Bush T May16

progressive, subtle brain damage resulting
from very many tiny strokes. The end result is
also a deficiency in communication between
brain cells, although in vascular dementia it
is not necessarily memory that declines first.
Unfortunately, there is no cure for dementia,
however, there are a couple of drugs that,
if given in the early stages of dementia,
can slow down progression of the disease.
Towards the end stages of dementia, medical
management focuses largely on managing
the symptoms of the dementia: depression,
anxiety and even aggression.
Early diagnosis of dementia is imperative,
not only because the drugs used in dementia
work best in the early stages of the disease,
but because early recognition and diagnosis
allow the patient and the family to adjust
to the diagnosis. People with dementia
tend to have less anxiety and display
fewer symptoms when they are in familiar
environments, around familiar people, and
following a familiar routine. For this reason,
it’s a good idea to hire caregivers early on in
the course of the disease and, if the patient
is eventually going to move into a home, to
house them there while they are still aware
of their surroundings. Any disturbance of
environment or routine in the later stages of
the disease can lead to an acute worsening of
the symptoms.
Dementia is something that few people want
to talk about, because it’s horrible and, quite
frankly, it’s scary. But it’s there and the better
prepared the patient and family is for it, the
less traumatic the course of the disease will
be.
Support for patients with AD as well as their
caregivers can be found at: www.alzheimers.
org.za
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