Dementia is a general name given to all diseases caused by the deterioration of mental abilities. The popular name is dementia. Alzheimer's is a type of dementia. But not all dementias are Alzheimer's. Alzheimer's is one of the important diseases that starts with forgetfulness, behavioral disorder and confusion and causes dementia in the later stages. Alzheimer's patients may find it difficult to do complex tasks at first and then simple tasks. Behavioral and personality changes may occur in the patient. Dementia usually occurs in people over the age of 50 and often progresses slowly. It is characterized by the inadequacy of the brain in knowledge, behavior and sustaining daily life. The most important symptom of dementia is forgetfulness. Inadequacies in language, skills and orientation, personality changes and loss of independence are other symptoms. Some of the diseases that cause dementia are permanent and progressive. Some can improve with treatment. Depending on the needs of the patient, the care process also varies. What is Dementia? What is Alzheimer's? How Should Dementia and Alzheimer's Patients Be Careed? Is Treatment Possible for Dementia and Alzheimer's?
Dementia is diagnosed on the basis of symptoms whose background is not fully known. In Alzheimer's disease, the situation is somewhat different. The reasons behind the symptoms can be fully known. Also, Alzheimer's cannot be reversed or completely cured. The development of the disease can only be slowed down. However, some types of dementia can be cured. These are the biggest differences between Alzheimer's and dementia.
What is Dementia?
“Dementia”, which occurs mostly with the weakening of brain functions at advanced ages, refers to the failure of the activity of the brain in the areas of knowledge, skills, experience, behavior and maintaining daily life. Forgetting a piece of information alone does not indicate the presence of dementia. The points to be considered in making the diagnosis are that the person cannot perform activities such as speaking, writing and dressing together with memory loss.
It is wrong to describe dementia as just memory loss. The inability of the person to fulfill the functions in his daily life is the biggest feature of dementia. This disease refers to the inability to meet daily needs such as dressing, eating, drinking, speaking and reading. The person cannot find addresses, cannot speak, begins to withdraw and dream. These are among the important symptoms of dementia.
What is Alzheimer's?
Alzheimer's disease is considered one of the most common causes of dementia. It occurs as a result of the accumulation of certain proteins inside and outside of neurons. The disease, which initially appears with simple forgetfulness, progresses over time and may progress until the patient forgets the events in the recent past and does not even recognize his family members. About 60% of all forms of dementia are caused by Alzheimer's.
Experiencing mild forgetfulness in older people does not indicate the onset of Alzheimer's. Every person has a decrease in mental functions in advancing age. For this reason, a normal level of forgetfulness is not considered the beginning of Alzheimer's disease. However, it is not possible to say that these people will not get this disease in the future.
Is Treatment Possible for Dementia and Alzheimer's?
After the causes of dementia are examined by experts, a prescription can be prepared for the necessary treatment. However, the inability to eliminate some causes leaves dementia unsolved. If there is a disease caused by the thyroid glands or a disease caused by fluid accumulation in the brain, intervention can be made. In Alzheimer's-induced dementia, however, the disease can only be slowed down. It is not possible to stop or reverse cell death in the brain, but it can be slowed down.
The damage caused by stress and depression due to the negative conditions of daily life can cause brain chemistry to deteriorate. In this case, the forgetfulness is temporary. Some people confuse forgetfulness or inattention caused by depression or stress with dementia and Alzheimer's. However, the reason for these situations is different.
How Should Dementia and Alzheimer's Patients Be Careed?
Most of the patients can be cared for at home in all phases of the disease, including the beginning, intermediate and advanced stages. In our country, nearly 90% of Alzheimer's patients are cared for at home. Positive changes are seen in the behavior of patients who are cared for at home and are in contact with their families. If the patient's behavior is uncontrollable, there is a high risk of harming himself and his environment, or if he has different diseases with Alzheimer's and these diseases do not allow the patient to be cared for at home, it would be more appropriate to treat the patient in a clinical setting.
If the patient is conscious and not bedridden, necessary personal cleaning can be done normally in the bathroom. If the patient is at risk of losing his balance, handles can be made on the bathroom walls. If the patient is unable to stand, waterproof wheelchairs that can be used in the bathroom can be used. If bedridden, oral care kit, under-patient cleaning robot, patient diaper, patient panties, hygienic bath fiber, wet wipes, patient washing kit, patient washing sheet, patient lift, hair washing kit, perineal cleaning wipe, body powder The patient's needs can be met and self-care can be done with medical products such as body cleaning wipes, slider-duck, wound care cream, wound care solution and bed cover (laying cloth). Both new and second-hand medical devices and medical equipment used in patient care should be procured after the patient's needs are determined.
The most common Alzheimer's symptoms are clouding of consciousness, difficulty in adapting to the environment, getting lost in familiar places, problems with speech and language skills, aggression, making unusual demands on friends and family members, doubting the environment, hallucinations, low motivation and self-esteem conditions such as need for help with daily activities, anxiety and depression.
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