Simple interventions are making huge impact in treating dementia patients with memory loss at Hamad Medical Corporation’s (HMC) Memory Clinic.
Early diagnosis, medication monitoring and an integrated multidisciplinary approach to managing dementia is helping address the common associated symptoms of memory loss in the elderly, according to an expert.
According to the National Institute on Aging (NIA), Dementia is a brain disorder that affects communication and performance of daily activities and Alzheimer’s disease is a form of dementia that specifically affects the parts of the brain that control thought, memory and language.
“Alzheimer's is not a normal part of ageing, although the greatest known risk factor is increasing age, and the majority of people with Alzheimer's are 65 years and older. But Alzheimer's is not just a disease of old age. Up to 5 percent of people with the disease have early onset Alzheimer's (also known as younger-onset), which often appears when someone is in their 40s or 50s,” said Dr Maryam Al Obaidli, Consultant, Geriatrician, HMC.
“Alzheimer's is a progressive disease, where dementia symptoms gradually worsen over a number of years,” she said.
Currently, there is no known cure for Alzheimer's, however treatments for symptoms are available and research continues. Treatment can temporarily slow the worsening of dementia symptoms and improve quality of life for those with Alzheimer's and their caregivers.
Dr Al Obaidli highlighted how simple interventions being applied at the Memory Clinic in Rumailah Hospital have helped one of their patients, an 88 year old man diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2002. “The elderly patient is being regularly followed up in the Memory Clinic. His condition was managed with medications such as Donepezil and Memantine (drugs used to treat Alzheimer’s disease) and he was initially doing well.
However, his condition gradually declined over a 14-year period as indicated by his ‘Activities of Daily Living’ (ADL), and cognitive assessment scales.”
ADL is an important tool developed specifically for use with people with dementia, and is used in determining the diagnosis and in evaluating changes in a patient’s abilities.
The patient also developed behavioural problems and sleep disturbances. “It was decided to stop one of his medications which may have been contributing to his symptoms. His behavioural problems were addressed by starting him on an antidepressant. In addition to the pharmacological intervention, we arranged for professional input from multidisciplinary care teams, including home visits, to see if he needed any further adaptations at home,” she said.
Dr Al Obaidli said these interventions have had a huge impact on his clinical care and as a result on the health outcome. “In a follow-up clinic appointment, his challenging behavioural symptoms had significantly reduced. His sleep was much better. He had no incontinence anymore,” she added.
