Dementia Treatment Outline

Improved Essays
Keyword: Dementia Treatment (0.8%)
Meta description: Do you care for one of the estimated 564,000 Canadians with dementia? If so, you’ll want to learn about the dementia treatment options available.
Author: Tenille
Topic: senior health
CTA: 10 Early Signs of Dementia
New Dementia Treatment Options Available for Your Loved One
The number of Canadians diagnosed with dementia increases every year. There is an expected increase of 66 percent in the number of Canadians who will live with dementia by 2031. With such a rapidly growing number of people affected, the Canadian healthcare system will need to continue to develop successful treatment options to accommodate this growing demand.
There are currently various dementia treatment options for
…show more content…
This medication has also been proven to slow the developing effects of dementia.
In more scientific terms, memantine is a glutamate regulator. Glutamate is a neurotransmitter, which sends signals from the nerve cells to other cells in the brain that aid in information processing, storage, and retrieval. Memantine regulates abnormal glutamate levels, which improves cognitive function and promotes regular brain function.
Memantine can be found as an oral tablet, liquid solution, or slow-release oral capsule. In advanced stages of dementia, memantine in combination with other medications is safe and effective.
Cholinesterase Inhibitors
Like memantine, cholinesterase inhibitors have also shown great results in dementia patients. However, instead of regulating glutamate, cholinesterase inhibitors regulate acetylcholine. Acetylcholine is a neurotransmitter, which is found in low levels in dementia patients. When levels are low, less communication can occur between nerve cells and other cells in the brain, contributing to memory loss and other symptoms associated with
…show more content…
Music Therapy and Other Alternative Therapies
We’ve all heard the saying that music makes you smarter, but is there truth behind that? Studies have shown that music can, in fact, help people with dementia. Music therapy has the ability to improve mood, manage stress, and promote cognitive function in patients with dementia.
There are other forms of alternative therapies including aroma and pet therapy, which some believe to be effective dementia treatments. There is not enough scientific research on these therapies, however, to prove whether or not these treatments work.
It is essential to note that alternative therapies should be used to supplement prescription medications. While your senior loved one may enjoy music and it may improve their demeanor, it’s important when creating a treatment plan that you don’t rely solely on alternative measures.
Non-Memory Loss Related Medications
When it comes to dementia patients, memory loss isn’t the only thing you need to be concerned about. Dementia can cause your loved ones to develop psychosis, which may be treated with various antipsychotic

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    Lewy Body Dementia: Lewy body dementia is the second most common type of escalating dementia after Alzheimer's disease. This condition leads to a gradual decline in mental capabilities. It may also create visual hallucinations, which typically take the form of animals or people who are not there. This can cause abnormal behavior such as having discussions with deceased loved ones. Another sign of Lewy Body Dementia may be massive shifts in awareness and attentiveness.…

    • 469 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    However, as we age the risks of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease increases and will continue to increase especially with the longer lifespans our society sees today. Basically, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease is the deterioration of the brain’s capacity to recall memories, thought processes and behavioral tasks needed to carry out activities of daily living and frequently individuals with dementia and Alzheimer’s require constant care (Berk, 2014). Considering this especially as the Baby Boomer generation moves into the late adulthood phase, the increase of those with dementia or Alzheimer’s will reach exceptionally high numbers and the ability to care for them will become a growing societal challenge (Berk, 2014). Utilizing alternative treatments for cognitive debilitating diseases is quite important, otherwise, we will be faced with a larger population of sedated, vegetated individuals relying completely on the institutionalized care of nursing homes. An interesting statement made in the film mentioned that the science of how music enters and is processed by the brain may explain why it is able to revive the heart and soul of one with dementia because the location of where music memory is stored is the one of the last places…

    • 792 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    With the ageing population there will be more people affected with dementia. Dementia is the term used to group together several disorders that affect the brain. The effects of these disorders cause memory loss, the ability to perform everyday tasks and behaviour. The following essay will discuss topics such as pathophysiology of dementia, effects that dementia has on a persons lifestyle, strategies or non-pharmacological treatments that can be implemented to deal with dementia and community support. Dementia is five times higher in rural Aboriginal communities and the rate of dementia in Torres Strait Island is unknown.…

    • 1361 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Decent Essays

    The association between Dementia and Alzheimer’s is commonly misinterpreted to be interchangeable, however, this is an incorrect belief because the mental decline is a normal part of aging. Dementia is not a specific disease and is often referred to as “senility” however this is a general term used for describing the gradual decline in the individual’s mental ability which can become severe enough to restrict daily living activities which can be caused by numerous conditions such as memory loss and daily mental functions like reasoning. The most common type of dementia is Alzheimer’s Disease which is seen in the elderly population (Alzheimer’s Association, 2014; Lu, & Bludau, 2011). The second most common type of dementia is vascular dementia,…

    • 171 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Decent Essays

    If people with mild Alzheimer’s come in counter with the therapy of Deep Brain Stimulation then most common mental functions, and some memory shouldn’t be completely lost. Deep Brain Stimulation is kind of like an electrical shock. It is sending waves to block off faulty signals in the brain that would other wise cause problems to the brain or body. It’s not to cure most cases, but more of when your medicine isn’t working anymore, or to slow down the issue. It started with forty-two patients.…

    • 308 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    A relaxation therapy focuses on de-stressing the patient. Stress can cause distress in a patient which may speed up certain symptoms. The relaxation is done through techniques, such as meditation and massages. Another therapy uses art and music. Playing music from the patients past and allowing them to engage and involve themselves has been shown to reduce negative behavior and improve social relationships in those with dementia.…

    • 1233 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Even though dementia can cause one not to remember, Dementia is more commonly known as Alzheimer’s disease. Scientists see that there is more than one type of dementia there are at least ten types of this disease. These diseases are all under different psychological names. Dementia basically is a name that is used to tell the person that overall your brain is losing information (brain cells). There are so many reasons why dementia happens it could be caused by a stroke, old age and maybe even too much alcohol use.…

    • 211 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Worldwide, there are currently 47.5 million people diagnosed with dementia; a new diagnosis is confirmed every 4 seconds. This number is expected to be more than tripled by the year 2050. (Who 10 facts on dementia). Dementia is a progressive, irreversible neurological disease, characterized by a decline in cognitive functioning.(CITE) This decline can result in memory loss, a disturbance in executive functioning, disorientation, and sensory-perception deficits; all can lead to confusion and agitation.…

    • 255 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    " Since then a cure for the malady has been the number one goal for some researchers in the field. While there have been ample research on Dementia, finding a cure has remained futile. Fortunately, researchers from the University of Edinburg and London School of Economics have developed a test that might be able…

    • 309 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Dementia of the Alzheimer’s type is a chronic and progressive degenerative disease that affects more than 4.5 million Americans and is listed as the fourth leading cause of death in the United States. Considering that most cases of Alzheimer’s disease occur in people over the age of sixty-five, the risk for developing the disease is greatly increased with age (Porth, 959). Pathophysiology Older adult patients customarily have less brain weight than a younger person thus elderly people have an increased amount of space in the skull. As aging continues the cerebral sulci widen in turn narrowing the gyri and enlarging the ventricles in the brain.…

    • 384 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    An outline of the causes and effects of dementia Dementia is most well known for causing memory loss in the elderly; however, it actually comes in many forms and includes symptoms other than the short-term memory deficiencies that it is perhaps most commonly associated with. The syndrome affects a large number of people and in the UK alone, 850,000 people have dementia and this number is on course to reach over 1 million within the next 10 years (“Facts on dementia”, 2015). By far the most common and well-known form of dementia is Alzheimer’s disease, which is particularly prevalent in those over the age of 65, nonetheless, dementia can also affect those who are younger and Harvey et al. (2003) estimated around 18,000 people under 65 with dementia in the UK. Causes Dementia is the name given to a distinct set of symptoms, focused upon impaired cognition as a direct result of brain (nerve cell) damage, and thus there are many different forms.…

    • 774 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Paint for Your Thoughts: Art Therapy & Dementia Taylor Thompson Florida Gulf Coast University Abstract This research paper consists of talking about how art therapy affects a patient with dementia. Causes of dementia and different types are first discussed, also how dementia comes about. Brief descriptions of the different types of dementia are discussed and why dementia occurs as well.…

    • 1101 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Decent Essays

    Here is the Cure Music has ability-- especially for individuals with Alzheimer's disease and related mental deteriorations. And even it could spark compelling outcomes even in the very late phases of the disease. The majority of people associate music and songs with important occasions and a wide range of emotions. The relationship could be so strong that listening to a music long after the incident stimulates a memory of it.…

    • 90 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Alzheimer’s disease, an illness that can affect the brain of senior citizens, has several stages with mental effects that can disable one for the remainder of their life. It can be difficult to distinguish…

    • 1129 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Ahn concludes this issue in efficacy by discussing that even though amazing results in using music therapy have been seen to reduce and help treat the damaging behaviors associated with dementia, the extensive gap in research prevents music therapy from being called “evidence-based medicine” (6). The literature regarding music therapy has typically seen promising results in the reduction of aggression, agitation and an increase in social behavior in those with dementia, these results are held in good standing but without more evidence from research…

    • 1611 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Improved Essays