Walking Beside You: Heartfelt Approach to Dementia Care

Dementia encompasses various types, each with distinct characteristics and underlying causes.

Dementia is broadly classified into the following different types:

• Alzheimers Disease: The most prevalent form, characterized by memory loss and cognitive decline.
• Vascular Dementia: Caused by reduced blood flow to the brain, leading to impairments in thinking and reasoning.
• Lewy Body Dementia: Involves the accumulation of abnormal protein deposits in the brain, resulting in cognitive fluctuations, visual hallucinations, and motor issues.
• Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD): Affecting the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain, causing changes in behaviour;personality, and language difficulties.
• Mixed Dementia: A combination of two or more types, often Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia.
• Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD): A rare, rapidly progressive dementia caused by prion protein abnormalities.
• Parkinson’s Disease Dementia: Develops in individuals with Parkinson’s disease, leading to cognitive decline over time.
• Huntington’s Disease: A genetic disorder causing progressive cognitive, motor, and psychiatric symptoms.

Understanding the specific type of dementia is crucial for appropriate diagnosis and management, as each type may present unique challenges and require tailored care approaches

Dementia symptoms vary among patients and progress with the disease. Symptoms include:

• Memory problems and forgetfulness
• Poor judgment and confusion
• Difficulty understanding and expressing thoughts
• Reading/writing challenges
• Repetitive speech or actions
• Slower completion of daily tasks• Hallucinations and delusions
• Impulsive or paranoid behaviour

Dementia results from Brain abnormalities caused by neuron damage or disrupted signals. Its impact varies based on the affected brain area. Factors contributing to dementia include:

• Brain injury
• Advancing age
• Family history of dementia
• Down syndrome
• Cardiovascular risk factors
• Sleep apnea
• Nutritional deficiencies
• Alcohol and drug abuse
• Unhealthy diet and sedentary lifestyle

Diagnosing dementia is complex, and no single test is definitive. Doctors employ various assessments, including:

• Cognitive and neurophysiological tests to evaluate memory, reasoning, language, attention, and more.
• Brain imaging scans (CT, MRI, PET) to detect brain abnormalities.
• Laboratory tests to check for deficiencies or underlying conditions.
• Cerebrospinal fluid tests for abnormal substances linked to dementia.
• Psychiatric evaluation to assess mental health and related symptoms.

At IBS Hospital, we understand that there is currently no cure for dementia. Our treatment approach focuses on slowing down its progression and enhancing mental functions. Our common treatment modalities include:

• Medications like Cholinesterase inhibitors and Memantine to improve memory, judgement, learning, and memory retention. We also address symptoms like depression, hallucinations, and sleep issues.
• Comprehensive therapeutic programs, including occupational therapies, behavioural management, environmental modification, and task simplification, tailored to individual patient needs.