There’s no cure for Alzheimer’s disease right now, but that doesn’t mean that progress isn’t being made in the fight against it.
Alzheimer’s disease is a progressively debilitating neurological condition. It impacts millions of lives around the world. Early signs and symptoms often manifest as memory lapses, especially concerning recent events or newly acquired information. Over time, these lapses deepen, leading to increasingly noticeable cognitive decline. Tasks once mastered become confounding puzzles, and even language, reasoning, and judgment skills begin to fray. Those with Alzheimer’s also eventually struggle with things like coordination, mobility, and movement.
The advancements against Alzheimer’s are taking a few different forms. For the sake of simplicity, this blog will focus on two main areas: medication and diet.
Medication
There have been a number of advancements over the last few years when it comes to medications for Alzheimer’s.
Over the last couple years, a few notable new medications were approved by the FDA for use in treating Alzheimer’s disease. These include abucanumab and lecanemab. Both target the causes of Alzheimer’s symptoms. They’re not cures, but they have shown that they an ability to help those with Alzheimer’s function at a higher level–at least for a brief period of time. They have been shown to help improve things like mobility, the ability to dress oneself, and feed themselves. They can help people live better lives for longer.
Alzheimer’s meds are likely not the only types of medication that someone with Alheimer’s will require. Pairing Alzheimer’s meds with things like antipsychotics, sleep medications, anti-anxiety meds, and appetite stimulators (just to name a few) can help the individual with Alzheimer’s to live a higher quality of life.
Exercise, both physical and mental, can also help those with Alzheimer’s.
Diet
A healthy diet has been shown to help prevent Alzheimer’s and slow down its progression once it is present. In general, foods that are high in Omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants tend to promote brain health. Fried food, red meat, and food with high sugar content tent to have a negative impact on brain health. Exercise is also helpful for promoting brain health.
There are a number of diets out there that prioritize these things. Some of these include the Mediterranean Diet, the Ornish Diet, the MIND Diet, and the TLC Diet all have track records of being helpful.
If you have a loved one that is struggling with Alzheimer’s disease, perhaps some of the things listed above might be able to help them live a higher quality of life. However, before you make any changes it is really important that you speak with a medical professional familiar with your loved one’s situation. They will be able to give you more accurate, customized direction to fit your unique set of needs.
Senior care might also be part of the formula for providing a better life for your older loved one with dementia. If you’d like to learn more about care and how it might help, please feel free to reach out to us. One of our care professionals would be happy to talk more during a free consultation session.
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