Helping the Elderly with Cognitive Impairment

Dementia is a syndrome associated with the decline of brain functioning.

There are several causes of dementia, and also many different types.

Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia are two types that make up a majority of cases.

The symptoms of dementia include problems with:

Memory lossJudgementMental sharpness

The days of the elderly with cognitive impairment or dementia are filled with sadness, depression and anxiety.

A doctor at an urgent family clinic Pentagon says people with dementia lose interest in their routine activities and have problems managing their behaviors and emotions. “They also find it difficult to socialize and maintain relationships”.

There is no cure for dementia. A good bet is an early diagnosis that can slow down the condition in certain cases. A diagnosis will help people suffering from dementia get the right kind of treatment and support.

As luck would have it, there are effective therapies for seniors with cognitive disabilities to help them cope with life and find solace.

One of the treatments that is gaining ground is Problem Adaption Therapy, also known as PATH. It is a home delivered treatment for the elderly with mild cognitive impairment to moderate dementia.

How is it delivered?

It is a personalized approach that trains patients how to confront their everyday activities that lead to feelings of melancholy and hopelessness.

The key objective of PATH is to reduce negative emotions and enhance positive sentiments. The therapist and the patient mutually formulate a plan. 

The plan essentially includes strategies that circumvent situations that lead to negativity and feelings of sadness, remorse, helplessness and despair.

In a mutually agreed way they focus on ways to elicit positive feelings, such as listing activities that are evocative and bring pleasure.

The activities can be embroidery, painting, or visiting a place of worship.

The caregiver is encouraged to participate in this therapy so that the elderly and dementia patients will be able to apply what they have learnt from these activities.

The crux of the solution is to help those with cognitive impairment perform their everyday tasks.

In the early stages, people with dementia are able to enjoy life in the same manner as before the diagnosis.

But as symptoms deteriorate, the person feels uneasy, tense and terrified at not being able to remember things, follow chats and focus properly.

In a nutshell, a few simple ways to improve older persons with dementia are:

Connect with the person and try to know their background. If you are able to find the person’s history, you will have something to relate to.Make the environment dementia-friendly. People with cognitive impairment view and interpret what they see in their own way.Have patience. The elderly/people with dementia are easily confused, disconcerted or excited. Listen to them a lot by giving them plenty of time to speak.Help them with minor illnesses. You can take them to quick family urgent care in Arlington for relief from symptoms.Help them to recall. Short-term memory loss is a classic symptom of dementia. But they do not tend to forget long-term memory.

Care for the elderly must be an essential part of our society’s initiative.