Treatment of dementia in older people: drugs and medications for dementia recommended by doctors, prices for treatment in Moscow

Causes of many diseases in old people

Statistics show that every sixth resident of Russia is an elderly person.

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Signs of physiological aging include: changes in appearance, psyche, performance, etc. All this manifests itself most often in people after 60 years of age. In fact, the aging process starts after the body stops growing and developing, that is, after about 30–35 years. By this age, biochemical processes slow down, and diseases characteristic of old people may occur.

Diseases in the elderly are characterized by a slow onset; the first symptoms, as a rule, are not very pronounced. After 35–40 years, the disease develops, and only in old age does the disease manifest itself fully. In youth, as a rule, people feel great and the symptoms that appear go unnoticed, but in old age the disease manifests itself quite clearly.

With age, the number of chronic diseases increases, but the number of acute diseases decreases. This is due to the fact that pathological processes that are not cured in due time progress, symptoms and organic changes accumulate. Thus, diseases in old people make themselves felt precisely at the moment when the body’s protective functions weaken.

Premature aging is influenced by factors such as: poor lifestyle, bad habits, adverse environmental influences, and previous diseases. Poor nutrition affects the functioning of all body systems, resulting in the development of diseases characteristic of old age.

Nature provides that human vital activity decreases gradually, and different tissues and organs age at different rates. At first, the changes affect protein biosynthesis, then the activity of oxidative enzymes decreases, the number of mitochondria decreases, and the functions of cell membranes are disrupted. Ultimately, the cell collapses and dies. The older a person gets, the more diseases that are typical of old people develop.

With age, irreversible processes lead to significant dysfunction of various organs and systems of the body. This entails the appearance of structural changes in the body. In old people, processes such as a decrease in brain mass, thinning of the convolutions, and, on the contrary, an increase in the furrows between them occur. Symptoms of diseases are becoming more and more clear.

Age-related changes primarily manifest themselves in the functioning of the nervous system. The mobility of the processes of inhibition and excitation gradually weakens, the activity of the analyzers is disrupted, the sensitivity of smell decreases, visual acuity and the power of accommodation of the eyes decrease. All these processes contribute to the occurrence of diseases in old people.

In the elderly, atrophic and sclerotic changes in the endocrine system progress. The same applies to the respiratory system: ventilation of the lungs becomes less, and the frequency of inhalations and exhalations increases. The aging process affects the digestive and excretory systems, and the bone and joint system. Over time, there is a decrease in oxidative processes in the body, an increase in protein loss, and an increase in calcium excretion. Due to the above reasons, old people have a high risk of developing cancer.

The main signs of senile dementia in humans

All symptoms of the disease begin gradually and imperceptibly for both the person himself and his loved ones.
Minor difficulties when performing precisely coordinated manipulations, forgetfulness are interpreted as a common condition that is not given due attention. Therefore, treatment of such patients begins much later than necessary to obtain a good result. Symptoms are usually distributed depending on the sphere of activity of the human psyche. Let's look at the symptoms of dementia in older people:

Loss of skills
. The person experiences difficulty performing normal routine tasks. Buttoning up buttons takes longer, handwriting becomes clumsy and then completely unreadable. People with dementia may forget how to do basic things, such as brushing their teeth, flushing the toilet, or adjusting the shower water to a comfortable temperature. These skills are always honed to the subconscious, and a person does not think about it every time. When dementia develops, these data are gradually erased, and the ability to learn again during this time decreases significantly. In later stages, difficulties are noted even when eating with a spoon or fork.
Loss of analytical abilities
. It is also invisible for a long time both to the person and to others. Everything is attributed to everyday mistakes or carelessness. A person loses the ability to compare the qualities of two objects or options, to highlight the main thing in a conversation. It becomes more difficult to find differences and similarities between two samples. For example, a person can eat a cucumber and a strawberry together without thinking that one is sweet and the other is not. He stops comparing and analyzing, and descends to a simple mechanism for satisfying the most essential needs. One of the rules of psychiatry states that the regression of such abilities is carried out in the reverse order in which they were achieved. The end result is that an elderly person begins to think like a small child and learns about the world.
Emotional sphere
. There are also a number of changes that accompany senile dementia. First of all, it should be pointed out that more than a third of all patients with dementia also suffer from depression. The hopelessness of one’s illness, the feeling of uselessness and loneliness significantly lowers one’s self-esteem and eliminates one’s sense of self-worth. Therefore, a person may be prone to excessive sensitivity, vulnerability, and easily notices grievances. There is also a constant fear of being alone, of no use to anyone in such a helpless state.
Memory
. The decline in mnestic functions occurs gradually. At first, a person may notice some forgetfulness, absent-mindedness, and difficulty in remembering ordinary details of the situation. Then the working information that performs an operational function is erased. That is, a task is set, a sequence of actions is formed, and a person cannot mark the already completed stages during its implementation. It is difficult to calculate what he has already done and what still needs to be done. Later mnestic symptoms are erasing the names and faces of familiar people from a person’s memory, forgetting one’s address, the location of the room. People can replace periodic lapses in memory with fictitious or old memories, confusing them in time and date. For example, talking about events 10 years ago as if they happened yesterday.
Psychotic symptoms
. It is extremely rare, but still possible, for older people to have signs of hallucinations and delusions in a dementia clinic. They occur in the later stages of the disease. People can behave aggressively under the influence of such experiences, feel constant anxiety and fear, and are very worried about something or someone. Hallucinatory experiences and delusions may be accompanied by wandering. A person has an irresistible desire to leave home, but he is not able to remember or find the way back. Psychotic symptoms can disrupt sleep and appetite, and create various ultimatums that older people adhere to. For example, they put a mug exclusively in one place and categorically do not want it to be rearranged.

TOP 10 ailments for which old people have to be treated

Doctors consider infectious diseases and short-term injuries to be the most common illnesses of our time. Caries has also become widespread.

Currently, a huge number of people suffer from headaches, their number is about 2.4 billion people, of which 1.6 billion are pensioners. These data indicate a serious spread of this disease.

Also among the most common illnesses are depressive disorders and chronic low back pain, which often leads to long-term disability in older people. Below we will give examples of other most common diseases of the elderly, some of which will probably surprise you:

Back pain.
Various mental disorders, severe depression.
Iron-deficiency anemia.
Pain in the neck area.
Loss of hearing and vision.
Failures and memory loss, anxiety, restlessness.
Bronchitis and other lung diseases.
Disorders of the musculoskeletal system.

Next, we will look at the most common diseases and find out how to treat old people. You should be extremely attentive to the symptoms that your elderly relatives exhibit.

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What is used for severe dementia

The last stage of the disease is characterized by an extremely severe condition. Elderly people cannot perform even simple actions, control physiological needs, and become immobilized. Consciousness is destroyed, the person begins to delirium.

At this stage, active treatment is not carried out. The patient is prescribed psychotropic drugs to prevent senile delirium and the development of hallucinations. Symptomatic manifestations of concomitant diseases are eliminated, for which painkillers and antibiotics are used (in the presence of sepsis).

How are old people treated for mental illness?

First of all, the method of treatment depends on the disease. Patients with involutional deviations have every chance of recovery. Diagnoses such as depression, hypochondria, stress, paranoia can be perfectly treated with the help of consultations with a psychotherapist, coupled with medications prescribed by a doctor. Sedatives, anti-anxiety drugs and antidepressants are used as drug treatment. However, the matter is not limited to drugs: group sessions led by a psychotherapist have a beneficial effect on a patient with mental disorders. After all, common efforts are very effective and help to achieve a good result.

Organic disorders, which are based on dementia, are incurable, but can be corrected. To date, a large number of methods have been developed to ensure normal functioning of the patient for the rest of his life. The primary goal is to preserve the consciousness and cognitive functions of an old person with mental disorders. This can be achieved through drug treatment. The most important thing is to detect dementia as early as possible, because this disease, as a rule, is not diagnosed, but is perceived as a behavioral characteristic of old people, and treatment begins when the disease has already progressed.

Unlike involutional deviations, organic personality disorders cannot be prevented. But you need to use methods of their prevention . How to treat old people with mental disorders so that an elderly relative maintains mental clarity for as long as possible? First of all, he needs to be limited from all stress-causing factors and helped to properly organize his own life. Below we provide recommendations on how to help an old person:

We need to find new interests and hobbies. Expand your social circle, find like-minded people.
Exercise.
Avoid loneliness and spend time with him more often.
Provide psychological and other necessary assistance in case of loss of loved ones.
Help prepare for retirement, find new activities, consider options for easier work.
Help an elderly person maintain a normal standard of living.

One of the keys to preventing mental disorders is communicating with peers who are still active members of society after retirement. There are many ways to organize leisure time for older people: these include health groups, dance studios, and universities of the third age. Children should also take care of their elderly parents and constantly maintain contact with them (in person or by telephone).

One of the most difficult stressors is loneliness. Indeed, in such a state, time seems to freeze for a person. An old person may feel as if he has been thrown to the margins of life. Feeling the indifferent attitude of people, especially loved ones, the elderly person feels unnecessary, which in turn gives rise to strong mental anguish and increases anxiety. Gradually, this contributes to the emergence and development of mental disorders.

Interesting fact: old people who live with their relatives also feel useless and unnecessary. It is not enough to simply take an elderly parent with you; you need to devote time to him, take an interest in his state of health, listen to how things are going with him, and designate a special role in your family. Give him some simple instructions and do not refuse the offered help.

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How to treat old people for dementia

Medical classification suggests the following types of dementia:

in the case of neurodegenerative diseases (Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Pick's diseases);
vascular;
mixed type.

Dementia most often occurs due to neurodegenerative diseases. How to treat old people in this case? Complex therapy involves the use of anti-dementia drugs (acetylcholinesterase inhibitors and memantine) with the simultaneous use of vascular-metabolic drugs, in particular Phosphatidylcholine , which has a positive effect on the functioning of neurons in the cerebral cortex. The doctor may prescribe alternative drugs based on Cerebrolysin, Actovegin and other active ingredients.

Vascular dementia progresses with unfavorable changes in the blood circulation of the brain. The causes of its occurrence may be: stroke, uncontrolled arterial hypertension, atherosclerosis, heart defects, diabetes. Therapy is carried out using standard anti-dementia drugs. The patient's blood pressure, cholesterol and blood glucose levels are constantly measured. It is also important to eliminate physical inactivity through regular physical activity. Additionally, antiplatelet agents (acetylsalicylic acid, clopidogrel) and neuroprotectors are prescribed. The latter have a positive effect on brain tissue and improve its metabolism. If depression occurs against the background of vascular dementia, the patient is prescribed antidepressants.

Treatment of mixed dementia is complex. Its main goal is to eliminate existing disorders and stop the development of the disease that causes brain destruction. First of all, you need to normalize blood pressure with the help of drugs against ischemia: statins and antiplatelet agents.

Along with drug treatment, other types of therapy are also carried out: music therapy, occupational therapy and psychotherapy. All this together helps a person with mental illness not to lose social and motor skills. It is important to ensure safe functioning and return fullness of life to older people with dementia. A good way is video surveillance. Patients are restricted from using gas and electric stoves and other appliances.

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Treatment with drugs depends on the severity and stage of the disease. Anticholinesterase drugs (based on galantamine, rivastigmine hydrotartrate xelone and others) and Memantine help reduce signs of dementia, so they are used at all stages. They have a neuroprotective effect, that is, they prevent the destruction of brain neurons, and also improve the transmission of nerve impulses, helping to strengthen memory and cognitive abilities.

Neuroleptics based on Quetiapine, Galopiredol, Olanzapine and others reduce the manifestation of psychomotor agitation, delusions and deception and have a beneficial effect on the correction of behavioral disorders. Since these drugs have side effects, treatment with them should be carried out with constant monitoring of the patient’s well-being.

To eliminate depression, antidepressants , where the active ingredients are Fluoxetine, Mianserin, Fluvoxamine maleate, etc. They must be taken carefully, as side effects are possible: headache, heart rhythm disturbances, increased blood pressure.

Insomnia is quite common in older people with dementia. To normalize sleep, they are prescribed sleeping pills . Often, agitation can only be reduced with a high dosage of the drug, so it is important to prevent an overdose, which can cause disruption of the functioning of nerve cells.

Treatment of dementia is not limited only to drugs; various therapeutic techniques are also used:

cognitive training is a pastime that involves reading and discussing works together, memorizing poems or individual lines. Classes are also conducted with special cards. It is important that this be a regular daily practice, since everything learned will soon be forgotten anyway;
biographical training - helps to preserve events from the past. To do this, they organize joint discussions, look at old photos, listen to retro music, etc.;
Keeping a diary helps not only to improve thinking abilities, but also helps to throw out accumulated emotions and eliminate unpleasant experiences;
physical activity - involves performing a set of special exercises or simply walking in the fresh air;
drawing, music, communication with animals - serve educational, developmental, therapeutic purposes.

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The effectiveness of treatment depends on the correct approach

When treating dementia, attention must be paid to eliminating the symptoms of the disease. The patient constantly needs attention, it is necessary to properly organize his daily routine - nutrition, sleep, bath procedures. It is not always possible to do this at home, so it is best to immediately seek professional help. It is impossible to completely get rid of dementia, but you can significantly improve the patient’s condition and make his life better. Entrust your loved one to the specialists of the Salvation clinic and you will be convinced that this is the best option of all existing ones.

Preventive measures against diseases in old people

1. Prevention of mental illness.

One of the main reasons that lies at the root of any disease is emotional stress.

If a person is emotionally unstable, unbalanced, suffers from internal worries, and often replays in his head conflict situations that happened at home or at work, this will in any case affect his health. First of all, you need to learn to calmly perceive various difficult life situations. Physical activity is also a good way to relieve nervous tension. You can choose a convenient option yourself: running or swimming, walking or cycling.

The diet should be balanced, and it should also be supplemented with biologically active components: vitamins, mineral salts, enzymes, etc. It is good to add sprouted grain bread, rich in vitamin E, and other foods high in vitamins to your daily diet. It is also extremely beneficial to consume freshly squeezed juices and vegetable salads, which contain a lot of calcium and magnesium.

Medicinal herbs such as skullcap, hops, chamomile, motherwort, passionflower, valerian, rosemary, sage, and peppermint are good for relieving stress. They have relaxing and calming properties. A mixture of skullcap, catnip and hops will help relieve stress. Horsetail and oat straw are a source of calcium and silicon. Alfalfa can be added to other herbs as it is rich in nutrients and promotes cleansing. Lemon mint and verbena improve mood and relieve tension, while lady's slipper eliminates anxiety. Ginseng, aralia and dandelion tone.

It is better to avoid consuming sugar, white flour products, caffeine, alcohol, fried foods and sugary carbonated drinks. It's also worth avoiding dairy products, as they are allergens, just like chocolate, tomatoes, eggs and additives found in processed foods, including meat. It is better to replace sugar with artificial analogues or use honey instead. Garlic and onions will help strengthen your immune system. Bee pollen, propolis, royal jelly and comb honey have good protective properties against stress. It will be useful to introduce into your daily diet one to three glasses of water with 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar and 1 teaspoon of honey.

A great way to relax is to self-massage with essential oils such as geranium, lavender, marjoram, lemon balm, orange, rose, mandarin, chamomile, clary sage, cedar and pine.

2. Prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases.

Ashiospastic ischemia occurs as a consequence of disruption of the vasomotor centers. Arterial spasms can be caused by both strong emotional effects (fear), cold, chemicals such as adrenaline, vasopressin, opium and some others, pain in the form of injury, as well as bacteria and toxins.

Obstructive ischemia occurs when an artery is blocked by a blood clot or narrowed as a result of atherosclerosis, inflammation, etc.

The human circulatory system is a fluid distribution system. Depending on its composition, one or another wear is observed. Heat-treated minerals (such as calcium found in foods) are deposited on the walls of blood vessels, reducing their elasticity. Substances such as starches, proteins and, especially, fats increase the viscosity of the blood, which complicates its passage through the capillary bed and provokes blockage of blood vessels. How to treat old people to eliminate these unfavorable processes? First of all, you need to introduce freshly squeezed juices into your diet; whole grain porridge without oil, sprouted grain soup, add dry seaweed instead of salt.

If there are no contraindications, blood cleansing can be performed. It's worth starting with a three-day juice diet. If you feel well, you can increase its duration to 5–7 days. You need to take freshly squeezed red fruit and vegetable juices: cherry, cranberry, beetroot, grape, blackberry, red cabbage - from 1 to 3 or more liters per day.

In order to activate cleansing processes and help the body get rid of toxins, it is worth doing enemas.

As a result of ischemia , oxygen starvation of the tissue occurs, metabolism is disrupted, which affects the functioning of the affected organ, and then leads to its degeneration.

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A heart attack is understood as the death of an area of tissue as a result of cessation of blood supply. A heart attack is an extreme case of ischemia. How to treat old people with a similar diagnosis using non-traditional methods? You can use the method of cleansing the blood using juices, fasting. To begin with, fast for 24 hours every 3-4 days, and then for 3 days every two weeks.

Atherosclerosis refers to the deposition of dense fatty formations on the inner surface of the arteries with the subsequent formation of connective tissue thickening - plaques that narrow the lumen of the artery. Further development can occur in the same way as with ischemia. How to treat old people for atherosclerosis? It is best to start with the prevention of this disease. It is worth changing your diet towards increasing the consumption of freshly squeezed juices, salads and cereals without oil.

Rheumatism is understood as a general infectious-allergic disease with systemic inflammatory damage to connective tissue. There are three stages of development:

The period of streptococcal infection due to a violation of the pH of the environment in a putrefactive direction (as a consequence of sore throat, pharyngitis).
The occurrence of a reaction to a sluggish streptococcal infection.
Consolidation of allergic reactivity to persistent disorders in the internal environment of the body.

Over time, the disease progresses, affecting more and more areas of connective tissue. How to treat old people in this case? It is best if this is a set of measures. Regular physical activity (running, dumbbells) and nutrition with a predominance of foods of high biological value in the diet are required.

3. Prevention of cancer.

First of all, you need to get rid of such a bad habit as smoking, regardless of how old you are now and how long you have been smoking. Increase your intake of roughage foods rich in fiber (vegetables, fruits and sprouted bread), vitamin A (carrots, potatoes, apricots and spinach), as well as various types of cabbage (cauliflower, white cabbage, Chinese cabbage). This reduces the risk of colon cancer.

Reduce your fat intake and reduce the amount during cooking. Choose lean meats, lean fish and low-fat dairy products. Watch your own weight. Exercise regularly. Women who lead a sedentary lifestyle are two and a half times more likely to develop cancer than those who exercise regularly from adolescence and continue for the rest of their lives.

Intermittent fasting and liver cleansing help remove toxins from the body. Protect yourself from the sun to reduce your risk of melanoma (skin cancer).