Many people are under the misconception that dementia is incurable. The truth is dementia isn’t a single disease, and some of the condition’s causes are reversible. If your elderly loved one has developed dementia due to something treatable, such as dehydration, the condition could go away once he or she has been treated. Below are some of the reversible causes of dementia, which are made easier to remember by using a mnemonic.
1. Depression
Dementia syndrome of depression occurs when seniors are severely depressed and anxiety affects their thinking abilities. Treating depression can help seniors’ cognitive abilities return to normal levels. You must take your loved one to the doctor for treatment while the depression symptoms are mild. Doing so could help your loved one regain all or most of the thinking abilities that were disrupted by the mental illness.
Dementia can be challenging for seniors to manage, but they can maintain a higher quality of life with the help of professional dementia care. Dallas seniors can benefit greatly from the Cognitive Therapeutics Method (CTM), an activities-based program designed to promote cognitive health and delay the onset of dementia. CTM is included at no additional charge with any of the in-home care plans provided by Home Care Assistance.
2. Environmental Toxins
Exposure to aluminum, lead, mercury, and other heavy metals can cause dementia. Changing eating habits and lowering cholesterol can detoxify the body and help seniors overcome genetic difficulties that cause temporary dementia. Some of the best ways to reduce levels of heavy metals in the body include eating foods such as kale, cilantro, and watercress.
3. Medications
Some of the prescriptions seniors take could have side effects that disrupt their memory, thinking skills, and abilities to perform routine tasks. If temporary dementia is a side effect caused by your loved one’s medications, speak with his or her doctor immediately to determine if alternative treatments are available. Once your loved one stops taking the medicines, the side effects—including dementia—could stop.
Caring for a loved one with dementia can be challenging, but compassionate help is available. If your senior loved one has been diagnosed with a serious condition and needs help with tasks like meal prep, transportation, bathing, and grooming, reach out to Home Care Assistance, a leading provider of elderly home care families can trust. We also offer comprehensive care for seniors with dementia, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s.
4. Ear Problems
As your loved one ages, he or she may experience a variety of cognitive problems as well as mobility issues and difficulties with sight and vision. When the hearing section of the brain becomes inactive, a senior can experience tissue loss and significant changes in the brain that cause dementia. However, some treatments and devices can reverse hearing loss, especially if the problem isn’t permanent.
5. Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus
Normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) is a neurological disorder that causes dementia. When NPH develops, it’s an accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid that causes brain ventricles to enlarge, often without an increase in pressure. The good news is the damage done to the frontal tubes caused by NPH can be treated. Once this happens, many brain functions are restored.
6. Traumas
Falls and serious accidents that cause concussions can result in brain traumas. While recovering from this type of injury, your loved one’s cognitive abilities could become impaired, and he or she could have dementia. However, a robust recovery and an absence of additional head traumas can reverse the neurological disorder.
7. Infections
Even a simple urinary tract infection could have severe consequences, including reversible dementia. Infections put so much pressure on the body that older adults can experience a variety of issues, from personality changes to hallucinations. Treating infections can alleviate confusion and other symptoms associated with reversible dementia.
8. Alcohol-Induced Dementia
Long-term alcohol use can deplete the body of thiamine and increase the risk of reversible dementia. The brain’s reaction to low levels of thiamine could result in poor coordination, confusion, and combative behavior. Speak with your loved one’s doctor to receive recommendations on how to treat and reverse alcohol-induced dementia.
A highly trained caregiver with experience in caring for seniors with dementia can be a fantastic resource for family members. If your senior loved one has been diagnosed with a serious condition and needs help with tasks like meal prep, transportation, bathing, and grooming, reach out to Home Care Assistance, a leading provider of senior care Dallas, Texas, families can trust. We also offer comprehensive care for seniors with dementia, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s. If your loved one needs assistance with the challenges of aging, reach out to one of our knowledgeable, compassionate Care Managers today at (214) 363-3400.