Dementia is a loss of brain function that occurs with certain diseases. It affects memory, thinking, language, judgment, and behavior.
Many different diseases can cause dementia, including Alzheimer's disease and stroke. Drugs are available to treat some of these diseases. While these drugs cannot cure dementia or repair brain damage, they may improve symptoms or slow down the disease.
Dementia symptoms include difficulty with many areas of mental function, including:
- Language
- Memory
- Perception
- Emotional behavior or personality
- Cognitive skills (such as calculation, abstract thinking, or judgment)
The family has a very important role in the treatment of elderly patients with dementia who live at home. Living together with people with dementia is not easy, but it needs special preparation both mentally and environment. In the early stages of dementia patients can be actively involved in the process of self-care. Make note of daily activities and take medication regularly. This is very helpful in reducing the rate of cognitive decline will be experienced by people with dementia.
The family does not mean having to help all the daily needs of Elderly, so the elderly tend to be quiet and rely on the environment. All family members are also expected to actively help the elderly, in order to optimally perform daily activities independently safely. Perform daily activities on a regular basis as the general elderly without dementia may reduce depression in elderly people with dementia.
Caring for patients with dementia is full of dilemmas, although every day for almost 24 hours we take care of them, they probably will never know and remember who we are, not even a thank you after what we did to them. Patience is a requirement in the care of family members with dementia.
Instill in the hearts, that people with dementia do not know what happened to him. And they are trying so hard to fight the symptoms of dementia.
Reinforcing fellow members of the family and always take the time to self-relax and socialize with other friends to avoid the stress that can be experienced by family members caring for elderly with dementia.