Those who watched the most television daily — more than four hours — were 24% more likely to develop dementia. Those who used computers interactively (not passively streaming) more than one hour daily as a leisure activity were 15% less likely to develop dementia.
It's easy for people with dementia to get confused about what is reality and what is a fictional program. Watching something upbeat can help improve the mood of someone with dementia, and also avoid confusion and stress.
Over time, the disease causing the dementia spreads to other parts of the brain. This leads to more symptoms because more of the brain is unable to work properly. At the same time, already-damaged areas of the brain become even more affected, causing symptoms the person already has to get worse.
Excessive screen time is known to alter gray matter and white volumes in the brain, increase the risk of mental disorders, and impair acquisition of memories and learning which are known risk factors for dementia.
“Researchers have found that moderate to high television viewing during midlife is associated with increased memory loss and decreased fine motor skills,” explains Manisha Parulekar, M.D., director, division of Geriatrics, and co-director, Center for Memory Loss and Brain Health at Hackensack University Medical Center.
In terms of brain activity, television is a mixed bag, and will probably never help achieve a zen-like meditative state. Relaxation comes when your brainwave patterns shift, from the beta waves that focus on a project or task to the meandering alpha waves that casually move all our new experiences into memory.
Too much screen time can lead to obesity, sleep problems, chronic neck and back problems, depression, anxiety and lower test scores in children. Children should limit screen time to 1 to 2 hours per day.
Also, many people with dementia can mistake TV shows for reality. This can bring about fear and misconception. Turning the TV off at this time would be ideal. Therapeutic reasoning™ may also be needed to return them to ease.
Clocks for Dementia
People faced with Alzheimer's, memory loss and Dementia need structure, routine and focus. They lose the ability to recognize what time it is and whether its day or night. Placing large numbered clocks throughout the house or even in their room will enable them to see the time clearly.
A new study of sedentary behavior finds that doing mentally passive activities such as watching TV increases the likelihood of developing dementia while using a computer lowers them.
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.
According to the Alzheimer's Research and Prevention Foundation, regular physical exercise can reduce your risk of developing Alzheimer's disease by up to 50 percent. What's more, exercise can also slow further deterioration in those who have already started to develop cognitive problems.
For seniors diagnosed with Alzheimer's, living at home is often ideal because it provides them with benefits, like: Comfortability with their surroundings. Higher level of trust in caregivers.
Receiving a life-changing dementia diagnosis doesn't strip a person of their humanity or personhood. People with dementia think about the same things that any human thinks about — emotions, relationships, daily life, tasks to accomplish, and more.
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.
Avoid asking too many open-ended questions about the past, as it could be stressful for a person with dementia if they can't remember the answer. While it might seem polite to ask somebody about their day, it's better to focus on what's happening in the present.
Providing the person doesn't appear to be uncomfortable or distressed, then sleeping more during the day isn't normally a reason to be worried. However, if a person is lying down in bed and asleep for most of the time they will need to be looked after to make sure they don't develop any physical health problems.
If your loved one is in memory care, it is important to continue visiting them and spending time together. There is no set amount of times you should or should not go to see them. Instead, focus on the quality of the visit.
In the earlier stages, memory loss and confusion may be mild. The person with dementia may be aware of — and frustrated by — the changes taking place, such as difficulty recalling recent events, making decisions or processing what was said by others.
The middle stage of Alzheimer's disease is also called "moderate Alzheimer's disease." In this stage, thinking and memory continue to deteriorate but many people will still be somewhat aware of their condition.
Hallucinations are caused by changes in the brain which, if they occur at all, usually happen in the middle or later stages of the dementia journey. Hallucinations are more common in dementia with Lewy bodies and Parkinson's dementia but they can also occur in Alzheimer's and other types of dementia.
Watching T.V. continuously for a long time is extremely harmful for the eyes.
Another obvious yet often unrecognized reason why you'd better stop watching TV is that it's having a negative impact on your health. Indeed, over the last years research has shown that watching TV for even just a couple of hours every day can significantly increase the chances of obesity, heart disease, and diabetes.