Physiotherapy management of Dementia

Dementia
Dementia is a general term for that deterioration of a few of the cells in the brain. Many times, it causes reduced mobility, memory problems and difficulties performing everyday tasks. dementia can increase mobility and lower the risk of falls in peoples. Dementia can impact an individual and those near to them. As a result, nearly all patients with dementia are noticed in their home environment with partners, relatives or carers present. Dementia may be the gradual decline in cognitive function because of damage or disease within the brain beyond that expected from normal aging. Memory, attention, language and problem solving are particularly affected. Within the later stages from the condition, individuals with dementia might be disorientated in time, place as well as in person. They will also experience a decrease in mobility and an increased chance of falls. There are lots of various kinds of dementia, each with their own causes.
Dementia generally affects seniors and becomes increasingly normal with age. Approximately One in 15 of those older than 65 will develop a diploma of dementia, increasing to around 1 in 5 of these over the age of 85. Younger people can be cultivated dementia but it is less common, affecting about One in 1,000 of these under 65.
Results of Dementia
The symptoms of dementia usually progress gradually, during a period of years. The early signs are often subtle memory problems and, therefore, aren't immediately obvious. The the signs of dementia vary greatly. People with dementia often have one or more from the following symptoms:
• Memory problems
• Speech and language difficulties
• Confusion
• Mood or behavioural changes
• Difficulty performing simple tasks
• Problems learning new information, ideas or skills.
Some kinds of dementia can cause less common symptoms, including:
• Hallucinations
• Obsessive or repetitive behaviour
• Disturbed or altered sleep patterns
• Depression
• Incontinence
If dementia becomes severe, it may cause other symptoms, including:
• Swallowing difficulties
• Reduced mobility
• Complete lack of short-term and long-term memory.
• Increased chance of falls
Individuals with dementia in many cases are unaware of their symptoms, particularly those affecting behaviour.
Kinds of Dementia
The most common types of dementia are:
• Alzheimer's disease
• Vascular dementia (also called multi-infarct dementia)
• Lewy body dementia
• Alcohol-Induced dementia
• Pick's disease
• Frontotemporal dementia
• Semantic dementia
• Progressive non-fluent aphasia
Some conditions may cause secondary dementia in some individuals. They are less common causes:
• Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease
• Huntington's disease
• Parkinson's disease
• HIV infection (resulting in AIDS dementia complex)
• Traumatic brain injury
• Down’s syndrome

Dementia Diagnosed
Accurate diagnosis between your types of dementia is generally done by a specialist neurologist or geriatrician. However, you will find brief tests that may be performed to evaluate a patient’s cognitive status.

CT or MRI scans are occasionally performed, although they are often not sensitive enough to detect early changes related to dementia. By the time changes might be noticed on a scan, an analysis can be made on the physical and cognitive symptoms alone.


Physiotherapy management of Dementia

Physiotherapy for people with dementia is better provided by a neurological physiotherapist. Try to increase mobility, implement specific falls prevention exercises and recommend changes to the home environment to improve independence and safety.
Mobility could be increased with balance, stretching and strengthening exercises and provision of walking aids. Our neurological physiotherapists will assess the way the individual performs activities for example; walking, going up and down stairs, getting away from a chair and becoming in and out of bed. 
An intensive assessment will be performed on each room inside the home environment. Out of this our physiotherapist will give you adviceand suitable recommendations on aids and adaptations to increase the independence from the patient. 
A specific falls prevention programme can be produced, to be completed between treatment sessions. The house assessment, along with the falls prevention programme, will greatly increase safetyat home and lower the risk of falls. 
Patients with dementia enjoy physiotherapy because it increases their independence and reduces their anxiety about falling and also provide acupuncture,hydrotherapy, seating / wheelchair assessments and suggestions about postural management for people with dementia.