Tips on Staying Active & Complementary Therapies for people with Dementia

Submitted by Aishwarya Solanki on 15 March 2017

There are a lot of things you can do especially in the early to middle stages to manage and delay the progression of dementia. Read on to find out more:

Staying Active

Finding activities that the person with AD can do and is interested in can be a challenge.
Building on current skills generally works better than trying to teach something new.
Don't expect too much. Simple activities are best, especially when they use current abilities.
Help the person get started on an activity. Break the activity down into small steps and praise the person for each step he/she completes.
Watch for signs of agitation or frustration with an activity. Gently help or distract the person.
Incorporate activities the person seems to enjoy into your daily routine and try to do them at a similar time each day.

Exercise

Incorporating exercise into the daily routine can benefit both the patient and the caregiver. Not only can it improve health and help the person sleep better, but it can also provide a meaningful activity for both of you to share.
Think about what kind of physical activities you both enjoy.
Be realistic in your expectations. Build slowly.
Be aware of any discomfort or signs of overexertion. Talk to the doctor if this happens.
Allow as much independence as possible, even if it means a less-than-perfect task
See what kinds of exercise programs are available in your area.

Complementary Therapies

Music- Music has found to be very effective in helping to reduce problem behaviors, such as agitation and aggression (especially during mealtimes and bathing). However, it's important to note that the music should be something that the person with dementia prefers, not necessarily what the caregiver thinks would be nice to listen to. Playing your loved one's favourite types of music is typically the most effective form of dementia therapy.
Pet therapy - Having a pet can have many benefits. They are not only a form of companionship but having a pet also helps in lowering blood pressure and heart rate, reducing the stress hormone cortisol, boosting levels of the feel-good hormone, serotonin, and helps with feelings of agitation, depression, and anxiety.

Stay tuned next week for Tips on Kinds of problems faced, Safety, & Visiting the doctor !

Community

Alzheimer's and Dementia

Parkinsons Disease and Movement Disorder PDMDS

Condition

Dementia

Parkinson Disease

Changed

Thu, 03/16/2017 - 19:49

Stories

Daily Exercise and Yoga Help Me Control The Difficulties of Parkinson’s Disease

Raju PK,60 from Ernakulam, Kerala deals with Parkinson’s Disease in his own way, sticking to proper medication and exercises. He shares his hacks and tips to facilitate movement in the house. Please tell us a bit about your condition. I am suffering from Parkinson’s disease. I was diagnosed in the year 2009. What were the early symptoms? Sometimes while walking, my left hand remained static, and sometimes while operating the laptop, my fingers would shiver. Is there a history of Parkinson’s…
Teach the Brain New Activities to Delay the Onset of Dementia

Brain exercises are among the most effective non-medical approaches to delay the onset of dementia and can be enjoyable for the patient and more likely to be complied, emphasises Sabah Thaver, senior physical therapist (neurorehabilitation) at Nanavati Hospital. Mark Twain once famously said, “Out of all the things I have lost, I miss my mind the most.” This line at first sounds humorous, but it turns out to be the bitter truth of the lives of those living with conditions like Dementia. People…
Fronto-temporal Dementia is one of the most challenging types of dementia

All dementia is not about memory loss. Neha Sinha, a clinical psychologist by training and dementia specialist, discusses the symptoms as well as ways of handling Fronto-temporal Dementia (FTD), a lesser known form of dementia. Fronto-temporal dementia (FTD) is one of the lesser-known types of dementia and equally or more challenging to handle than the others. It accounts for about 5-10% of cases of dementia (Source: ARDSI Dementia India report 2010) Named after the famous physician Arnold Pick…
Dance - The New Complementary Therapy Option for Parkinson’s

Dance and Movement Therapy can effectively complement traditional exercise to improve motor, psychological, cognitive and social abilities of people with Parkinson’s. Tejali Kunte, Clinical Psychologist, Dance and Movement therapist at Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorder Society (PDMDS) delves into its numerous advantages. Tejali, you are a dance and movement therapist and a clinical psychologist. Could you tell us a little bit about your work? Yes, I am a dance performer, clinical…
A Blessing to have the Strength to face Caregiving Challenges

Mala Sen had caregiving thrust upon her when her nonagenarian mother-in-law with full blown Alzheimer’s appeared in her life. She faced the challenges head on and says that she has emerged a stronger person in the process. A personal account: A caregiver, all of a sudden I became a care giver by default.... My husband's mother was developing Alzheimer’s which none of her 3 children were aware of .. A simple reason ..We have an insensitive approach to aging! When she would repeat anything…
Digital Story Telling Creates Moments of Happiness for People with Dementia

Elly Park, Assistant Clinical Lecturer in Occupational Therapy, University of Alberta talks about the findings from a multi-site study into dementia and use of digital storytelling with memories I was sitting on the sofa across from Christine in her home. She offered me a cup of coffee. Each time I visited, she sat in the same spot — the place where she felt most comfortable and safe. She had shared stories from the past and decided to talk about the birth of her daughters, grandchildren…
‘I feel my life has come to an end’

Debabrata Roy, 49 is affected with early Parkinson’s disease which has turned his life and world upside down. He talks about the inevitability of the progression of this dreaded ailment. When were you diagnosed? Two years back, I was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease. About six or seven years back when I had a gall bladder operation, I noticed the symptoms back then, but nobody really took it seriously. Now it has become pronounced. What were the early symptoms of Parkinson's Disease?…
The Importance of Early Diagnosis in Dementia

Saadiya Hurzuk is a Centre Manager and Clinical Psychologist at ARDSI Hyderabad. She shares her views on why it is important to have an early diagnosis in dementia treatment. Over a period of time dementia has become one of the frightening epidemics in the global health scenario. With social stigma attached to the disorder, it is kept hidden. People find it difficult to accept and understand the problems they are facing with memory and cognition that is affecting them daily. Most of the time…
Will I become like my mother?

Vimal Balachander talks about the difficult days of caring for her mother-in-law during the latter’s steady decline with Alzheimer’s Disease. ‘Will I become like my mother?’ my mother-in-law asked me five years ago, in a shaking voice, ‘I don’t want that, I know what that is, sitting in a corner quietly’. This was in 2012. My mother-in-law, then 74, hither-to-independent business woman, had recently moved into our apartment, just fifty feet away from her beautiful seaside house. Savithri…
Importance of Emotional Memory and Associations in Dementia

Neha Sinha, a clinical psychologist by profession talks about how emotional connect is very important for people with dementia. Even if they have loss of actual memory, they remain receptive to emotions as well as to the body language of people around them. Each individual is unique and so are his or her experiences, memories and feelings. There is a general apathy towards dementia especially when it comes to remembering the person they are, the rich history they hold. People with dementia…