What exactly is dementia?

Before understanding the care that a dementia patient requires, let's understand dementia first. Dementia is not a disease but a term. To be more precise, it is an umbrella term that includes diseases related to memory loss, language loss, or loss of a person's thinking ability. Here are the types of diseases that fall under dementia:

• Alzheimer's disease: Alzheimer's disease is progressive. Once it starts, the brain shrinks, and the brain cells gradually die out. This condition leads to a continuous decline in various abilities of the person like memory, thinking, social skills, etc., which affects the ability of the person to function independently.

• Lewy Body Dementia: It is a disease where protein starts to accumulate in the brain abnormally. These deposits are called Lewy Bodies which affect the chemicals in the brain, causing a problem in thinking, mood, behavior, movement, etc.

• Vascular Dementia: It is also a common type of dementia where the blood supply to the brain is not normal. This condition causes problems with mental abilities. However, this disease is seldom present in people below 65 years of age.

• Frontotemporal Dementia: In this type of dementia, frontal and temporal lobes on the brain lose or damages some of its nerve cells. This medical condition can affect an individual in many ways, and the person can have severe effects on their behavior, personality or movement, etc.

These are the most common types of dementia. Apart from these, there are few other types of dementia. Dementia is not a disease but a disorder in the nervous system. Commonly seen in elderly people, early diagnosis of dementia can improve the life quality of the patient. You can try out memory care homes in Rutland VT for expert help. 

How to safely care for a dementia sufferer at home?

People suffering from dementia need care. Early diagnosis improves the quality of life for the patient. But as the diseases progress, the problems start, and the helpless patient sometimes becomes completely dependent on others.

"Is it safe to care for a dementia sufferer at home?" It is the most common question, and the answer is yes. However, safety depends on the measures you take. Caring for dementia patients requires patience, and at times it can be very difficult. People diagnosed with dementia might live at home independently in the early stages, but they require some necessary help with time. 

Caring for dementia patients at home might require some tools, including safety information, resources for family members and caretakers such as home health care management software, and taking careful note of any warning signs. Here are a few ways that can ensure safety for a dementia patient at home:

• Safety precautions: As dementia is seldom present in senior citizens, they often wander off and get disoriented. However, the safety measures need to change as the disease progresses. Install grab bars, open layouts for minimizing the risks. Also, remove hazardous things like electrical cords, etc. Try to create a path with notes around the house.

• Health Care: Ensure that the timely intake of medication and equipment required for all the medical treatment is correctly present. High blood pressure, diabetes, and other conditions can lead to poor life quality in the patient. Maintain blood pressure, diabetes, and other conditions properly. Diet also plays a crucial role in this, encouraging the patient to exercise and maintain overall health and wellbeing. You can try out memory care homes in Somerset KY for professional help.

• Stimulation: Stimulation can help reduce agitation, and this way, you can manage the symptoms of the patient. Patients can benefit from various memory exercises and other productive activities. Also, socialization has proved to be helpful as it keeps the sufferer cheerful and the interaction with people improves the quality of life.

• Ledger: Ledger is a very good memory tool for seniors. This way, people can keep track of their lives because a ledger can trigger a memory. 

• Timeliness: Timeliness is equally important for taking good care of a dementia patient at home. Often the schedule is lost, and medication gets missed. However, to avoid this, a routine and alarms can be helpful.

Dementia is often present in elderly people and it can be treated at home with proper measures and care. To take good care of dementia patients at home, first, recognize the disease and then act accordingly.