In the early stages of Alzheimer’s, some people continue to lead productive lives for years. Some people go through quick transformations and need help with daily duties rather quickly. Providing assistance and support as soon as possible requires early intervention.
Alzheimer’s does not have an effective long-term treatment or a cure. While some medical procedures can temporarily ease symptoms, they cannot stop the progression of the disease. Treatments work better in general when initiated early. That’s one reason to consult a doctor immediately if you detect symptoms that aren’t typical of aging. Some dementia-causing symptoms can be reversed, though Alzheimer’s cannot.
Early Alzheimer’s disease intervention allows the patient and their family time to plan for the future by making financial, legal, and care decisions. The family can learn about the issues and priorities of their loved one by starting the conversation early.
Early Interventions Can Improve Quality of Life
When you know what to look for, the likelihood of detecting signs and symptoms of cognitive decline increases. Early therapies could help control the patient’s condition and increase the time during which they can retain their optimal health quality. It allows time to draft an advance directive, discuss wishes with family members, and clarify legal, financial, and care alternatives. Early detection may also help lower healthcare expenses by delaying the need for costly nursing home care.
Better Caregiving
The capacity to organize caregiving more effectively slows dementia in multiple different ways. Caregiver stress is related to quality of life. Family caregivers who are stressed and frustrated are more prone to make mistakes and lose patience. A better experience that contributes to your loved one’s well-being and slows the progression of dementia is made possible by having plans (such as hiring home nurses or enrolling in a memory care facility).
Your loved one is happier and can stay home longer while remaining aware. It is also less stressful financially, which is equally significant.
Interventions that may slow the progression of early Alzheimer’s
The following are the chief areas of prevention that may reduce memory loss in the early stages of Alzheimer’s:
- Changing modifiable risk factors, such as quitting smoking and losing weight
- Nutrition & Diet
- Cognitive activities (for instance, reading or playing music)
- Physical activity (or exercise)
- Other lifestyle modifications (for instance, getting quality sleep daily)
- Preventing other high-risk factors (such as cardiovascular diseases and diabetes)
The standard strategy for early Alzheimer’s prevention
A personalized protocol is a well-liked, relatively new method of preventing Alzheimer’s that is supported by empirical evidence. It’s referred to as a “multimodal intervention.” It implies that the Alzheimer’s preventive and care strategy is unique to each person and considers a variety of variables, including genetics, risk factors, and biomarkers.
The following are some modifiable risk factors for Alzheimer’s:
- Obesity
- Blood pressure regulation
- Smoking
The non-modifiable risk factors include:
- Age (the most significant risk factor)
- Gender (women are more prone to getting Alzheimer’s)
- Genetics
Multimodal interventions that can help slow memory decline include:
- Regularly engaging in physical exercise
- Getting quality sleep every night
- Reducing stress
- Engaging in cognitive activities (such as playing games, reading, music, etc.)
- Remain socially active
- Using the Alzheimer’s diet (Mediterranean diet or MIND diet)
- Keeping up with emerging techniques for preventing Alzheimer’s
Alzheimer’s Research Association is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping caregivers of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. We provide the latest information and news about the illness and helpful tips to help caregivers cope with their daily caregiving challenges. We realize the most important thing that a caregiver needs is financial assistance. Therefore, we provide grants to caregivers to ease their financial burden. Caregivers can apply for grants here: Alzheimer’s Grant Application.
You can also help caregivers in their endeavor by donating as much as possible: Donation To Alzheimer’s Research Associations.
