Treatments for Dementia & Its Behavioral Disturbances?

Unfortunately, many people suffer from a mental condition called dementia. Dementia can be a devastating diagnosis to hear, not only for the patient but for family members as well. Dementia affects over 6 million people in the United States. It is a mental condition that robs a person of who he was and affects memory, cognition and everyday problem solving. It also creates behavioral problems that can be hard for friends and family members to handle.

What Is Dementia?

• Dementia describes a series of events and changes in the brain. Two common types of dementia are Alzheimer's disease and multi-infarct, or vascular, dementia. Brain tissue dies and it cannot be reversed. For these two particular types of dementia, there is no cure. There are behavioral modifications that may improve life for patients with dementia.

Counseling

• Sexual inappropriateness is a common behavioral problem with dementia. The patient may excessivly touch himself, make inappropriate comments, or act in a promiscuous way. Counseling can help some patients to control these behaviors. Counseling can also extend into other areas of dementia, such as problems with yelling or acting out.

Medication

• Underlying mental conditions need to be treated as well as the dementia. Proper care must be given to the type of medications prescribed because certain medications can make dementia worse. Medication can treat depression, excitability, disruptive behavior, and can even decrease libido for inappropriate sexual behavior.

Sensory Intervention

• Sensory intervention teaches patients with dementia how to recognize their own senses and emotions. A dementia patient may not be able to recognize when she is starting to feel excited or agitated and angry. Sensory intervention teaches her how to read her own emotions, know when they are changing, and know that when she starts to feel upset, nervous, or anxious, she can call on her resources.

Evironmental Measures

• A person with dementia functions best in familiar surroundings. Keep her surroundings simple and functional to relieve agitation. Hang a big clock with big numbers on the wall so she can see and read it well. Make sure big name tags are worn in institutions so she can read your name and not be confused about who you are. Keep her area light, bright, and cheery, as well as offering her happy and relaxing activities.

Preventing Relapses

• Preventing a relapse of dementia first starts with constant monitoring. Making sure the patient gets his medication regularly without skipping doses is vital. Counseling sessions and doctor's appointments keep the patient on a schedule and under constant professional care. Monitor any change in his behavior so that you recognize when he needs professional intervention.