1. Dementia Isn't Just Alzheimer's
When most people think of dementia, they think about Alzheimer's disease. While this disease is the most common form, it's only one of several forms of dementia. Dementia can be generally explained as a mental disorder where the affected person loses his or her judgment, reasoning and memory abilities. Moods usually change for the worse as do general behavior and communication abilities.
2. Moderate Dementia: The Second Stage
Doctors can recognize 3 stages to dementia: early, moderate and severe. The early stage is the onset and the symptoms are not often recognized as dementia. But in the moderate stage, it becomes very clear that the person suffers from this mental disorder. He or she has obvious memory problems where recent events are forgotten but memories of distant events are clearer. The person may wander around and easily get lost. Personal hygiene may be neglected, and the person may forget to eat. He or she may become easily angry and frustrated.
3. Undiagnosed Moderate Dementia
Even though the symptoms of moderate dementia are obvious, the mid-level of this mental disorder often goes undiagnosed. According to a small research study, 71.4 percent of individuals suffering from moderate dementia had no medical record of a diagnosis.
4. The Effectiveness of Treatment for Moderate Dementia
Dementia can't be treated in the same way that other disorders can be treated. Dementia treatment doesn't get rid of the mental disorder, but it can in some cases slow its progress. Properly treated moderate dementia can delay the progress of the disease by 2 to 5 percent, according to the Official Journal of the American Academy of Neurology. Effective treatment can help a patient remember how to perform familiar tasks or remember a visitor from the previous day. Cholinesterase inhibitors is an FDA approved drug for the treatment of dementia, specifically Alzheimer's disease. Other treatments include antidepressants and other drugs.
5. Occupational Therapy Improves Quality of Life
A study in the "British Medical Journal" shows that occupational therapy for patients with moderate dementia can improve their quality of life by helping them perform daily activities. It can also relieve pressure on their caregivers by allowing people with dementia to become more self-sufficient, according to doctors in The Netherlands who performed the study. This factor is important because loss of independence and an inability to participate in social activities are stressful for the patients, their families and their caregivers.
