There is currently no "cure" for dementia. In fact, because dementia is caused by different diseases it is unlikely that there will be a single cure for dementia.
Similarly, dementia can be reversed if caught early enough and by attending to all the factors that affect brain function – including diet, exercise, stress, nutritional deficiencies, toxins, hormonal imbalances, and inflammation.
Dementia is often called a 'life limiting' condition although people have been known to live with it for as long as 26 years after they first start showing symptoms. Generally speaking, the life expectancy of a person with dementia depends on the type of dementia they are diagnosed with, their age, and their health.
Alzheimer's currently has no cure and no survivors.
Many people affected by dementia are concerned that they may inherit or pass on dementia. The majority of dementia is not inherited by children and grandchildren. In rarer types of dementia there may be a strong genetic link, but these are only a tiny proportion of overall cases of dementia.
Conflicting theories about the cause.
The human brain is extremely complex, and Alzheimer's disease is one of the most complex diseases of the brain. Clinical trials based on theories involving beta-amyloid and tau proteins have so far failed.
People often live for years with dementia. While it can be difficult to think of these diseases as terminal, they do eventually lead to death. Caregivers often experience special challenges surrounding the end of life of someone with dementia in part because the disease progression is so unpredictable.
Dementia reduces life expectancy in two ways. First, some of the diseases that are closely linked to Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia, such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease can mean a lower life expectancy. For example, vascular dementia is closely linked to heart disease and stroke.
The symptoms of Alzheimer's disease worsen over time, although the rate at which the disease progresses varies. On average, a person with Alzheimer's lives four to eight years after diagnosis, but can live as long as 20 years, depending on other factors.
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.
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.
Don't correct, contradict, blame or insist. Reminders are rarely kind. They tell a person how disabled they are – over and over again. People living with dementia say and do normal things for someone with memory impairment.
They may be aware of their symptoms in the early stages of dementia. However, a person may lose this awareness by the late stages of dementia. The term dementia refers to a range of conditions that involve a deterioration in someone's ability to process thoughts.
Stage 6: Severe Mental Decline/Moderately Severe Dementia Quality of life: Severe impact. Your loved one will not remember much or any of the past and may not recognize you and other family and friends.
In the late stages of Alzheimer's, individuals lose their ability to communicate and respond to the environment. The brain damage leads to the failure of body systems including the lungs, heart and digestion. Towards the end, people often need around-the-clock care to stay comfortable.
This can be exhausting and often leaves the person feeling like they haven't slept at all, so they are very tired and sleepy during the day. It can be hard to stay awake during the day after a poor night's sleep but, if possible, it's best to try to limit sleep during the day to small bursts or 'catnaps'.
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.
Treatment of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias is typically most effective when started early in the disease process. This includes medications as well as some alternative therapies. Learn more about how to treat dementia.
On June 30 Australia's Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) started work to consider approving lecanemab in Australia. This drug has shown similar results to donanemab in patients with early Alzheimer's but also comes with risks of brain swelling and bleeding in a small subset of patients.
People with dementia often rely on their routines as a source of comfort. A daily routine helps a person know what to expect. This means that a sudden disruption in routine may cause dementia symptoms to get worse. This is especially true if a person experiences stress.
Some of the more common triggers for dementia like a change in environment, having personal space invaded, or being emotionally overwhelmed may be easier to handle if you mentally practice your response before you react.
According to Visiting Angels, “Confusion is one of the leading causes of anger and aggression in Alzheimer's and dementia sufferers. Confusion can be triggered by lost trains of thought, mixed up memories, or a sudden change in the environment, such as a change from one caregiver to another.”
Patient assessment tools:
The GPCOG is a screening tool for cognitive impairment designed for use in primary care and is available in multiple languages. Mini-Cog - The Mini-Cog is a 3-minute test consisting of a recall test for memory and a scored clock-drawing test.