Dementia is a group of brain diseases that hamper a person’s ability to think and remember. Dementia is not a single specific disease; rather, it includes all the possible brain diseases that may cause either memory loss or affect the thinking process or both. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia and contributes to up to around 50-70% of all cases of dementia.

Dementia not only leads to general memory loss or loss of thinking and reasoning but may have even an adverse effect on the patient’s life. Dementia may also cause difficulty in language and speech, disorientation, severe mood swings, and loss in body function. With the advancement in the disease, the patient may not be able to perform even the basic day-to-day jobs such as dressing and bathing. As the condition worsens the patient starts to isolate from family and society and the ultimate to the disease is death.

Dementia is more likely to occur in people who are at the age of 65 years and above. Women are generally more likely to face dementia as they live longer. The risk factor increases with the increase in age.

Dementia can’t be treated to the fullest. However, medicines may prove helpful in moderating the symptoms and providing temporary relief.

Symptoms

The symptoms of dementia depend greatly upon the cause and type of dementia. However, the most common symptom is forgetfulness or memory loss. Other prominent symptoms include loss in speech, loss in body functions and mood swings. Dementia may cause a loss in reasoning and problem-solving abilities. Dementia also has various psychological symptoms such as depression, anxiety, irritability, etc.

Dementia is mostly progressive i.e. the symptoms gradually increase with time. However, progression is not very fast. Studies show that most of the people suffering from dementia have mixed dementia i.e. they suffer from more than one form of dementia at the same time. Usually, mixed dementia is a combination of Alzheimer’s disease with some other kind of dementia.

Dementia occurs when brain cells in certain areas die away hampering the communication between the brain cells that are alive. The type of dementia that a person suffers from depends upon the area of the brain that is affected. Dementia can also be categorized according to the cause of damage to the brain cells. For example, the cause of Alzheimer’s disease is the deposition of a high amount of proteins inside and outside the brain which hampers the health and communication of the brain cell.

The causes of some of the dementia are reversible. These include vitamin B12 deficiency, thyroid disease, Lyme disease and side effects of certain medications. These types of dementia are referred to as minor dementia and can be cured and reversed easily through medications. Other types of dementia such as Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia can’t be reversed or cured. Below is a list of the most common and major types of dementia.

• Alzheimer’s disease: This is the most common form of nonreversible progressive dementia. Alzheimer’s most commonly affects people with age 65 years and above. However, some may experience an early onset of Alzheimer’s too. Although genetics is considered to be the most common cause of Alzheimer’s, other possible causes are not known.

Alzheimer’s disease occurs due to protein deposition inside and outside the brain cells which hamper their health and their ability to communicate with other cells. These proteins deposits may be in the form of plaques or tangles. Plaques are clumps of beta-amyloid and tangles are fibers of tau protein.

• Vascular dementia: This type of dementia occurs due to bleeding or vessel blockage in the brain. This is the second most common type of dementia. This type of dementia is often associated with brain strokes and hampers thinking and reasoning. Organizing and planning are also difficult for people suffering from vascular dementia. In some cases, even physical movements are restricted.
• Lewy body dementia: Lewy bodies are clumps of protein that deposit in brain cells. The causes are similar to that of Alzheimer’s. However, the prominent symptoms for this type of dementia are a hallucination, walking or acting in sleep and an unusual walking pattern.
• Parkinson’s disease: In this form of dementia motor skills of a person is affected. People who suffer from the disease may experience a tremor in their hands or may develop a loss of memory.
• Huntington’s disease: This type of dementia occurs at a comparatively younger age. People patients with their everyday tasks.

With the progress in dementia, care for a dementia patient can be best done in a nursing home for dementia care.

Nursing care plans for impaired memory related to dementia helps the patients to perform their everyday tasks. Nursing homes for dementia patients have specially trained nurses who help patients socialize and feel independent. Care for dementia patients in nursing homes also includes speech therapies to help patients communicate properly.

Nursing home dementia care also keeps a check on the quality and quantity of nutrients that patient intakes as this affects the brain functioning. Nursing care plan for the elderly with dementia also involves and educate family caregivers so as to comfort the elderly people.

Exercise

Physical exercises are very important for the proper functioning of the mind and body. Exercises also help in regulating blood flow to the brain and other parts of the body. Thus, exercise is an important part of care for dementia patients. Those suffering from genetic dementia can be benefited by exercising as it may delay the progress of the disease.

• Care24 understands that care for dementia patients is not easy and requires great skill and training. This is why we provide you with the best team of nurses and caregivers. Our team understands the anxiety of the patient and works its best to provide utmost relief to the patient.
• from the age group of 30 – 50 years may experience such a brain disease. This type of neurological disorder is genetic and is caused by the defect of chromosome 4. It may lead to mood swings and depression.
• Mixed dementia: This dementia occurs when a person experiences more than one form of dementia at the same time. This generally occurs in people older than 75 years.

Treatments

Dementia whose causes are reversible can be treated using certain medications or medical procedures. The most common is the one caused due to the deficiency of vitamin B12. Such dementia can easily be reversed by maintaining vitamin levels in the body. Others in this category are dementia due to thyroid disease and Lyme disease. Dementia caused as a side effect of certain medications can also be reversed to a great extent.

Dementia due to degenerative causes cannot be stopped or reversed. The treatments for these focus on limiting the symptoms through medication, exercises, and physical therapies. However, these treatments provide only temporary relief.

Care for dementia patients in nursing homes helps limit the symptoms and is very important as the disease progresses. Nursing homes for Dementia patients have specially trained nurses and caregivers to help