safety and preferences.
Stimulation of the Multisensory
Dementia patients who are restless or agitated benefit from stimulating their multisensory from snoezelen rooms. These rooms have perfect multisensory environments, including music, furnishings with a soft feel, light, and water.
All these coupled together bring out relaxation and conversational factors in the patient.
Going the non-medical way to create different interventions for dementia is more practical. Although it is financially demanding and time-sensitive, it is an excellent option, just as the drug intervention is.
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