Prevention and care of Alzheimer's disease

1. How to provide good home care for patients with Alzheimer's disease?

(1) Safety care: Due to memory impairment, patients often lose things and are easily lost when going out. Therefore, it is necessary to ensure a safe environment, properly manage dangerous items such as household appliances and gas at home, and have someone accompany them when going out or provide them with a positioning device or contact card (including the patient's name, address, contact information, etc.) to prevent accidental loss.

(2) Life care: Reasonably arrange the patient's regular life, strengthen daily care, assist in personal hygiene, regularly bathe, change clothes, cut nails, and cut hair for the patient. Reasonably arrange the patient's work and rest schedule, and keep the sleep time at about 8 hours. Strengthen the patient's nutrition, give nutritious and easy-to-digest food, and have someone watch over the patient while eating to prevent choking. Closely observe the patient's urination and defecation to prevent constipation and urinary retention.

(3) Functional exercise: Encourage patients to participate in physical exercise within their ability, such as gymnastics, Tai Chi, walking, etc.; persist in daily living ability training and maintain the ability to take care of themselves.

(4) Psychological care: Care for and respect the elderly, do not despise or sneer at them, provide more companionship, respect the elderly's living habits and self-esteem, provide more psychological support, and encourage the elderly to engage in social interactions.

(5) Observe the condition: Because the patient has slow senses and lacks initiative, various complications often occur. Therefore, it is necessary to strengthen the observation of the condition and body so that the patient can be sent to the doctor as soon as possible.

(6) Patients with obvious psychiatric and behavioral symptoms, such as hallucinations, delusions, depression, anxiety, sleep disorders, impulsiveness, irritability, and anorexia, must go to a psychiatric hospital in a timely manner and seek help from professionals.

2. Is there any way to prevent Alzheimer’s disease?

(1) Adjust your lifestyle. The elderly should maintain good living habits, such as quitting smoking and limiting alcohol consumption, exercising regularly, eating healthily, and getting enough sleep; develop their own interests, maintain mental activities, read more, play chess, etc.; actively participate in social activities and keep a good mood.

(2) Manage psychosomatic diseases. The elderly should regularly monitor their blood pressure, blood sugar, blood lipids and weight, go to the hospital for regular physical examinations, and obtain medical advice on medication, treatment and rehabilitation. They should also pay timely attention to common diseases such as depression and insomnia in the elderly.

(3) Regularly evaluate the condition. The elderly should regularly evaluate their memory, emotions, and other aspects to dynamically understand changes in their brain function and prevent problems before they occur.

3. How can caregivers of Alzheimer’s disease manage their emotions ?

Alzheimer's disease is a progressive disease with a long course. When the disease develops to the late stage, the patient cannot take care of himself and needs comprehensive care from the caregiver. Long-term and heavy care will have a great impact on the caregiver's body and mind, and it is easy to produce fatigue, hurt, loss, tension, anxiety, depression and other negative emotions. The following suggestions can help caregivers relieve negative emotions:

(1) Understand the relevant knowledge and nursing skills of Alzheimer's disease, understand the patient's symptoms during the disease, and provide targeted care for the patient.

(2) Self-regulation helps deal with negative emotions and maintain an optimistic attitude.

(3) Face reality correctly and encourage yourself.

(4) Arrange time for self-care, keep in touch with friends and stay in touch with the outside world.

(5) Actively control your emotions, talk and express them appropriately, and release stress reasonably.

(6) Actively participate in recreational activities to relax and relieve negative emotions.