Does anyone you know suffer from dementia?
The reality of people victims of dementia and how it affects their daily lives and those of their loved ones are devastating. Dementia is an incurable disease that robs sufferers of their memories, abilities, and eventually their very identities. It's a long, slow decline that not only takes a toll on the person with dementia, but also on their families and caregivers.
If you have a loved one with dementia, you are probably struggling to find ways to cope. You are not alone. There are millions of people around the world who are facing the same challenges as you.
Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease is the most common type of dementia. It accounts for 60 to 80 percent of all cases. Alzheimer's disease is a progressive disorder that attacks the brain and causes memory loss, problems with thinking and reasoning, and changes in mood and behavior.
There is no one test that can diagnose Alzheimer's disease. Doctors use a variety of tests to rule out other conditions and make a diagnosis.
There is no cure for Alzheimer's disease, but there are treatments that can help manage symptoms. The goals of treatment are to improve the quality of life and help people with the condition maintain their independence for as long as possible.
Other types of dementia
Dementia is not a single disease. It's an umbrella term that describes a group of symptoms associated with a decline in cognitive function. Some other types of dementia include:
Vascular dementia
This form of dementia is caused by damage to the brain's blood vessels. It can lead to problems with thinking, reasoning, and memory. Symptoms usually develop slowly and get worse over time.Lewy body dementia
This type of dementia is characterized by changes in thinking, behavior, and movement. People with Lewy body dementia often have hallucinations or delusions. Lewy body dementia include Parkinson's disease dementia.Frontotemporal dementia (FTD)
Frontotemporal dementia often begins between the ages of 40 and 65 but occurs later in life as well. FTD is the cause of approximately 10% to 20% of dementia cases. It may cause personality changes in patients, some may become socially inappropriate, impulsive or emotionally indifferent, while others lose the ability to use language properly.
How apps may help people suffering from dementia or their relatives
There are many apps available that can help people suffering from dementia or their relatives. These apps can help with a variety of tasks, including managing symptoms, tracking medications, and providing support and information. Others may offer games to keep the brain and memory active.
There are many different types of app available, so it is important to choose one that is right for you or your loved one. Be sure to read reviews and compare features including security before downloading an app.
If you suspect that you or someone you know has cognitive problems or dementia but has not been diagnosed, it is important to see a health care professional to get the necessary assessments and treatment if needed. An app can then be a good addition to the proposed treatment plan.
Some of the best apps for dementia
Now, let's take a look at our suggestions.
The CLEAR Dementia Care App provides information about dementia and support for carers, including information on different types of dementia, on the brain, the symptoms, the behaviours and the loss. To understand behaviour it can be helpful to look for patterns. The app includes a function to help record and chart behaviour. The app also contains illustrations and case examples to help us to understand the perspective of the person with dementia.
The ElderShare Tracker app helps people suffering from dementia and their relatives by providing a way to track the person's location and send notifications to care givers when the person leaves a set Home Location. The app also periodically sends text updates with the person's location, including a link to an online map with a pin marker. Once the person returns to a set Home location, a final text notification is sent.
BrainHQ is a brain-training app that may help improve brain function in people suffering from dementia. The app includes exercises and assessments that are designed to improve memory, processing speed, and other cognitive skills. BrainHQ is backed by more than 100 scientific papers showing benefits.
Conclusion
There is no cure for dementia, but there are treatments that can help manage symptoms. The goals of treatment are to improve the quality of life and help people with the condition maintain their independence for as long as possible. There are many apps available that can help people suffering from dementia or their relatives. These apps can help with a variety of tasks, including managing symptoms, tracking medications, providing support and information, or training the brain.
Your health care professional can help you choose
Feeling confident is important. Get all the essential information about health apps by talking to your healthcare professional.
AppGuide provides reliable information about mobile health apps that allows patients and healthcare professionals to make informed, shared decisions about using a health app to track health status or act on your priority health goals.