The Professional Geriatric Care Manager’s Blog

The Dreaded Diagnosis

If you or your loved one is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease, you are not alone. There are currently over 5 million people diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease and a new diagnosis is made every 72 seconds. It is a progressive disease that affects the nerve cells in the brain and can result in loss of memory, loss of ability to think and speak clearly, loss of ability to perform activities of daily living and changes in behavior.

The disease progresses at different rates and continues for the remainder of a person’s life. Although there is no cure for Alzheimer’s Disease, there are some treatment options available that can slow the progression of symptoms. Early diagnosis and treatment may help to increase the person’s chance for longer term independence. Once you have the diagnosis you can start doing all the things possible to make a difference. Early diagnosis and treatment can make a difference because, despite the fact that there is no cure, there are prescription medications that can help slow the progression of symptoms, improve the ability to perform everyday task and to maintain independence for as long as possible.

Alzheimer’s Disease drug therapy is working if there is an improvement in symptoms, if symptoms do not change, or if the symptoms of the disease worsen more slowly. There are currently four medications available for the treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease. They include Aricept, Exelon, Razadyne and Namenda. You should talk to your doctor to see what treatment is best for you or your loved one.

The Care Managers at Distinctive Care always include non-medical interventions to their Client’s care plans. These include:

Making dietary changes to include lots of rich, dark vegetables, and fruits, which may help protect brain cells. Ensuring adequate nutrition is also important. You can encourage your loved one to eat well by offering healthy snacks, reminding him/her to eat full meals and providing finger foods for those who have difficulty sitting still through a meal.

Staying physically active is important because the more active your loved one stays, the better his/her health may be, with maintenance of strength, balance, flexibility, and endurance.

Remaining socially involved can help reduce stress which may help to maintain healthy connections between brain cells.

And mentally stimulating activities such as reading or working on puzzles may help to strengthen brain cells.