Why do old people go crazy - aggression in dementia

From this article you will learn:

Where do mental disorders come from in older people?
What types of mental disorders can occur in older people?
What are the symptoms of mental disorders
What treatment is used for reversible and irreversible mental disorders
How can you prevent mental changes?
How to care for an elderly person with mental disorders

A favorite of family, friends and colleagues, the 60-year-old elegant lady was congratulated on her anniversary. To the phrase “We wish you everything that life is rich in...”, she reacted like this: “I don’t expect anything, because what else can you find after 60, except Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s?” This approach is very wrong. Of course, older people are much more likely to be diagnosed with mental illness than older or younger people. Unfortunately, immunity to mental disorders does not exist. It is impossible to say with certainty who will be affected by this problem and who will avoid it. All you have to do is treat your elderly relatives and yourself with special attention, know the general signs of mental disorders in older people and seek medical attention in a timely manner.

Madness

With the wind, it would seem that everything is clear - these are the physical conditions of existence. If wind is a physical condition, then stress is a mental condition. People, especially in large cities, are constantly under pressure: work, personal and love relationships.

And in general, anything can undermine mental health. A person is under attack all the time. Psychological trauma awaits him at every turn. For example, Andrei Chikatilo began killing women because of his wife’s constant humiliation. Train drivers went crazy during their shifts and diverted the train past stations. And no one will ever say why this particular person failed. However, psychological trauma is too abstract a definition. Let's make it more specific.

Madness and love

Love not only saves, but also kills. People like love stories with a happy ending. True, life is not always so generous. This is evidenced by hundreds, thousands of teenagers who commit suicide because of unrequited love. In addition to unrequited love, there is jealousy, which, as we know, can be normal and pathological. If a woman is unlucky and comes across a jealous man, then there is only one recipe - to run away. Pathological owners, without calculating their strength, can easily kill the object of “love”. This kind of jealousy is madness.

Madness and genius

The roots of giftedness are in madness. The so-called normal person is the main product of civilization, and at the same time he is of little use to it, because he is not creatively endowed, he does not have any special qualities. But it turns out that being an ordinary unit of the human race is not so bad. At least a “normal person” can live to old age.

But you cannot envy genius, because it borders on insanity. In addition, people of art, as a rule, are finely organized and have a very mobile nervous system. Here, no proof is even required: many musicians and actors interrupted their lives and went into oblivion much ahead of schedule.

Madness and death

Death in its diverse manifestations. Some people's parents die and they can't stand the pain, while others' friends die. But the result is the same - madness, which expresses itself in suicide. Although this is not always the case, sometimes it is psychosis, including schizophrenia. The main thing is that a traumatic event forces a person to leave the rut of an established existence and fall into the darkness of madness.

How to avoid madness?

There are a few simple rules. No matter how bad it may be, we should not forget that, in addition to troubles and shocks, there is still the rest of life, which is full of interesting and exciting activities. Sometimes lack of sleep and bad habits help the disease take over a person.

Mental illnesses attack a person when he cannot correctly distribute periods of work and rest. The daily routine should be clearly structured. All these measures will help a person to be in shape and not be afraid of going crazy.

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Author: Psychologist Valentin Manukovsky

Where do mental disorders come from in older people?

There are people for whom old age suits them: their hair may be gray, but their eyes glow with peace and wisdom. Yes, the body of older people loses strength, bones become thinner, blood vessels become thin, slow blood circulation does not nourish the skin, it becomes dull and withers, muscles are not strong, and vision is not pleasing. But these people find strength in themselves and adapt to the changes that have occurred. Some do exercises to maintain muscle tone, others make it a rule to take daily walks in the fresh air and saturate the body with oxygen. There are many vitamin complexes for the health of older people. All the measures used are often aimed only at maintaining physical strength; we not only forget that the psyche requires increased support, but we don’t even realize.

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In old age, there is a process of decline in vital functions not only of the physical body, but also of mental strength. There are a few optimists among older people from whom we need to take an example. They maintain fortitude, control their will, are not afraid to change something in their lives, and encourage others. The majority resign themselves to the fading of their strength, their gaze is directed only back to the past, they do not want to see the future, pessimism evokes thoughts of death, of life without them, the strength of older people simply melts away with such thoughts. Constant anxiety provokes the emergence of mental disorders and mental health problems in general.

Mental illnesses of late age are divided into:

Reversible, which do not lead to dementia (they are also called involutional functional);
Irreversible, these are organic psychoses, they arise from a destructive process in the brain and can be accompanied by severe intellectual impairment.

Aggressive behavior in dementia

The development of dementia can lead to the appearance of aggression in the patient’s behavior, which manifests itself in a variety of forms: in an overly emotional reaction to words or events, in threats and insults, even in assault.

How to react?

Any manifestation of aggression, even if it does not involve physical harm, causes emotional damage to others. Learning to react correctly in such situations is a task of paramount importance. The first thing we can recommend is: DO NOT TAKE AGGRESSIVE ACTIONS AT YOUR OWN ACCOUNT. Even if outwardly they are directed at you, this is only because you happen to be nearby.

It is not the patient’s attitude towards you that changes, but his reaction to the world around him as a whole.

How to help aging parents (and not go crazy)

And the patient is unable to control these reactions, since they are associated with irreversible changes in his brain.

Of course, the ability to calmly respond to aggression and take control of the situation cannot happen right away. It will come with experience and effort. But a few well-known techniques won’t hurt for the first time.

At the moment of aggression:

If you think through and rehearse your response in advance, aggression will not take you by surprise.
If, nevertheless, the aggression of a loved one was unexpected for you, do not give in to the first impulse. A well-known technique works well: take a deep breath, step away from the patient and count to ten. This will give both you and him the opportunity to calm down.
Any emotional response will only make the situation worse. Don’t get into a fight, try to control yourself and maintain composure.
Try to demonstrate your friendliness.
Show that you understand his condition, see that he is feeling bad, and are ready to help.
Instead of a “symmetrical” response, try to divert the patient’s attention from the situation that caused the aggression. Since attentional control is weakened in dementia, the likelihood of a successful maneuver is very high.
If the patient is overwhelmed by a wave of negative emotions, it is not the best solution to try to lock him up or limit his mobility. This will further inflame the situation.

After aggression:

The most senseless act would be to punish the patient, for example, demonstrating dissatisfaction or refusing to communicate. Most likely, he has already forgotten about what happened and simply will not understand the reasons for the changed attitude. Try to act as if nothing happened.
If you have recurring episodes of anger that are of serious concern to you, contact a psychiatrist.
Pharmacological interventions are not the best solution for patients with cognitive disorders. Sedatives suppress aggressive behavior, but do not solve the problem that provokes it. In addition, they aggravate some symptoms, negatively affecting clarity of consciousness. If there is no other way, the doctor will prescribe medications, but in the future it makes sense to flexibly adjust the treatment, replacing pills with more gentle methods.

How to identify the cause of aggression

Try to compare the situations that precede the manifestation of aggression. Perhaps it will be possible to discover commonalities. If you don't get it right away, try taking notes, which will then help you identify a pattern. To make things easier, check out the list of typical causes of aggressive behavior.

The patient shows aggression if:

he experiences fear or stress from the inability to perform usual actions. Awareness of one's inability to work with the same efficiency leads to internal conflict, which manifests itself in aggressive behavior.
he is aware of the loss of independence and the loss of privacy in his personal life. The patient is forced to accept help in the most intimate procedures, which causes stress and attacks on others.
he feels the concern of loved ones, their dissatisfaction with the mistakes and mistakes made when performing everyday tasks, and becomes infected with negative emotion.
he becomes restless in a noisy, crowded place (for example, when guests arrive) or when he cannot find his way. Staying in what seems to be a new place with unfamiliar people causes the patient to become excessively nervous and can give rise to aggression.
he experiences physical discomfort (for example, thirst), feels pain, or is simply tired.

Aggression can also be explained by the patient’s loss of self-control and ideas about the rules of behavior in society.

The sooner the causes of aggression are revealed, the faster and more successfully you will learn to prevent its manifestations.

If the cause of aggression is established, it becomes possible to minimize its impact on the patient and avoid undesirable consequences.

How to prevent aggression

If the patient cannot cope with usual activities or does them very slowly, accept it. To treat this calmly, you just need to come to terms with it. If you are simply trying to hide your dissatisfaction, it will sooner or later manifest itself and cause a negative response.

Know that the patient's perception changes due to illness. Things that are obvious to you are not at all obvious to him. Explain your intentions to the patient and give him time to think. He now needs much more time than before.

The assistance provided must be sensitive. Otherwise, she offends and is perceived with hostility.

Criticizing the patient’s actions is another way to not only waste time, but also cause aggression. It is better to avoid situations that doom the patient to make a mistake. And if this happens, do not let your bitterness show itself.

Monitor the emergence of the first signs of hostility (severe anxiety, restlessness). In this case, urgently try to calm the patient down and distract him with his favorite activity.

Make sure that the patient regularly sees a doctor to prevent chronic illnesses. Constant illness can also result in aggression.

If you cannot find the cause of aggression on your own, consult a psychiatrist.

Even if you convince yourself not to react to challenging behavior, its manifestations negatively affect your condition: they create nervousness, tire you, and devastate you. Therefore, it is necessary to take care of recovery both immediately after the incident and in the long term.

Choosing to bottle up your emotions can only bring you harm. It’s better to try to express what’s painful. And if you couldn’t stand it and broke down, you shouldn’t torment yourself with remorse. Don't forget that you live in a state of stress. Chat with friends, share your experiences with them.

How to communicate with patients

People diagnosed with dementia find it very difficult to communicate. They are capricious and offended. Often, they experience persecution syndrome: it seems to them that those around them want to rob them, poison them, or take away their property.

Doctors recommend following the following rules for communicating with patients :

Maintain patience and calm . The patient should be treated like a child: help to perform basic actions, explain what can and cannot be done.
It makes no sense to scold a person ; he still does not accept criticism.
Create a positive atmosphere . Favorite films, interior items, photographs will help with this.
Patiently, without irritation, listen to the patient's stories , even if it is complete nonsense.
Show interest . Deterioration of the condition can be provoked by rudeness from others and everyday inconveniences. It is necessary to analyze the situation and eliminate provoking factors in a timely manner.
Help a person maintain hygiene : wash, change into clean clothes, change bed linen. Being clean, the patient feels much better and shows less negativity.
If the patient is unable to eat on his own, spoon feed .

Cynicism and Alzheimer's disease. Why do inappropriate people tend to go crazy in their later years?

Littleone 2009-2012 > All about children > About babies under one year old > How to calm grandma’s nerves?

View full version: How to calm grandma's nerves?

My mother periodically comes to us from another city to help me with the children, the eldest goes to kindergarten but, like many, he is sick, that is, he sits at home) my grandmother is trying to introduce her own order, that is, no cartoons, only educational games, etc. this is all, of course, very good, but I see that when playing with a child, the grandmother very often cannot restrain her emotions and gets nervous if her grandson does something not the way she wants, she starts making him scream and so on, while I am with the youngest in the other room, as soon as I arrive right away everything is in order, now I send her for a walk with the younger one so that her nerves calm down and dissipate, but she walks for 2 hours and the rest of the time at home, I put the older one to bed because the grandmother says that she can’t handle it, that is, her help is only to take the younger one for a walk at the moment, I’m certainly glad for any help, but apart from hassle, I don’t get anything yet because I’m getting worked up by my grandmother’s shouting at my elder, in the summer we’ll go to the sea for 1.5 months, so I don’t know if I should hang myself in advance or what? :)) Grandma wants too much from a 3 year old child. Our child is self-sufficient and does not need 24-hour care and can play quietly alone, draw and just sit and dream, just support or express your opinion

Should I talk to my grandmother and explain that she is wrong and that this is not the way to communicate with a child?

Should I talk to my grandmother and explain that she is wrong and that this is not the way to communicate with a child? Grandma is offended and says that I’m not grateful and don’t appreciate her help, although I cope quite well with two children

I think grandma only wants good things... but I would refuse such help because... all your emotions are passed on to the children...

I was glad for any help, but when my mother arrived for two months, in the end I realized that it was easier for me alone - there were less nerves. I know it’s bad to say that, but that’s how it is. Mom’s help consisted mainly in the fact that when we were walking together, I or she could go to the store for groceries, my mother also helped a lot with cooking, I could go on business to the residential complex, social services, etc. Mom helped a lot, but after two weeks began to constantly criticize my husband. As a result, I was tired of listening to criticism, afraid of taking it out on my husband. Now my daughter has matured, it has become easier to cope.

13.04.2010, 14:58

Maybe you should try to explain to your grandmother that “there will be no price” for her help if she does only what you ask... otherwise it turns out not to be help, but to “strain yourself”, rather than later being ungrateful, etc. I, of course, have slightly different conditions - one child (with two, of course, everything is more complicated), but we live together and there is no “hiding” from this help. And a heart-to-heart conversation is enough for a week at most...

13.04.2010, 15:41

Ugh... a sore blister!!!!! I refused any help, I can cope better alone with 2 children! We also live together, but we can get away with it :)) With my eldest daughter, I didn’t refuse help (even asked) and received humiliation in response, that “you’re wandering around, and I’m sitting with your child”:010: or “you’ll be lost without me !” It didn't disappear, apparently. Now my mother herself is asking to help, but I politely and firmly turn him down - these are my children and I will raise them myself, and if I want help, I’ll hire a nanny for money, so that no one will tell me later :005:

Personally, I removed all relatives from raising and helping me with the children - only my husband and I deal with them - life immediately became easier. I accept help only in everyday matters - ironing, cooking, cleaning - and then only on my mother’s territory - she is already used to it and is not offended

In general, the rule is simple: if you don’t like it, don’t eat it. If they help, say thank you. If you are dissatisfied, refuse. Also raising my grandmother...

I think we really need to sit down and talk calmly. Explain that you really appreciate your mother’s help, but your grandson gets very upset when his grandmother yells at him.

In general, the rule is simple: if you don’t like it, don’t eat it. If they help, say thank you. If you are dissatisfied, refuse. Also raising my grandmother...

Yes, our grandmother periodically needs to be educated, otherwise she doesn’t know boundaries and norms and interferes where she shouldn’t, I can’t refuse since my grandmother comes of her own free will and I can’t forbid her to come since it’s her right to see her grandchildren, she’s just going overboard in her help stick, I always thank her for her help

13.04.2010, 18:24

I have everyone standing at attention, if they want to spend time with the child, then we play by my rules! Only I or my husband can raise my voice to a child.

thundercloud

13.04.2010, 18:45

I have everyone standing at attention, if they want to spend time with the child, then we play by my rules! Only I or my husband can raise my voice to a child.

+many...those who don’t like it may not come:004:...well, in fact, these are YOUR children and you and only you have the right to determine the policy of the party...you need to talk to your mother not in a pleading way, but in a way of stating a fact - “me I’m not happy with the format of the help”...

so I talked to her and she just gets offended

YulkaMan

13.04.2010, 20:37

A case from the category of eternal conflicts between fathers and children. Personally, I would not conduct the conversation in an orderly or aggressive manner, as is advised here. Sooner or later you will find yourself in the same place, and your good help may also be sent away. Conduct the conversation calmly, softly and without nerves if you want to be heard and understood. If they don’t hear, well, be patient. You can’t escape grandma anyway. I am lucky in this regard; I have very sensitive parents and mother-in-law. They do everything the way I want.

I'm talking, I'm confusing words

A single mother is a kind of collective folklore image, about which there are enough myths. Moreover, the concept of “single mother” is much broader than the usual combination “Single mother”, because women after divorce and widows also fall into this category. Let's talk about how society sees them, and what a single mother really is. Myth 1. A single mother (OM) is an unhappy, tortured creature with a deep inferiority complex, who only thinks about somewhere to rest her head and cry to her heart’s content about her sad lot. I am afraid that this is the most common myth: I have come across this point of view most often. True, a couple of my OM acquaintances clearly illustrate this myth: they always walk around unhappy, unkempt, and always speak in the manner of: “It’s good for you, but I...”. It’s easy to find reasons to complain about life; you don’t have to be an OM for this. But I still have many more OM acquaintances who believe that there are reasons for happiness in any situation. Myth 2. They become consciously OM out of despair, when the biological clock keeps ticking and ticking, and the opportunity to start a family is less and less, “so that there is someone to give a glass of water in their old age.” Perhaps some small percentage of such desperate women who decide to give birth “for themselves” exists, but it is small. Basically, women give birth out of love, or at least affection, and then remain alone for various reasons, but not from the first sperm donor they come across, just so as not to while away old age alone. Myth 3. OMs are hunters of other people’s husbands, they only think about who to take away from the family, and on pain of the collapse of their own family, it is better to exclude all divorcees and single mothers from their friends. Honestly, once after a divorce I heard such a point of view... from a friend. That, they say, I am now included in the category of “dangerous to her family happiness.” And that her mother taught her almost from childhood: there should be no unmarried friends among your friends, and especially no divorcees with children! But, apparently, this point of view was not just an oddity of my friend, because after the divorce, several more acquaintances stopped inviting me to visit: “nothing personal, but... Since you can no longer maintain the “family format of communication,” then probably in our company You'll feel a little awkward. Or lonely." Myth 4. OM has given up on her personal life - and only lives for the sake of the child, having ceased to be a woman. In my opinion, this is absolute nonsense. They put a cross on themselves not because of the presence/absence of children/husband, but because of the internal aggregate state, because of the lack of desire to live, because of an inferiority complex - but not because there is no husband, there is a child and he needs to be raised. Myth 5 . OM - bitches or ugly, or with a bad character, or even both at once. Because since no one was flattered by them in terms of asking them to marry, it means that there is some serious defect in them. It never occurs to anyone that the defect, on the contrary, could be hidden in those who proposed to them at one stage or another to get married. And that in many cases it is much better to remain alone than to accept an offer from a man who is not suitable for certain qualities. Myth 6 . OM are fools. Because no sane woman would give birth without a man. Oh, I'll bet, I'll bet. My friend, a single mother, sometimes listened with such sincere sympathy to yet another story of married friends about their “goats”, and then sighed with such relief that she herself was spared from such “stories” that a suspicion creeped in: she was the one in the company the smartest. In addition, you can find yourself alone with a child even if you were initially married - for example, as a result of divorce or an accident, from which, alas, no one is insured. Myth 7 . It is incredibly difficult for OM to remarry, because no one needs women with children: no one needs a “used” product, and even “with a trailer.” In pre-Christian Rus', it was quite easy for a woman with a child to find a new husband: by her child they judged that she was healthy, her reproductive function was in perfect order - which means that with a high degree of probability she would give birth to healthy offspring for her new husband. The concept of “purity” came later - and still wanders from generation to generation. Personally, my friends and I have never had to deal with the fact that the presence of children alienated a potential candidate for husband. Although I admit that such not quite adequate people exist in nature. Myth 8. OM are beggars, counting pennies of children's social benefits and living on one subsidy from the state. Well, they also collect bottles to replenish the budget. Anyone who thinks so has definitely never tried to live on subsidies and benefits from the state. I’ll tell you a secret: this is basically impossible. Although there were quite a lot of people who, after the divorce, told me: well, are you entitled to some kind of compensation from the state? Child benefit? A subsidy for an apartment, after all? And every time I had to upset them: I am not entitled to benefits, because... I am not a single mother, and the child has a father, and even if the father died, I still would not be considered a single mother, and would receive a survivor’s pension. And this is how I receive alimony - if I receive it at all. I am also not automatically entitled to a subsidy: its availability depends on the size of my total income, which includes alimony. So, usually women still work, much more intensively than married women, to feed themselves and their children. Although I personally know one single mother who receives such alimony that she may not work at all until her child reaches adulthood. Myth 9. OMs are so busy making money that the child is necessarily abandoned: either sitting at home alone, or left with grandparents/other relatives, or even complete strangers, such as girlfriends and neighbors. If this were so, it would be very sad. But the working day ends sooner or later, and a single working mother pays no less attention to her child than just a working mother who comes home in the evening. In addition, work schedules are different, and, in principle, do not depend on the presence or absence of husbands. I personally know several single mothers who earn money from home work and spend much more time with their children than their married friends. Myth 10. OMs will definitely raise a mentally disabled person out of their child, because only in a complete family can one raise a full-fledged personality. In fact, it has long been proven that it is better for a child to grow and develop in a complete family. But if we compare an intact family, in which there are constant conflicts between father and mother, in which the father is inadequate, aggressive or simply does not take any part in raising the children, and a family in which the father is absent, then in terms of its long-term psychological consequences for the child, an incomplete family is much better a family with a comfortable, calm, benevolent environment, where most often the role of a male role model is taken by the mother’s closest relative: grandfather, uncle, sister’s husband. Myth 11. It is better for employers not to have any business with OM - because Whenever possible, they take sick leave, or ask for time off to attend matinees and parent-teacher meetings. And firing them is quite problematic. Unfortunately, I myself encountered a similar opinion from my employer when I left a reliable state-owned enterprise for private business. My married co-worker with a child asked for time off much more often than I did, but every time I needed to go to a matinee (I didn’t go on sick leave at all - my mother was with the child at that time), the employer sighed: “Well, of course, again... Well, I swore off I hire single moms!” And, by the way, when I was fired, big problems arose not with him, but with me because of my illiteracy in this area. Myth 12. All OMs are hysterical and nervous, they rush at people for any reason: from a lack of male attention and from a hard life. Here, perhaps, the myth-makers confuse cause and effect: they rush at people not because they are lonely, but they remain alone because they rush. How many nervous married people are there?! It’s impossible to count: often they have just a personal “irritant” always at hand, unlike a lonely woman who is her own mistress and always plans her life, without adjusting to anyone. Myth 13 . All OMs dream of sex - no matter with whom, where or how - as long as it’s sex. It’s a strange point of view, but I myself have heard it more than once... from male acquaintances. When they found out that I was currently single. They even asked somewhat sympathetically: what, perhaps there is not enough male attention and affection? To which I always had a ready answer: if I am still not married again, this does not mean that I am lonely. I just now choose my next husband candidate more carefully. But just for good sex, finding a candidate is not a problem at all, and the presence or absence of a child has nothing to do with it.

Bondar Yulia

https://deti.mail.ru/family/mify_ob_odinokoj_mame/

Symptoms of fainting, falling in old people and their diagnosis

With immobility

The problem of instability and its result - dizziness, falls and fainting - also merge. Dizziness can last from a few seconds or minutes to weeks. Short episodes are often associated with a disorder in the vertebrobasilar region, with cervical osteochondrosis. They often appear when the body position changes.

Increased dizziness

or their appearance can also be associated with dehydration, antihypertensive therapy, and the use of antidepressants and antiparkinsonian drugs. Long-term episodes may be the result of disorders of the vestibular apparatus and this requires a special ENT-neurological examination.

Fainting

(
syncope
) is a sudden, transient loss of consciousness, sensation, and positional control. This is not a disease, but a symptom of many diseases. In 33% of cases, fainting recurs. They do not increase mortality, but are associated with physical impotence and decreased functional ability. Syncope is the result of inadequate delivery of oxygen or metabolic substrates to the brain, but may also be a consequence of disorganization of electrical activity in the brain.

The main causes of loss of consciousness are syncope

I. Hypotension

: Vasomotor instability, orthostatic and afternoon hypotension are common in 20-30% of non-hospitalized elderly people. When standing up, systolic pressure drops by 20 mmHg or more. Even if the condition is asymptomatic, hypotension is a serious risk factor for syncope and falls. Defecation, cough, difficulty swallowing, vasovagal reflex, taking medications are also causes of syncope in this group.

Why do people go crazy

Metabolic disorders

: hyponatremia, hypoxemia, hypoglycemia.

III. Diseases of the cardiovascular system

: 1. anatomical defects: aortic stenosis, myxoma, hypertrophic myocardiopathy 2. myocardial diseases: ischemic heart disease, cardiomyopathies. 3. arrhythmias: tachyarrhythmia, bradyarrhythmia, heart block, sinus node weakness. IV. Cerebral disorders: vascular insufficiency, apoplexy. V. Embolism of the branches of the pulmonary artery.

Often the reason

not alone. It is important to identify them, and if this fails, to treat potentially predisposing causes. For example, treating anemia, getting out of bed slowly, adjusting the timing of taking antihypertensive drugs, eating small meals and even lying down in the afternoon. Avoid straining during bowel movements and taking laxatives.

Elderly falls

With syncope

The problem of frequent falls in people over 65 years of age is associated with a serious and fatal problem. In 25% of cases, the reasons for hospitalization are related to falls. Of these, 35% of patients are over 70 years of age. In 5-10% of falls lead to fractures, and every sixth fracture is the cause of death. 10% of patients require treatment after a fall, 90% cope on their own, but fear and mental anxiety remain, dependence grows, 40% after injuries require special care in a nursing home.

40% of hospitalizations in older patients are due to functional damage after a fall. Thus, the negative physical, psychological and social consequences of falling are very great.

Fall Prevention

this is a complete clinical examination to identify both obvious pathology, for example, arrhythmia, neurological defects, pathology of the lower extremities, and hidden pathology

Why do older people talk?

The human brain ages along with the body.
Many older people manage to maintain clarity of mind until their death, but not all. A significant proportion of old people experience a decline in intelligence and memory. Signs of dementia begin to appear in 10% of people after age 70 and in 50% after age 80. The work of the brain is affected by the negative consequences of various diseases accumulated throughout life. People begin to talk due to memory loss. The first signs of partial amnesia may appear in capable people.

A person loses the ability to build a logical sequence of words in a sentence. He forgets words, swaps syllables. Awareness by older people of the onset of the process of developing dementia causes them to develop depression. As senile insanity develops, communication skills decrease and self-preservation instincts become dulled.

A person becomes dangerous to himself. It requires constant monitoring and special care, which depends on the stage of development of dementia.

Tactics when a person loses consciousness - emergency care

- Read more "

Symptoms of urinary and fecal incontinence in old people and their diagnosis"

Contents of the topic “Gerontology”:

Symptoms of dementia in the elderly and its diagnosis
Symptoms of diabetes in old people and its diagnosis
Symptoms of thyroid diseases in the elderly and their diagnosis
Symptoms of fainting, falling in old people and their diagnosis
Symptoms of urinary and fecal incontinence in old people and their diagnosis
Peculiarities of prescribing medications to old people - recommendations
Problems, goals and objectives of plastic (reconstructive) surgery
Stages of wound healing and closure
Substrate phase
Proliferative phase of wound healing

home

The treatment of dementia depends on diagnosis, during which the cause of the disease can be determined. Among the various types of this disease, there are those in which the impairment of cognitive functions can be reversible. By correcting your diet and lifestyle, you can achieve, if not a cure for the disease, then a reduction in the manifestations of the disease. An example is atherosclerotic or alcoholic dementia.

How mental disorder manifests itself: symptoms in older people

Involutional (reversible) disorders

A huge responsibility in recognizing mental disorders in older people lies with local therapists. Patients come with psychosomatic disorders, somatic complaints are often of an uncertain nature. The doctor needs to recognize hidden depressive disorders. Such as: tinnitus, heaviness in the head, dizziness, increased fatigue, staggering when walking, irritability, tearfulness, insomnia. Patients with mental disorders are prescribed outpatient treatment.

Great attention should be paid to the signs of depression; it is a symptom of many mental illnesses.

Organic disorders

These diseases are characterized by failure of mental functions and memory.

Early signs of dementia include disorientation in time and space, absent-mindedness, and forgetfulness. Memories from the past dominate, although this is natural for old age. In this regard, one must pay attention to unrealistic additions, delusions and hallucinations.

Elderly people with mental disorders get lost, forget their address and telephone number, and sometimes do not remember their name.

Mental disorders often lead to speech impairment. The vocabulary melts away, phrases are constructed meaninglessly, then only sounds remain.

In advanced stages, people with dementia are dependent on their caregivers. They cannot move or eat on their own. Such patients with mental disorders are monitored for 24 hours.

Unfortunately, dementia cannot be cured. Although, if at the first signs you consult a doctor for a diagnosis and appropriate treatment, you can slow down the development of mental illness and make the life of the elderly patient and those around him easier.

Drugs to treat dementia

Cholinesterase inhibitors - these substances prevent the breakdown of acetylcholine, which is necessary for mental activity. Dementia tablets of this group help normalize its level, which has a positive effect on memory processes. The most well-known drugs for senile dementia in this group are Donezil, Galantamine, Rivastigmine.
Memantine is an antagonist to glutamate, the excess of which destroys brain cells. The use of this medicine for insanity helps to improve the patient's condition.

These medications cannot cure the disease, but they can help prevent the development of stroke, a dangerous pathology that can lead to brain damage. In case of intolerance or ineffectiveness, Cerebrolysin can be prescribed - its use improves cognitive abilities and the general condition of patients, especially since this drug for dementia is well tolerated by patients.

However, there are other directions in the treatment of dementia. Among them, a noteworthy version concerns the delivery of oxygen and glucose to brain cells, necessary to ensure normal functioning. For this purpose, the anti-dementia drug Actovegin is used in clinical practice. In dementia, it can improve cognitive processes. The basis of its pharmacological effect is its effect on intracellular metabolism.

The most important part of therapy for dementia is the correction of behavioral disorders.

Antidepressants for dementia are prescribed to combat apathy, fear and anxiety. Often the patient is bothered by sleep disturbances. Prescription of drugs (Sertraline, Fluoxetine) may be accompanied by side effects that are poorly tolerated by older people. One of the most effective medications today is chlorprothixene. In dementia, it is prescribed for depression, which is accompanied by anxiety and tension.
Neuroleptics for dementia can alleviate the neurotic and psychopathic conditions of the patient, but can intensify the manifestations of dementia. As a rule, they are prescribed for sleep disorders and irritability. For delusional states, hallucinations and aggression, haloperidol is prescribed for dementia. However, when using them, the development of side effects (salivation, trembling of hands, head, muscle stiffness) cannot be ruled out. In addition, studies have shown that drugs used to treat senile dementia increase the risk of death.
Patients often experience psychomotor agitation, which can be caused by either depression or psychosis, although agitation can also be caused by pain or infection. An atypical antipsychotic drug is quetiapine for dementia. Indications for its use include mood disorders, depression, insomnia, aggression, etc.
Sleep disorders in patients are quite common. But you shouldn’t abuse sleeping pills if you have dementia. If you have to resort to medication for sleep correction, then it is better to choose the latest generation medications that provide quality sleep, a minimum of side effects and the absence of addiction.

Any medication, even a seemingly harmless one, should be used only with the permission of the attending physician. Before prescribing, it is necessary to undergo a thorough diagnosis. You should know that drugs for dementia, which are very effective in one type of disease, will not necessarily have a similar therapeutic effect in another form. But only an experienced specialist can determine this. In addition, you should refrain from abusing medications. As a rule, the disease develops in older patients. At the same time, medications should be prescribed very carefully - often patients in this age category have a whole “bouquet” of diseases. The risk of side effects is not always worth it.

Along with drug therapy, supportive measures are necessary. A stable daily routine, regular meals, walks in the fresh air - these simple activities give a sick person a feeling of stability. Benevolence and tolerance are allies in the fight against this formidable disease. And although it is not always possible to overcome this disease, it is quite possible to slow down its further progression by reducing its manifestations.

What are organic mental disorders in older people?

, organic personality and behavior disorders occur These are serious, irreversible diseases. More often this happens in adulthood.

Dementia does not occur suddenly; the development of a mental disorder occurs slowly, from minor manifestations to a severe deterioration in mental state . Dementia can cause two types of disease: total and lacunar. Total speaks for itself: it is a complete defeat of all body systems. An elderly patient loses his personality, does not understand who he is, does not retain information, is helpless and inadequate. Lacunar dementia is characterized by milder losses: memory is lost, but partially, the person does not lose his “I”.

Degenerative dementia is represented by such organic mental diseases as Alzheimer's disease, Pick's disease and senile dementia.

1) Senile dementia

With this mental disorder, there is a complete (total) loss of intellectual capabilities. The patient's behavior is unpleasant: constant irritation, grumbling, suspicion. Memory fails, and what happened is clearly remembered for a long time, but the events of yesterday are erased. Interestingly, the gaps are subsequently filled in by fantasies, which causes delusions. Mood swings, inappropriate behavior of an elderly person, a complete lack of analysis, no prediction of actions. The patient pours hot tea on the floor and brings an empty mug to his mouth, expecting a cold drink. Instincts manifest themselves frighteningly clearly: either a complete loss of appetite, or overeating with impossible satisfaction of hunger. Sexual instincts increase sharply.

What can be done to help a patient with senile dementia? Only with patient care. There is no cure for this mental illness.