It is common knowledge that with age, the process of degeneration sets in. Not only does the individual experience a descent in his physical abilities, but one’s mental abilities have to bear the brunt of the aging process. The physical decline manifests itself in the form of degenerative autoimmune disorders, whereas, our mental health suffers from the likes of Alzheimer’s, Dementia or Depression in certain cases. What begins as absent-mindedness or forgetfulness, becomes a full-fledged disorder in no time. One such disorder that is common among the elderly population and sadly cannot be cured completely is dementia.

Causes of dementia
There are a plethora of causes of dementia, but one cannot overlook the fact that dementia is a collateral damage of several age-related diseases. In certain cases, damage to the brain due to an accident can cause dementia among the younger lot as well. The primary causes of dementia are as follows-

• One of the most common causes of dementia is a severe injury to the head which can result in the loss of consciousness.
• Parkinson’s disease is one of the age-related diseases which causes dementia.
• At times, tumors or stroke can also lead to a condition called vascular dementia; the condition is majorly irreversible.
• At times, dementia can be treated if it is caused due to an underactive thyroid gland or the deficiency of vitamin B12, or because of the fluid build-up in the brain.

Ways to treat dementia

Though the damage done by dementia is irreversible most of the times, effective dementia treatment steps can be taken. Dementia is characterized by loss of memory and even the loss of our mental skills, and this can drastically affect our daily life. So, here are popular dementia treatment methods that allow people with dementia to lead a seemingly normal life.

• Behavioral therapy: One has to ensure that whichever form of dementia treatment is being administered to the patient, it has to be done by trained personnel. Behavioral therapy involves the use of different strategies and problem-solving approach to try and change the patient’s dominant behavior, which can be aggressive, wandering or catatonic.
• Cognitive stimulation and reality orientation therapy: Dementia causes the individual to forget a lot of things that they might have experienced through the years. The cognitive stimulation therapy aims to devise ways to remind the patient of who they are and what they are doing, by stimulating their memory.
• Validation therapy– Most therapies aim to bring the person back to reality, but validation therapy aims to help the person with dementia to adjust to their version of reality and considers it healthy to enter their reality instead of the real one. This form of dementia treatment aims to make the patient comfortable and reduce the distress which they would otherwise face.
• Music therapy: Very often we have heard people claiming that music has therapeutic effects, and it is quite true. Trained professionals use music therapy to calm irate patients or to help them control their difficult behavior. Also, music therapy is a form of dementia treatment that doesn’t require a lot of attention and can trigger some memories related to it.
• Medications: In addition to the different kinds of therapies, patients who have dementia are also prescribed medications to deal with their depression, anxiety, hallucinations, sleep disturbance, etc.

Along with therapies and medications, dementia patients require care, patience, and support of their family and beloved ones.