Some individuals in the early stage of Alzheimer's who remain independent may be able to travel alone, but planning ahead is necessary. Consider the following: When booking flights, inquire if the airline offers a “meet-and-greet” service to escort passengers through security and to their gate terminal.
Careful planning, such as seating arrangement, noise reduction, activities, and adjusting sleep schedules before a flight may be necessary. Dementia should not prevent adults from enjoying travel and visiting family and friends.
Conclusion. Our research indicates that people with dementia can and do travel by air, including internationally. When we asked people with dementia and their companions what advice they would give to others who might be planning a trip they said: "Ask for help if you need it" and "Do it and enjoy it!"
I'm going to discuss five of the most basic ones here: 1) Don't tell them they are wrong about something, 2) Don't argue with them, 3) Don't ask if they remember something, 4) Don't remind them that their spouse, parent or other loved one is dead, and 5) Don't bring up topics that may upset them.
other long-term health problems – dementia tends to progress more quickly if the person is living with other conditions, such as heart disease, diabetes or high blood pressure, particularly if these are not well-managed.
Is Alzheimer's passed on by mother or father? Alzheimer's is not passed on by the mother more than the father, or vice versa. A mother or father may pass on an “Alzheimer's gene” or mutation that increases your risk. Even if both your parents pass on a risk gene, your Alzheimer's risk is higher, but not certain.
Someone with Alzheimer's disease may start rummaging or searching through cabinets, drawers, closets, the refrigerator, and other places where things are stored. He or she also may hide items around the house. This behavior can be annoying or even dangerous for the caregiver or family members.
They may struggle to find words or forget what they want to say. You may feel impatient and wish they could just say what they want, but they can't. The person with Alzheimer's may have problems with: Finding the right word or losing his or her train of thought when speaking.
In the case of a pneumocephalus patient embarking on air travel, the expansion of ICA in response to the smaller cabin pressure will lead to a decrease in the volume of the brain, the CSF and blood, which subsequently raises the ICP.
As Alzheimer's worsens, people experience greater memory loss and other cognitive difficulties. Problems can include wandering and getting lost, trouble handling money and paying bills, repeating questions, taking longer to complete normal daily tasks, and personality and behavior changes.
Important: A person with dementia should never travel alone. There are too many decisions to make, complex directions to follow, and strangers to interact with. They aren't likely to make it safely to their destination. A trusted caregiver is needed to accompany them every step of the way.
In general, once a patient enters the moderate phase of dementia (the phase in which they require some help with their basic activities of daily living like dressing, bathing and grooming), it is unsafe to leave them alone for even short periods of time.
In the later stages, memory loss becomes far more severe. A person may not recognize family members, may forget relationships, call family members by other names, or become confused about the location of home or the passage of time. He or she may forget the purpose of common items, such as a pen or a fork.
"Frequent visits and social interactions, exercise, music, dance, jokes, and serving patients their favorite foods are all simple things that can have a lasting emotional impact on a patient's quality of life and subjective well-being."
The longest stage of Alzheimer's disease is the middle stage, also known as moderate Alzheimer's disease. This stage can last for several years, and it is characterized by a decline in cognitive function, memory loss, and changes in behavior and personality.
Administration: The examiner reads a list of 5 words at a rate of one per second, giving the following instructions: “This is a memory test. I am going to read a list of words that you will have to remember now and later on. Listen carefully. When I am through, tell me as many words as you can remember.
Studies of family history say that if you have a close relative who has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease—the most common form of dementia in older adults—your risk increases by about 30%. This is a relative risk increase, meaning a 30% hike in your existing risk.
Family history
Those who have a parent, brother or sister with Alzheimer's are more likely to develop the disease. The risk increases if more than one family member has the illness. When diseases tend to run in families, either heredity (genetics), environmental factors, or both, may play a role.
The Mini-Cog test.
A third test, known as the Mini-Cog, takes 2 to 4 minutes to administer and involves asking patients to recall three words after drawing a picture of a clock. If a patient shows no difficulties recalling the words, it is inferred that he or she does not have dementia.
The average life expectancy figures for the most common types of dementia are as follows: Alzheimer's disease – around eight to 10 years. Life expectancy is less if the person is diagnosed in their 80s or 90s. A few people with Alzheimer's live for longer, sometimes for 15 or even 20 years.
Alzheimer's disease is thought to be caused by the abnormal build-up of proteins in and around brain cells. One of the proteins involved is called amyloid, deposits of which form plaques around brain cells. The other protein is called tau, deposits of which form tangles within brain cells.