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Diagnosed With Dementia, Short Term Memory Seems To Be Worsening. Suggestions?
Yes, I am worried sick about my sister; her doctor said that she has dementia but her short term memory is getting worse all time; she is forgetting how to cook for one thing; she had company over the weekend; theyleft to run into town and she forgot that they would be back and went to bed. she rremembers things that happened years ago when she was a child. Her doctor hasn't perscribed any medicine for alhermiers and her husband is just satting there waiting. she is 83 years old what should we do?
Fri, 14 Jun 2013
Hello,
Thanks for the query to H.C M. Forum.
83 years old, memory weak.
Old age in itself is a disease .
SENILE DEGENERATION is a type of disorder in which as age advance patient's memory diminishes.
This is natural process.
Bharamhi is an ayurvedic drug which increases the memory.
I have tried over many patient.
In my opinion there is no any need of tests .
Hope I have answered your question.
If further any question I will help.
Get well soon.
Dr. HET
Thanks for the query to H.C M. Forum.
83 years old, memory weak.
Old age in itself is a disease .
SENILE DEGENERATION is a type of disorder in which as age advance patient's memory diminishes.
This is natural process.
Bharamhi is an ayurvedic drug which increases the memory.
I have tried over many patient.
In my opinion there is no any need of tests .
Hope I have answered your question.
If further any question I will help.
Get well soon.
Dr. HET
I find this answer helpful
2 Doctors agree with this answer
Hi,
You have mentioned just dementia once and alzheimer's the next time. Because there are numerous causes for dementia which would determine the course this disease would take in the patient. Alzheimer's being one of the most common causes for dementia.
Firstly, the most important symptom of dementia is memory loss or forgetfulness. The rapidity or the rate at which this symptom progresses varies with the cause of the dementia. Recent memory is lost much earlier that remote memory and that is what you are seeing in your sister as well.
The management of dementia is multimodal, that is, it involves both drug therapy as well as non-pharmacological therapy. In the latter, to name a few, there are interventions like 'behavioral management' for any behavioral disturbances, 'cognitive retraining' to help the patient cope with deterioration of cognition i.e memory loss etc and 'psychoeducation' where the family members are explained all about the illness and what to expect from it. This is administered by a trained psychologist.
Drugs are used for mainly two reasons in dementia, one is for severe behavior disturbances that are not controlled from the above mentioned ways and another is to help improve the cognitive impairment. There are scientifically proven drugs approved for this condition like donepezil and memantine.
Kindly discuss with the qualified psychiatrist.
Hope this helps,
Dr Anjana rao
You have mentioned just dementia once and alzheimer's the next time. Because there are numerous causes for dementia which would determine the course this disease would take in the patient. Alzheimer's being one of the most common causes for dementia.
Firstly, the most important symptom of dementia is memory loss or forgetfulness. The rapidity or the rate at which this symptom progresses varies with the cause of the dementia. Recent memory is lost much earlier that remote memory and that is what you are seeing in your sister as well.
The management of dementia is multimodal, that is, it involves both drug therapy as well as non-pharmacological therapy. In the latter, to name a few, there are interventions like 'behavioral management' for any behavioral disturbances, 'cognitive retraining' to help the patient cope with deterioration of cognition i.e memory loss etc and 'psychoeducation' where the family members are explained all about the illness and what to expect from it. This is administered by a trained psychologist.
Drugs are used for mainly two reasons in dementia, one is for severe behavior disturbances that are not controlled from the above mentioned ways and another is to help improve the cognitive impairment. There are scientifically proven drugs approved for this condition like donepezil and memantine.
Kindly discuss with the qualified psychiatrist.
Hope this helps,
Dr Anjana rao
I find this answer helpful
1 user finds this helpful
2 Doctors agree with this answer
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