Information About Dementia

We Have to Know about the Dementia

• Dementia is a pattern of mental decline caused by different diseases or conditions

First Aid

How to test for the level of consciousness and memory loss

• Ask the date, year and time as well as the names of all the people involved in the accident
• Ask the person to recite both the months of the year and the days of the week backward
• Recite four digits and ask the victim to repeat them forward and backward. Ask again 5 minutes later. Ask for details about current events

 How to check for coordination

• Ask the person to perform a series of simple tasks, such as walking in a straight line, buttoning a shirt and so on

Causes of Dementia

• Alzheimer’s disease
• Stroke
• Lewy body disease, which causes neurons in the brain to degenerate
• Traumatic head injury
• Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome
• Alcohol abuse
• Huntington’s disease and Pick’s disease
• Brain abscess
• Multiple sclerosis

In rare cases, dementia is caused by a treatable condition, and it may be partially or entirely reversed if the condition is diagnosed and treated early:

• Depression
• Adverse reactions to drugs
• Infections, such as syphilis or fungal meningitis
• Metabolic conditions, such as deficiencies of vitamin B12, folate or thyroid hormone

Do’s and Don’ts-Dementia

• Dementia caused by stroke — Monitor and control your blood pressure, exercise every day and eat a balanced diet, maintain a healthy body weight
•  Alcohol-related dementia — Limit the amount of alcohol you drink
• Traumatic dementia — Avoid head injury by always using seat belts and helmets
• Some infection-related dementias — Avoid high-risk sexual behavior
• Vitamin-deficiency dementia — Make sure your diet has enough B vitamins, especially vitamin B12
• Hormone-related dementia — Take a blood test called TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) to make sure your thyroid is functioning properly

Signs & Symptoms of Dementia

• Symptoms of dementia emerge slowly, get worse over time and limit the person’s ability to function
• Memory loss
• Have trouble with complex mental tasks such as driving, knowing what day it is and learning new things
• Attention, judgment, problem-solving, mood and behavior also may change
• Have difficulty speaking in full sentences, recognizing his or her surroundings, recognizing other people, or handling personal care, such as bathing
• May experience hallucinations, delusions, agitation, social withdrawal and insomnia

Medical advice for Dementia

See your doctor if you have any concern about your memory or if you or a loved one is having more difficulty recently with any of the following:

• Learning and remembering new information
• Handling complex tasks, such as preparing a meal
• Reasoning
• Orientation, such as knowing the day of the week or the time of day
• Language, including finding words to express thoughts

Risk factors of Dementia

• Alzheimer’s disease

Treatment for Dementia

• Dementia caused by diseases such as underactive thyroid and vitamin B12 deficiency can be reversed by treating these conditions
• Vascular dementia- People may show a less mental decline if their blood pressure is controlled, they stop smoking, lower LDL (“bad” cholesterol), exercise regularly and maintain a healthy weight

Self-care for Dementia

People with dementia that cannot be reversed need care.
An important aspect of care include

• Familiar surroundings, people and routines, because too much change can cause confusion and agitation
• Bright, active environments to help focus the person’s attention and keep him or her oriented to the environment
• Safe environments so that the person cannot be hurt or get lost if he or she wanders away
• Physical exercise to improve balance and general good health
• Appropriate therapies, including music, art, and occupational therapy, to provide stimulation and improve control of muscles

Investigations for Dementia

• MRI
• CT Scans
• Blood Tests