Within the Physical/Health aspect of the Wheel of Life, we went to one of the best-of-the-best for our neurological evaluation: Mayo Clinic. They concurred with what our wonderful family doctor had already implemented, the medications: Aricept and Namenda. In recent medical research these two medications together are considered to be the best defense against dementia that we currently have. They are not a cure. They delay the progression of dementia; and the current thinking is that the earlier they are started, the more effective they are. That is one reason it is so important to get good medical attention as soon as one is rightfully concerned.
Hypnosis: It was my daughter-in-law who called my attention to an article in the Prevention magazine citing research in England that has found hypnosis to be more effective for the behavioral aspects of dementia than the current medications. And we have found that to be so. We go about every 2 weeks (in the research from Liverpool the hypnosis was every week), and it has dramatically improved motivation and lessened anxiety. Cognitive lucidity is also improved, although this, of course, fluctuates.
Tomorrow: physical health for the caretaker/spouse.
No comments:
Post a Comment