Goal of Treatment
Dementia is the term for various progressive, degenerative neurological conditions that slowly destroy the brain. Dementia impairs cognitive function and memory and eventually even changes a person's personality. Unfortunately, dementia can't typically be cured (unless the cause is treatable, like a tumor, infection or other treatable condition)--but there is treatment to help manage symptoms and delay the deterioration that the disease causes. The goal of any treatment plan is to try to slow down dementia as much as possible.
Use Medications to Slow Dementia
There are a number of different medications that are prescribed for people with dementia. There are drugs recommended for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, which is one form of dementia, that may also be used to treat other types of dementia. These are called cholinesterase inhibitors and include the drugs Razadyne (hydrobromide), Exelon (rivastigmine) and Aricept (donepezil). Namenda (memantine) is used to treat late-stage Alzheimer's and other types of dementia, says the Mayo Clinic.
Use Medications to Manage Symptoms
While those medications try to slow damage to the brain, there are still behavioral symptoms of dementia that need to be controlled. Wandering, aggression, depression and confusion are common in dementia patients, so antipsychotic drugs, mood-stabilizing medications, stimulants and antidepressants are often prescribed as part of the treatment plan for dementia.
Keep Loved One Safe
As the brain and memory deteriorate, it can become increasingly unsafe for a person with dementia to live alone. Part of the treatment plan also includes having someone care for and check in frequently with the person with dementia. They may need help with daily dressing and bathing, and they may need someone else to cook their meals. Once dementia has become advanced, long-term nursing care (a nursing home or assisted living facility) is generally required to make sure that a loved one with dementia is safe and cared for.
