Therapy
Dementia vs. Alzheimer’s – what is the therapy? Dementia can nowadays be treated with drugs. The drugs used are also known as antidementia drugs.
They increase certain signal substances in the brain, which are typically decreased in dementia patients. However, the effectiveness of the drugs is controversial. Some patients seem to benefit from them, while others do not benefit at all.
Non-drug therapy seems to be far more important. This aims to maintain and promote the cognitive abilities of patients. Memory training, music therapy, animal-supported therapy and exercise therapy adapted to the patient’s physical functional level can help stabilise the patient and improve his or her mental abilities.
Many patients particularly enjoy dealing with things they still remember, such as music from their youth, looking at old photos or telling stories from their own lives. Overall, there are many opportunities to work with people with dementia. Although the disease cannot be cured, its course and progression can be slowed down.
Forecast
Dementia is not yet curable today. However, its course can be delayed by appropriate therapeutic measures. Alzheimer’s dementia is characterised by the progressive degradation of brain matter, which is why the patients concerned die on average about ten years after diagnosis. However, the clinical picture of dementia can vary greatly from patient to patient depending on its form and severity, so that no generally valid prognosis can be given.
Prophylaxis
Not every form of dementia can be completely prevented before it develops. However, it has been shown that lifelong very active people, who have also done a lot of memory training, are less likely to develop dementia in old age. Physical activity is very important in this context.
Regular physical exercise of 3x 30 minutes per week reduces the risk of developing dementia by about 30%. To keep mentally fit, reading, writing, arithmetic, doing crossword puzzles, playing a musical instrument or playing board games are a good way to keep fit. A healthy diet also helps to maintain optimal memory function.
Existing health risk factors, such as high blood pressure, should definitely be medically adjusted. This counteracts the development of dementia.