Unfortunately, Alzheimer’s disease isn’t always easy to diagnose. For example, those suffering from Alzheimer’s that are also experiencing hallucinations are misdiagnosed about five times more often than those that do not have hallucinations. And while there’s no cure for Alzheimer’s disease, having the correct diagnosis can go a long way toward improving the quality of life in someone who is suffering.
When that person that’s suffering is someone that you can deeply about, such as a parent or grandparent, it becomes a very big deal.
Dementia with Lewy bodies is a type of dementia where hallucinations are more common than they are with Alzheimer’s. The issue is that although they are both types of dementia, and there are many similarities, they are two very different diseases. Dementia with Lewy bodies requires a very different kind of treatment than Alzheimer’s does. And although there is still no consensus on which treatment for each is “best,” experts agree that they need to be handled in different manners. For those that experience Alzheimer’s with hallucinations, this is far less likely to occur.
This information came to light in a recently published study found in Alzheimer’s & Dementia: Translational Research & Clinical Interventions. Hopefully, as awareness of this problem increases, doctors can take better steps to prevent it from happening to more people. These are our family members and friends that we are talking about after all. They are impacted negatively because of unsatisfactory treatment as a result of a misdiagnosis, as are our other family members.
Regardless of your loved one’s diagnosis, you want the best for them. Finding the right diagnosis, and constructing a valuable course of treatment is extremely important. This can go a long way toward helping your mom or dad to live a better, more comfortable, and happier life. However, much of this rests in the field of the medical professionals. Other than speak up as an advocate for your parent, you probably won’t be able to do much in the way of diagnosing and treating them. This doesn’t mean that there’s nothing that you can do to help them, though. In fact, as a family caregiver, there’s a lot that you can do. One of the most important things is to ensure that they are getting the appropriate senior care based upon their unique needs.
Finding the best senior care for a loved one can be an overwhelming journey, especially when something like dementia or Alzheimer’s is present. This is why it’s so important that you rely on a professional for this task. At Paradise In-Home Care, we specialize in helping those in need of memory care. Call us today to schedule a free consultation. We will let you know if we can help create a better atmosphere for your parent in need and the rest of your family. Senior care is an important part of helping an older loved one have a better life. You have control over this part of their care and it isn’t something that you need to do alone.
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