Dementia diagnoses have increased exponentially in the recent years. This leaves so many families worrying about their loved one's safety and well-being. One major concern among families affected by dementia is that their loved one will become disoriented or even lost while out and about. Due to this common fear, a Japanese company proposed a novel solution. They invented "GPS shoes" that are able to track the wearer's location. While [...]
We often look to the basics when it comes to dementia. For example, pharmaceuticals, memory facilities, and caregivers. These are all critical pieces to the challenges of managing dementia symptoms. But sometimes it's necessary to think outside the box. What if we fully immersed dementia patients in an interactive experience aimed at sparking memories from their distant past? In a suburb of San Diego, California, this very idea has become [...]
Many chronic or fatal diseases can cause depression. This makes perfect sense. Especially in diseases that affect the brain, like dementia. It's common knowledge that depression can be effectively treated with antidepressant medications. Of course, this is a great option for those affected. However, in the elderly population, more caution is advised when taking medications. Whether or not there is a link between antidepressants and dementia is an open debate. [...]
In the United States alone, 500,000 people will learn they have Alzheimer's disease this year. Not to mention the multitude of other forms of dementia that will be diagnosed. Nobody wants to hear that they or their loved ones have dementia. The continuous and ultimately fatal decline is devastating to go through and to witness. But at the same time, planning for life with dementia can ease the burden. And it [...]
Caring for someone with dementia is never an easy task. Furthermore, finding engaging activities they can successfully participate in can be a challenge. Of course, there are so many articles on caregiving for those with dementia. But knowing how to help them be engaged can be hard. However, art therapy for those with dementia has clear benefits. It is a growing modality in helping those with a variety of illnesses. [...]
When a loved one is living with dementia, it can be a challenge to communicate with them like you used to. This can lead to frustration for everyone involved. Besides memory loss, one of the hallmark symptoms of dementia is trouble expressing thoughts. Word finding issues are very common. Due to these factors, friends and families often have trouble understanding those affected. It is important to fill your communication with [...]
Alzheimer's is a commonly heard of form of dementia. Yet other lesser known forms of dementia are out there. And they are tearing apart millions of lives. Frontotemporal dementia is one of these devastating forms of dementia. Mental illness is a common misdiagnosis when it comes to Frontotemporal dementia. Consequently, this leads to the average time to diagnosis being about three years. It mainly affects people under 60 and is [...]
Most people have an idea of what dementia is. Due to the 50 million people in the world affected by it, dementia is a well-known disease. People may know dementia has to do with memory loss. It is a symptom of many diseases, most commonly Alzheimer's disease. Yet despite the massive impact that dementia has on individuals, families and society, there are still many misconceptions about it. The misconceptions and [...]
When you think of dementia, what comes to mind? A lot of people tend to think of memory loss, but it is so much more than that. A common affliction affecting dementia patients is called sundown syndrome. It can also be called sundowners or sundowning. Whatever term you use, it is a serious yet common problem for dementia patients and their caregivers. As you can probably guess, this occurs in [...]
Often times, when a person has dementia we focus on the abilities that have been lost. This is so easy to do as we see our loved one decline, sometimes rapidly. It is heartbreaking and scary to watch. However, any activity that you can engage a person with dementia in will greatly improve their quality of life. While it may not slow down the progression of the disease, they will [...]
