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Tuesday, February 14, 2017

4 Steps to Follow in Case you or an Acquaintance has Alzheimer's Disease

By Fundación Alzheimer In alzheimers foundation colombia

The Alzheimer's Foundation recommends 4 steps to follow in case you, or an acquaintance, suspects of having, or being at risk of getting Alzheimer's:

1. Get a clear diagnosis:

Look for a Neurologist to get the proper diagnosis and to conduct the clinical examinations, which are 90% accurate. In those exams should be the neuropsychological evaluation that determines the memory loss degree of the person. This will help to understand the changes of behavior generated by oblivion, and will clarify if these changes are age related, or if there is a cerebral damage.

2. Three Specific Areas to Suspect Dementia

The changes in the behavior of the affected person become evident as the disease evolves and are areas that show the deterioration of the memory and the neuronal affections.

Intellectual or Mental Area

The person can undergo memory, attention, language, logic, perception, or calculation changes. These can be detected at home, by observing the relative and with the neuropsychological evaluation done by a specialist. This is the starting point for all cerebral stimulation programs.

Emotional or Psychological Area

Behaviour changes may appear, such as depression, distresses, irritability, apathy and mood swings such as aggressiveness, loss of interests or motivation. The emotional area must be taken care of so the patient keeps his tranquility and peace.

Functional Area

When the mental aspects (memory alterations, for example) and the emotional aspects (lack of motivation and similar) affect the autonomy and independence of the person (not being able to go out alone), you can think about dementia. This must only be diagnosed by a doctor.

3. What Must be Done When the Medical Diagnosis is Clear

Every member of the family must inquire and understand what the disease is, its stages and how to handle it. This must be done by researching valid sources that give accurate information about the disease, do not settle only with what the doctor says or what can be found trough the internet. They must go to a specialized center, as the disease is complicated and symptoms can quickly change.

4. Explore all the Alternative Treatments to Choose the One that Better Suits your Relative

Everyone is different and may require a different treatment. To determine the best course for your family member, you must be informed about the treatments available in your region and the services offered in your community. There is no known cure for the disease, but that does not mean that there aren't effective treatments. At the moment there are two types of treatment:

Pharmacological treatment:

There are drugs that treat mental symptoms, and others treat behavioral alterations. In the behavioral changes, a psychiatrist's help is needed, as he is trained in these kind of treatments that use antidepressants, neuroleptics, and even hypnotic drugs. These drugs may diminish symptoms such as anxiety, sleep disorders, aggressive behavior, depression, hyperactivity, etc.

Therapeutic Treatment:

These are mental stimulation programs, designed for patients affected by Alzheimer's in order to delay their mental deterioration and strengthen their physical, mental and social skills of the affected. These programs consist of specialized therapies that change with the disease's evolution, taking as a starting point the patient's cognitive state evaluation. These programs must only be performed by professionals.

9 Golden Rules To Maintain an Active and Healthful Mind

By Fundación Alzheimer In alzheimers foundation colombia

1. Take Care of Your Heart

It controls your blood pressure. High blood pressure can damage your heart and brain blood vessels. Normal levels must be under 140-90. Taking care of your blood pressure in the ages of 40 or 50 is a very good way of preventing dementia when growing old.
High blood pressure is asymptomatic.

2. Control Your Glucose

Too much sugar in your bloodstreams increases the risk of suffering from diabetes. Diabetes is a chronical disease that damages blood vessels and predisposes myocardial heart attack, brain strokes and even dementia. Non-diabetic glucose values must be between 70-100 mg/dL.

3. Quit Smoking

Smoking hardens your blood vessels and diminishes the amount of oxygen that nurtures your brain. 14% of dementia cases are attributed to cigarette smoking. No matter how many cigarettes you smoke, the smoke is harmful for everyone around the smoker.

4. Control Your Cholesterol

Excess cholesterol is deposited in the arteries and it obstructs them in a progressive form, diminishing the circulation of the blood to important organs, like the heart and brain. Individuals should have their cholesterol checked on a regular basis to prevent the increased risk of dementia.

5. Control Your Weight

Obesity increases the risk of diabetes, cerebral and heart disease. A suitable weight is the balance between what we intake through eating and what we expend through physical activity or exercise.

6. Keep Yourself Physically Active

Being physically active increases calcium in the bones, improves body weight control, improves balance, increases the energy level and physically increases the general sensation of well-being.

7. Maintain a Healthy Diet

Moderate the consumption of dairy and eggs, increase the amount of fruits, vegetables, and fish, reduce the consumption of salt, alcohol, sweetened drinks, and red meat.

8. Stimulate Your Brain

Perform simple calculations.
Read a short text and try to memorize it.
Embrace change.
Listen to music that you like and gives you pleasant memories.
Look for unknown words in the dictionary and write them down.
Write an inventory of your house, or images, and try to visualize them in your mind (without looking).
Play what you like: Chinese Checkers, Chess, Dominoes, Form-words, etc.
Keep doing your normal activities: painting, writing, drawing, gardening, etc.
Engage in mental exercises like word-search puzzles, sudokus, crosswords, etc.
Learn new things like playing musical instruments, studying another language, learn to use the computer, beginning courses about what you like, etc.

9. Enjoy Social Activities

Explore new spaces where you can join in. Participate in group activities with friends, in community centers, groups of voluntary services. Enjoy time with your family. Try new things that you like.

Ecuestrian Therapy

By Fundación Alzheimer In equestrian therapy alzheimer

Two years ago, the Alzheimer's Foundation began implementing equestrian activities as part of its therapeutic regime. The activities are organized in controlled environments, and are intended to motivate patients in both early and advanced stages of the disease. In 2015 began the therapy with the more critical patients, by taking a Pony to the Day Center for them to interact with.
The therapy's main goal is to reminiscence, taking into account that many of our patients grew in the countryside, horseback riding is a childhood activity practiced for fun and relaxation and they could relate to it. Patients reacted positively from the beginning, many of them remembered with joy childhood and adolescence memories. The therapy's results were very positive, since it broke their daily routine in the therapeutic room and gave us the opportunity to work outdoors. It impelled their motivation and enthusiasm, even the patients who didn't relate with the normal activities had significant social improvements.
It is an innovative tool and a unique therapeutic support. Its application helps those who suffer by dementia to improve attention, motivation and provides a feeling of security and familiarity. This therapy facilitates in patients with dementia the expression of feelings like love, protection, tenderness, reactions of surprise, perplexity, admiration, among others. It also had our patients and their families improve their well-being and quality of life.

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