Dementia is a common disease among the elderly, and its incidence is increasing. Forgetfulness becomes a typical symptom after onset. To slow down this process, family members need to strengthen patient safety education, ensuring they remember to turn off appliances and perform basic safety operations. Additionally, simple repetitive activities can help them maintain life skills, avoiding complex tasks to prevent feelings of frustration.
For patients with reduced understanding ability, family members should respect and maintain their original lifestyle habits, providing necessary assistance when needed and encouraging self-care within their capabilities to slow down the decline in abilities. Furthermore, accompanying patients in moderate exercise not only helps coordinate physical functions but also alleviates memory decline, enhances mood, and reduces stress. Consider using tracking devices when patients go out to prevent wandering.
A balanced diet is crucial for patients, emphasizing nutrition balance with a focus on vegetables, fish, and foods rich in unsaturated fatty acids, activating brain cells and alleviating symptoms. When necessary, follow medical advice and complement with medication to control disease progression.
Dementia in the elderly has various causes, including cerebrovascular diseases, degenerative brain diseases such as Alzheimer’s, genetic factors, nutritional and metabolic disorders, etc. Cerebrovascular diseases are particularly common, with multiple minor cerebral ischemia episodes leading to cerebral infarction dementia. Nutritional and metabolic issues like hepatic encephalopathy can also damage brain tissue and trigger dementia.
In terms of dietary adjustments, onions and garlic promote brain blood circulation; spinach is rich in various vitamins, helping slow down memory decline; edible canna contains abundant nutrients but requires proper preparation to avoid toxicity; high-quality protein sources like milk, eggs, meat, soybeans, millet, and peanuts are beneficial to brain health. Particularly, phospholipids can enhance the efficiency of neuronal information transmission and improve symptoms of dementia.
In summary, comprehensive life care, balanced diet arrangements, and timely medical interventions are indispensable management measures when dealing with dementia in the elderly.
