Three Treatment Options for Alzheimer’s Disease
While no cure is yet on the market to treat Alzheimer’s, there are a number of ways that this illness can be managed. Becoming informed about different methods of treatments can make living with this disorder possible. Among these treatment options are therapy and care giving, in additional to medicines.
There currently exist three drugs approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration and the European medicines agency, which are called Aricept, Razadyne, and Exelon. All three are effective in treating moderate or mild Alzheimer’s, although these drugs are less effective when dealing in the treatment of advanced stages of the disease.
Over time, Alzheimer’s disease will become more severe and emotional control will be lessened to the point where an individual with the illness may snap or lash out in anger at others. Pharmaceutical drugs can be used to such unpredictable behavior, which will improve the ability of someone with the disease to go out in the public and conduct normal activities without worries.
As well, therapy can have an important effect in improving social function and behavior. Often there are trigger events that can cause an unwanted behavior, and knowing how to spot these triggers can lead to the ability to control them. Usually, an individual who suffers from Alzheimer’s disease is not aware of their actions, and therapy can help deal with this issue.
Other forms of therapy can include placing individuals in familiar situations by showing them photographs and music from their everyday lives, which can help in improving memory function and concentration.
Therapy using such elements as tape recordings or the voices of loved ones and testing memory recall is typically conducive of a soothing feeling in those with Alzheimer’s, as they gain a sense of security from the familiar settings.
As Alzheimer’s worsens, a person will lose more and more social function and become dependent upon others. Typically, a caregiver is required as the disease enters the moderate to severe stage, as those with Alzheimer’s may take a scalding hot shower or drive to a place and forget where they are or how they got there. If there is no one willing to take care of the sufferer of Alzheimer’s disease, then a nursing home can be used, which can provide twenty-four hour care.
With all the treatment options on the market, it is important to be informed and select the option that is right for you or your loved one. Whether it be care giving, medications, or therapy, be sure to consult with your doctor to find out the correct treatment plan.