Therapy

Ep 240: How Do You Treat People Who Have Dementia?

OldWomanDementiaWe all want to help others – especially those in the “helping professions” – but what’s the best way to do that? Therapy? Medication? How about setting up an entire fake village set up to look like the ’50s with helping professionals dressed up to look like grocers? Sound bizarre? Well, they’re doing it in Amsterdam.

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Michael

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    Michael

    May 29, 2015

    Thank you Gabi for that information. I recently talked with someone who works every day with people who various forms of dementia and said the exact same thing as you about the use of the term “dementia” as an umbrella term for all kinds of cognitive decline. Interesting observations about how it’s common for people with dementia to have a sweet tooth and have trouble with numbers – my mother has definitely developed a “sweet tooth” over the past few years that she never had before. I wonder why that’s the case? Any by the way, what is “lewy body disease”?

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    gabi

    May 29, 2015

    I work for an Alzheimer Society so I feel I have to clarify some points you raised in this podcast. First of all dementia is an overall,or umbrella term for a range of symptoms that relate to cognitive decline that are caused by a number of diseases such as Alzheimer ‘s disease, lewy body disease,front temporal dementia,vascular dementia etc. It is perfectly fine to use the term dementia in early stages as well as late stages.
    some of the comments also indicated that there was not an understanding of the fact that some people with dementia may not have insight into their disease and think there is anything wrong with them. (Anosognosia.) It’s common to have difficulty with numbers therefore can’t use money anymore,common to develop a sweet tooth. Leaving notes around doesn’t help when a person can’t remember to go look for a note, or may no longer understand the words or is disoriented to time or place.
    Gabi Townsend

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