Elder Population And Dementia Essay

840 words - 4 pages

One of the major illnesses that are effecting our elderly population is the illness of dementia, or cognitive impairment. According to the Webster dictionary dementia is “a mental illness that causes someone to be unable to think clearly or to understand what is real and what is not real”. In reality dementia is so much more than this, it is more clearly defined on the Alzheimer’s Association website, “ Dementia is not a specific disease. It’s an overall term that describes a wide range of symptoms associated with a decline in memory or other thinking skills severe enough to reduce a person’s ability to perform everyday activities”. Dementia is most commonly seen in those who are over the ...view middle of the document...

Lewy body disease is one of the most seen causes of dementia in the older population. According to the New York Times Lewy body disease patients “have abnormal protein structures in certain areas of the brain”. New York Times also said that it can be caused by strokes, these small strokes that lead to dementia are called “vascular dementia”. Other illnesses that can lead to dementia are parkinsons, huntigtons, multiple sclerosis, HIV, and Lyme disease.
There are also a number of causes of dementia that if found early, before the dementia has set in, can possibly be stopped. If an older patient has low b12 that can eventually lead to dementia, this can be easily treated with a shot or pills to increase the vitamin. Being a chronic alcoholic can also intern lead to dementia in older adults. Other causes that can be stopped before leading to dementia include brain injuries and brain tumors. Patients can also prevent dementia by not smoking and stabilizing their blood pressure, weight, cholesterol, and blood sugar. They can also regularly exercise which will help with brain oxygen and blood flow. The last thing that patients can do to try and prevent themselves from developing dementia or other forms of cognitive impairments would be to have a healthy diet. They should stick to a heart healthy diet which involves minimizing red meats and maximizing fruits and veggies, fish, and whole grains.
To be able to be...

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