What Is Dementia?
Dementia affects the elderly’s power to remember, think, and just indecisive to do activities in daily life. On one hand, dementia is not a particular disease. On the other hand, Alzheimer’s disease is most common kind of dementia.
Signs Of Dementia
There are many signs of dementia that the elderly struggle with, and need to keep an eye out for. It is very difficult for older people because of a lot of changes in the brain. This causes them to not function as much and may interfere in their everyday life.
It is hard for the elderly to participate in everyday tasks, as they overthink on decisions. But when it comes to things to do in a daily, they also might not able to recognise the doctor, carer, friends, family, or even their medical condition. As memory loss can have a impact on them. Memory loss also causes them to forget the time, how to do certain things, where they have placed their things, and might forget a certain someone or something about them.
They tend to have communication problems, such as loss of interest in friends, family, and activities. And, having trouble to find the words or not able to speak properly. They are not capable to understand difficult words or numbers.
There are many changes that older people are struggling to cope with. Like, having mood swings, lack of interest in people and things, might feel confused, suspicious, or afraid of any specific thing.
How Does Mental Health Affect Dementia?
It is a common occurrence for older people with dementia with also deal with mental health issues like, anxiety, depression, and lack of motivation.
A lack of concentration, motivation, and anti-social behaviour are all symptoms that patients of depression and dementia experience. However, there is also differences between the two. Depression can rapidly evolve over the course of a few weeks or months. The elderly tend to get anxious when having problems with language and memory loss that affects them to remember where they are or where they have placed certain things.
Helping someone with dementia may improve their mental health for daily life. You and guide and support them to communicate with their family and friends, to eat properly, have good quality of sleep, and motivate them to do activities.
Support
Talk to the elderly and offer support. Ask them about their day, anything they want to talk about (as long as they are comfortable), or if they need help with any specific thing.
Help them to contact the GP, regarding any issues that worries them, or if they are unwell. You need to boost their motivation to speak to the doctor about their medical condition.
