Because dementia involves brain damage, researchers note that treating individuals with dementia symptoms will not reverse their condition. This is because the brain damage that occurs is permanent. There is no way to reverse damage to brain cells.
There is currently no cure for most types of dementia – including the dementia caused by Alzheimer's disease. These types of dementia are what we call “neurodegenerative.” The progression of these dementias cannot be reversed right now; symptoms gradually get worse.
But one small study has estimated about 10% of dementia patients will experience this sudden improvement before death . Among those who do, the majority die within a week of doing so, and about half of them within the same day.
A number of case reports refer to an unexpected return of mental clarity in individuals with longstanding dementia or other neuropsychiatric conditions. It's been called “paradoxical lucidity” due to its puzzling nature, or “terminal lucidity” because it seems to occur at the end of life.
Introduction: The five-word test (5WT) is a serial verbal memory test with semantic cuing. It is proposed to rapidly evaluate memory of aging people and has previously shown its sensitivity and its specificity in identifying patients with AD.
Rapidly progressive dementias (RPDs) are dementias that progress quickly, typically over the course of weeks to months, but sometimes up to two to three years. RPDs are rare and often difficult to diagnose.
People with dementia begin to feel lost, confused, and insecure. Attention-seeking behavior displayed by needy elderly people with dementia is their way of asking for help.
Reality TV shows are also easy to follow for seniors with Alzheimer's or dementia. Shows such as American Idol, Dancing With the Stars and American Pickers don't have a running plot, making them easy forms of entertainment for everyone. Ambient videos may also interest patients with Alzheimer's.
Verbal aggression/threats (54%) and physical aggression/agitation (42%) constitute the 2 most frequent behavioral disturbances reported in patients with Alzheimer's disease and related disorders.
Middle-stage Alzheimer's is typically the longest stage and can last for many years. As the disease progresses, the person with Alzheimer's will require a greater level of care.
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.
Average duration is 2 years. Moderate Dementia – More profound memory loss, only retaining highly learned material. Average duration is just under 2 years to 4 years. Severe Dementia – Severe memory loss.
Symptoms of vascular dementia can begin gradually or can occur suddenly, and then progress over time, with possible short periods of improvement. Vascular dementia can occur alone or be a part of a different diagnosis such as Alzheimer's disease or other forms of dementia.
Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease causes a type of dementia that gets worse unusually fast. More common causes of dementia, such as Alzheimer's, dementia with Lewy bodies and frontotemporal dementia, typically progress more slowly.
“Dementia is irreversible when caused by degenerative disease or trauma, but might be reversible in some cases when caused by drugs, alcohol, hormone or vitamin imbalances, or depression,” explains The Cleveland Clinic. “The frequency of 'treatable' causes of dementia is believed to be about 20 percent.”
Comfort the person with verbal and physical reassurance. Distraction or redirection might also help. Giving your loved one a job such as folding laundry might help to make her feel needed and useful. People with dementia may become uncooperative and resistant to daily activities such as bathing, dressing, and eating.
Often when a person with dementia asks to go home it refers to the sense of home rather than home itself. 'Home' may represent memories of a time or place that was comfortable and secure and where they felt relaxed and happier. It could also be an indefinable place that may not physically exist.
Ice cream has the power to immediately elicit soothing feelings at the very first taste of a single spoon-full. It erases all the negative feel- ings related to the frustration and continues to stimulate pleasure receptors in the brain with every new scoop. And dementia (here is the best part!)
Each dementia patient's symptoms and their onset vary, but shadowing usually occurs in the middle stages of Alzheimer's before mobility is seriously limited. Older adults who are prone to shadowing may follow their caregivers around constantly, which can be distressing for both parties.
Dementia patients are known to engage in many unusual and often “annoying” behaviors. Family members and caregivers question if these behaviors are intentional, often try to correct or stop these mannerisms, and find that their attempts usually fall flat.
Stage 6. In stage 6 of dementia, a person may start forgetting the names of close loved ones and have little memory of recent events. Communication is severely disabled and delusions, compulsions, anxiety, and agitation may occur.
Dementia occurs in stages, with the later stages lasting for around 1–2 years.
Home care is often recommended by experts through end of life. However, every family and situation is different, so permanent home care may not always be possible. Research shows keeping a loved one with dementia at home helps them be happier and live longer; however, it is most impactful when introduced early.