Demystifying Dementia

Dementia is not a single disease. It’s an umbrella term for a set of diseases and conditions characterized by a decline in memory, language and other thinking skills that impact everyday activities, including Alzheimer’s Disease. These diseases are caused by damage to the brain cells, which interferes with the ability of those cells to communicate with each other. The symptoms of dementia start slowly, but over time, they will get worse. Dementia is not the same for everyone; it ranges in severity from the mildest stage, when it is just beginning to affect a person’s functioning, to the most severe stage, when the person must depend on others for activities of daily living. It is important to note, while dementia is more common with advanced age, it is not a normal part of aging. Many people live into their 90s and beyond without any signs of dementia.

No treatments currently exist to stop dementia from progressing, although some may help manage symptoms. Some studies suggest that certain drugs may help manage certain symptoms and associated behavioral issues.

In addition, people living with dementia often receive rehabilitation services including physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech-language therapy. These therapies aim to maximize quality of life and communication success and maintain skills using a combination of compensatory and impairment-based approaches.

Constant Therapy has been shown to help people living with dementia maintain their cognitive and language skills longer than they would have without therapy.

One promising scientific study looked at brain rehabilitation therapy sessions with an elderly resident with moderate dementia who resided in a special care memory unit. This individual used Constant Therapy on an iPad to target cognitive-communicative issues. The clinician reported that the resident achieved a higher degree of functional recovery and superior quality of life than would have been possible with more traditional therapeutic approaches alone.