Dementia is one of the common diseases in old age, characterized by a continuous decline in brain functions, resulting in disturbances in cognitive abilities such as memory, orientation, sound thinking, and wisdom. As a result, many dementia patients lose their ability to take care of themselves and require full nursing care. Alzheimer's disease is one of the most common forms of dementia. Suzyetta Schumann, Vice President of the German Association for Therapeutic Care, stated that early diagnosis of the disease can significantly help relatives and patients.
**How to Recognize the Beginning of Dementia?**
The German doctor explained that forgetfulness is the most obvious symptom; the patient begins to forget ordinary things, such as the way to the bakery, which they used to do daily. The patient may also write notes on papers and not remember where they placed them. Dementia progresses in stages and sometimes occurs in the form of episodes. There are mild, moderate, and severe stages. The problem is that many relatives ignore dementia in its early stages and wait a long time before seeing a doctor.
**What Comes After Diagnosis?**
Initially, it is essential to have the disease diagnosed accurately by a geriatrician or neurologist. Schumann advises bringing the patient to the doctor's appointment to discuss the results obtained and involving them in the decision-making process. After that, daily life at home should be adjusted to meet the patient's needs; for example, it is advisable to avoid changing the furniture and its locations in the home as much as possible so that the patient feels safe at home.
**Medications to Delay Decline**
So far, there is no medication that can stop dementia, but there are some drugs that work to delay its decline. There are also memory training therapies and exercises that those around the patient can do to prevent them from losing more skills quickly. For instance, it is important not to rush to offer help and to wait until the patient does things themselves; when food is offered to the patient, one must wait until they eat it by themselves, as dementia patients can continue to do things correctly for a considerable time.
Sometimes, individuals with dementia do not dress appropriately, such as wearing a nightgown over their daily clothes. Here, relatives can explain to the patient how to differentiate between clothes worn outside the home and those worn at home, using the simplest sentences possible, which usually elicits a response from the patient.
**Defensive or Aggressive Behavior**
It is essential to understand the cause of this behavior; it is not a symptom of dementia, but rather a reaction to the surrounding environment, such as a response to not understanding much when those around them speak quickly, and it can be a natural reaction to anger.
In conclusion, doctors recommend ensuring that the patient always feels content by going out and taking walks with them, improving overall quality of life, engaging in social interactions, and recalling memories through photos or other means. Even scents can evoke beautiful memories in the patient’s mind.
