Recently, a study found that there is a connection between repeated infections that require hospital treatment and the risk of the development of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.
This study was conducted by the Karolinska Institute in Sweden with findings published in the journal, PLOS Medicine.
In the past, experimental studies that have observed animals suggest that repeated infections play a role in the development of cognitive conditions in the future. But when it comes to humans, there’s not a lot of information out there on this topic. This team of researchers decided to take a deeper look at the subject and see what could be discovered.
The study found that those who had an infection that was severe enough to warrant a hospital visit, the risk of Alzheimer’s disease was 16 percent higher over the next five years. The risk of Parkinson’s disease increased by 4 percent during that time period.
The researchers do not believe that infections are causing these cognitive diseases. Rather, they believe that they are an amplifier. Those that are already at high risk of these diseases because of genetic predisposition or something else see the likelihood of getting the disease increase even more dramatically when a severe infection is in play.
More than 290,000 people were observed during this study. It was not a causal study, but observational in nature. There were no “whys” answered during this, but rather “whats.” Still, it is helpful because this study identified present trends and statistics, leaving the door open for future projects to help guide potential treatments.
Cognitive decline is a common symptom of dementia and other illnesses that can appear as someone ages. This is a very difficult time of life, and for many, there’s no cure for what they are facing. At this time, both Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease don’t have a cure and are ultimately fatal. There are things that can be done to alleviate symptoms and help improve the quality of life that someone’s facing on a temporary basis, but there’s no way to stop the spread of the disease.
This is why having the right care team is important. A caregiver that knows and understands dementia can make life a lot better for someone who is struggling with it. Again, they can’t make the disease go away, but they can make aspects of life that might be impacted by dementia and other difficulties easier. This involves meal prep, taking care of things around the house, providing companionship and supervision, and just being a friend that can be there when things are hard.
At Paradise In-Home Care, we ensure that our caregivers are matched well to the person that they are working with. If someone is struggling with Alzheimer’s, we want to pair them with a caregiver that has expertise in this area. It’s one of the many ways that in-home care can be ideal for someone. We have a great deal of customization when it comes to matching the right person with the right set of needs.
Please give us a call or email if you’d like to learn more.
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