It indeed can be a challenging time for anyone who’s suffering from a condition! Dementia is just like that.
In the UK, it’s considered one of the leading causes of death among older people. According to the reports in 2017, the Office for National Statistics stated that 1 out of 6 people above the age of 80 are diagnosed with dementia.
You’ll be surprised to know that the diagnosis cost for dementia in a patient can even exceed the combined price of cancer, heart disease, and stroke.
Further research is still being carried out to pinpoint the actual causes of dementia.
For now, researchers have found the following symptoms that might associate with dementia:
- Having troubles with language, and also forgetting the essential words of everyday use.
- The repetition of the same questions again and again.
- Unable to recognize familiar voices, places, and people.
- Lacking the ability in sensing time
- Lack sense of hygiene
- Not being able to identify situations that can be unsafe or vulnerable
- Being disorientated or cannot sense direction
But all these can be minimized just by having some changes in your lifestyle.
So this article will demonstrate all the nuts and bolts of what you can do if you have dementia.
1. Eating Healthy
Eating healthy is essential if you are aiming to have a good lifestyle. Staying healthy simply means putting extra care over your weight.
And you can do this by lowering the consumption of cholesterol and eating food that is rich in vitamins and nutrients. These food habits can indeed help you to maintain a good and healthy lifestyle.
Similarly, you need to cut off food rich in fat and contain a lot of chemicals and sweeteners. Also, avoid food that is overly processed.
Foods you can include in your diet are:
- Prunes, berries, and oranges (Fruits that are high in fiber and antioxidants)
- Broccoli, onions, spinach, and vegetables (high in antioxidants and nutrients)
- Olive oils (as these are low in fats and rich in Omega-3)
- Salmon, sardines, and tuna ( as these are high with good omegas)
2. Regular Exercises And Workouts
Exercising regularly can be one of the best ways you can think of staying healthy. By following a regular exercise routine, you can reduce the chances of developing dementia by 50%.
Moreover, people who are suffering from cognitive issues can eventually slow down any further deterioration. The best part of exercising is it builds a connection with the old and new neural.
Weekly 150 minutes of moderate exercise, including cardio and strength training, can be very effective. Swimming and brisk walking can also be included in these exercise sessions.
Especially those over the 50s can focus on yoga, weight training, and aerobics. But one thing that you need to keep in mind is that before you start your training and exercises, first consult with your doctor to advise you on the best ways you can begin.
3. Hearing Aids Might Come In Handy
In many cases, it has been found that dementia can lead to hearing conditions as well.
Many patients with dementia stated that at some point, they started to develop hearing issues which created a new series of problems in their regular lives.
Therefore, hearing devices can be one of the best solutions for this issue. Various kinds of models and versions can be very useful to many users.
Although, before you go on grabbing one for yourself, do consult an audiologist as he knows the best option for your case. Moreover, your audiologist also knows the types of exercise you can practice to help you recover from this as soon as possible!
3. Learn To Stay Stress-Free
Stress can be one of the reasons that can have a significant effect on dementia. Not only that, stress can also lead to insomnia and various other issues of sleeping disorders.
But there are ways by which you can keep yourself de-stressed. Here, in this section, I’ll talk about two of the most effective ways you can stay more relaxed and calm.
Take deep breaths
Deep breathing can indeed help you restore inner peace and eventually help you stay calmer and relaxed.
You can always go for a walk in the park, play with your pets, or you can also do yoga. All these activities will indeed help you stay more active and relaxed. Therefore, there are fewer chances of worsening dementia.
Do fun things
You must engage yourself in doing things that are more interesting and help you stay more mentally active.
For instance, reading can be one way you can keep your brain more active and stimulated.
Reading interesting novels, stories, or even jokes can surely be one of the best remedies to avoid negative thoughts and stressful situations. Never be someone very busy reading books.
4. Stay Socially Active
Staying isolated can never be a good option. This will only keep you frustrated and depressed.
So, if you want real peace, you should interact with people, share your ideas, opinions, and happy and sad moments.
All these can help you to stay away from dementia.
Especially if you are over 50, then social activities are one of the best ways to protect yourself from the threat of dementia.
Social activities might include:
- Go to the cinemas with a friend
- Attend a live music concert or any other shows
- Hangout with old friends and make new friends as well
- Go and take yoga classes or engage in other activities
- Always stay connected with family and relatives
5. Develop A New Skill
Developing a new skill can always be a great initiative in resisting your dementia issues. That’s not all; when you develop a new skill, your entire focus shifts on that skill. Therefore, you are actually resisting dementia to take you over.
For instance, you can learn to play a new instrument or learn a new language. Even sketching and painting can be excellent skills to start with.
In short, try to keep yourself productive as much as possible.
I hope this article will help you know what you can do if you have dementia.
