Cómo hablar con pacientes con demencia

Muchos ancianos sufren de demencia. Los síntomas de la demencia incluyen con frecuencia el olvido, dificultad para comunicarse y la confusión de los acontecimientos, lugares y personas. Los pacientes con demencia pueden olvidar tareas básicas, como lavarse los dientes, y pueden experimentar cambios significativos del estado de ánimo. La demencia puede ser igual de frustrante para el paciente  como para el cuidador. Comunicarse con un paciente con demencia no es una tarea fácil, pero ciertas estrategias de comunicación pueden aumentar la eficacia y reducir el estrés en ambos lados.

Minimiza las distracciones antes de hablar con un paciente con demencia. Las distracciones pueden incluir la televisión, un perro ladrando o incluso una ventana abierta en una calle ruidosa. A medida que el cerebro envejece, las habilidades de enfoque y de procesamiento disminuyen. La eliminación de las distracciones hace más fácil que el paciente preste atención a lo que se está diciendo.

Repite el presente. Antes de explicar a la abuela Maria que la llevan a la oficina del médico, identifícate como su nieta y explica tu posición actual. Da tiempo a dejar que resuenen los conceptos antes de continuar explicando que el médico la va a ayudar con su cadera dolorosa.

Utiliza frases cortas y concisas hablando en un tono tranquilo y amable. Lee el lenguaje corporal del paciente para confirmar su comprensión antes de seguir hablando. Incluso si el paciente no puede entender lo que se está diciendo, escuchar tu tono de enojo o frustración puede ser muy estresante y molesto.

Repite tu pregunta o afirmación o los nombres propios de las personas involucradas, con una redacción diferente. Por ejemplo, en lugar de decir "Tú y yo vamos a encontrarnos con tu hermano en la tienda, y después viajaras a casa en su coche." Di, "Tú y [su nombre] se van a encontrar con tu hermano Jorge en la tienda. Después de salir de la tienda, tu hermano Jorge te llevará a casa."

Haz preguntas de una manera que permita que el paciente responda "sí" o "no". Si hay varias partes de una pregunta, divídelo en partes más pequeñas y dí al paciente una pregunta a la vez.

Si deseas leer más artículos parecidos a cómo hablar con pacientes con demencia, te recomendamos que entres en nuestra categoría de La demencia y la perdida de memoria. 

 

 

• Fomenta la comunicación efectiva entre el paciente y su familia inmediata, proporcionando consejos útiles.
• Pacientes ancianos con demencia pueden sentirse impotente y resentidos de su condición. Evita que el paciente se sienta tonto o "loco". Siempre trata al paciente con el mayor respeto y dignidad.
• El médico le aconsejará en la mejor forma de comunicarse con un anciano con demencia. Un logopeda también puede ayudarle.

 http://salud.uncomo.com/articulo/como-hablar-con-pacientes-con-demencia-1334.html#ixzz2Ufdy3RKn

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Nuevamente gracias a todos los que de una manera se pasaron por este rincón de la web

¿Por qué la gente no recuerda sus primeros años de vida?

La razón por la que cuesta recordar los primeros años de vida se debe a los altos niveles de producción de neuronas durante esa época. Esta es la conclusión a la que llegaron científicos en Canadá.
Los doctores Paul Frankland y Sheena Josselyn, del Hospital para Niños Enfermos en Toronto y la Universidad de Toronto, querían saber cómo el proceso de generación de nuevas neuronas influía en el almacenamiento de memoria.
La formación de nuevas células cerebrales aumenta la capacidad para aprender, pero también limpia la mente de viejos recuerdos. Este descubrimiento fue presentado ante la Asociación Canadiense de Neurociencia.
Una experta de la City University de Londres, la doctora Bettina Foster, considera que el estudio hecho en ratones pone en entredicho algunas teorías psicológicas. La neurogénesis, o formación de neuronas nuevas en el hipocampo, que es una región en el cerebro conocida por su importancia para el aprendizaje y el recuerdo, alcanza sus picos antes y después del nacimiento. Luego disminuye constantemente durante la niñez y adultez. Para esta investigación de laboratorio, los especialistas utilizaron ratones viejos y jóvenes.
En los animales adultos, el equipo descubrió que aumentando la neurogénesis después de la formación de la memoria era suficiente para olvidar.
En los ratones infantes, los científicos hallaron que disminuyendo la neurogénesis después de la formación de la memoria significó que el olvido, que normalmente ocurre a esta edad, no ocurrió.
El estudio sugiere un vínculo directo entre la reducción en el crecimiento de neuronas y el aumento de los recuerdos.
Al mismo tiempo comprobaron que lo inverso también es cierto. Esto quiere decir, que la habilidad de recordar disminuye cuando la neurogénesis aumenta, tal y como ocurre durante la infancia.
Los especialistas dijeron que el trabajo ofrece una explicación para la ausencia de recuerdos de la niñez temprana, conocida como amnesia infantil.
Estudios anteriores han demostrado que si bien los niños pequeños pueden recordar eventos a corto plazo, esta memoria no persiste.
El doctor Paul Frankland, experto en neurociencia y salud mental, dijo que durante muchos años la razón por la cual existe la amnesia infantil ha sido un misterio.
“Creemos que nuestro nuevo estudio empiezan a explicar por qué no tenemos memoria de nuestro primeros años. Antes de los 4 o 5 años tenemos un hipocampo muy dinámico que no puede almacenar información de forma estable”.
“En la medida que se generan neuronas nuevas, la memoria puede verse comprometida en ese proceso”, agregó el especialista.
Por su parte la doctora Foster, de la unidad de investigación para la neurociencia cognitiva de la City University en Londres, considera que “este es un estudio muy interesante y elegantemente ejecutado que muestra la relación directa entre la neurogénesis y la formación de memoria”.
Sin embargo, la experta acota: “Estos resultados cuestionan el asumido vínculo entre el desarrollo verbal y la amnesia infantil, y pone en entredicho algunas teorías psicológicas y psicoterapéuticas sobre el tema”

http://unvrso.ec/00079RM

ALZHEIMER ES CAUSADO POR INSUFICIENCIA DE INSULINA

 sin contrastar ¡¡¡ ...

Hoy en televisión se presentaron 2 investigadores médicos que han estado estudiando el cerebro en personas con Alzhaimer, encontraron que el "Alzhaimer es una diabetes cerebral",  por lo tanto lo que necesitan los pacientes de Alzhaimer es "Insulina".

"La insuficiencia de insulina es una de las causas mas importantes en esta enfermedad." También explicaron que con este descubrimiento se puede revertir el proceso a través de darle al cerebro la insulina que necesita y una dieta sana... luego les explico sobre la dieta...  

Y más interesante que mi madre que ha desarrollado esta enfermedad ahora tiene muchos antojos de helados, pastas, chocolates, muchos alimentos ricos en azucares o que al ingerirlos se convierten en azúcares en el organismo.   Años atrás ella casi no los comía porque no le gustaba.  ¡Interesante!

Y que es lo que produce que el cerebro se afecte con esta diabetes cerebral... "comidas procesadas con "nitratos" ... en la mayoría de los alimentos procesados se utiliza el "nitrato de sodio y otros nitratos. Normalmente no aparece en las etiquetas pues lo han utilizado por muchos años y según dicen sin peligro.

Que comidas hay que evitar sobre todo:

-Carnes ahumadas de todo tipo, incluyendo el pavo ahumado, tocinos, salamis, etc...   Utilizan altas cantidades de nitrato de sodio. Quesos procesados de todo tipo...    Preferir el queso fresco. Cervezas...   también en su proceso se utiliza altas concentraciones de nitratos. Harinas blancas, Azucares...  también se utilizan nitratos para hacerlas lucir blancas.

Que aconsejan: Comer lo mas natural posible... como se comía en la granjas antiguamente.   Quesos frescos, legumbres y frutas frescas... la cerveza es preciso dejarla de lado... igual se los dejo en consideración... el único problema que el Alzhaimer no te mata de repente como un infarto... es un proceso lento y doloroso que afecta la calidad de vida en su totalidad, y además es una tremenda carga psicológica y afectiva para la familia.

Blood Pressure Drugs May Help Slow Alzheimer’s

Doctors found that patients taking a certain class of drugs used to treat high blood pressure had less of the brain plaque characteristic of Alzheimer’s disease after they died. The findings suggest that the drugs, known as angiotensin receptor blockers, may help to protect the brain against Alzheimer’s, though more research is needed to determine whether they are effective in slowing the memory loss and other symptoms of the disease.

In addition to treating high blood pressure, the drugs, also known as “sartans,” are sometimes prescribed to help manage heart failure associated with diabetes-related kidney disease. They include such drugs as valsartan (brand name Angiotan or Diovan), losartan (Cozaar), irbesartan (Avapro), telmisartan (Micardis), candesartan (Atacand), olmesartan (Benicar) and eprosartan (Teveten).

In the study, published online in the Archives of Neurology, doctors examined the brains of 890 people who were being treated with various high blood pressure drugs, including sartans. Most were in their 70s or 80s when they died. Only some had Alzheimer’s disease.

The researchers found that on autopsy, those who were taking sartans had less plaque in their brains than those who were taking other high blood pressure drugs, regardless of whether they had Alzheimer’s disease or not. Buildup of plaque, composed of the toxic protein beta-amyloid, is a hallmark of Alzheimer’s, though some people with plaque buildup do not show signs of the disease. And whether the diminution of plaque buildup observed in this study in those taking sartans translates to fewer memory problems remains to be determined.

“It would have to be proved in a clinical trial if these effects observed in a study with autopsies are expressed in a clinic realm,” said the lead researcher, Dr. Ihab Hajjar of the University of Southern California’s Keck School of Medicine.

He noted that high blood pressure has been linked to an increase risk of Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. And other studies have suggested that angiotensin receptor blockers may have benefits for brain health.

A large study of American veterans with high blood pressure, for example, found that those taking the drugs had a lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia than those taking other high blood pressure drugs, including ACE inhibitors, another class of antihypertensives. Studies in animals also suggest that angiotensin receptor blockers may have effects that hinder the production of beta-amyloid.

Still, scientists do not know a lot about the effects of high blood pressure drugs on Alzheimer’s disease in people.

These autopsy findings offer some intriguing clues. Some earlier research has shown that high blood pressure drugs were associated with less plaque buildup, even compared to those who did not have high blood pressure. And this study showed that angiotensin receptor blockers, or sartans, may have more potency against beta-amyloid than other classes of hypertension drugs.

When treating high blood pressure, doctors have a wide range of drugs to choose from. Each class of drugs has unique benefits, and drawbacks. In the current study, for example, patients taking sartans were more likely to have had a stroke than those getting other types of drugs, which may have affected results. More study will be needed to confirm the findings and determine who might most benefit from taking sartans.

By ALZinfo.org, The Alzheimer's Information Site. Reviewed by William J. Netzer, Ph.D., Fisher Center for Alzheimer's Research Foundation at The Rockefeller University.

Three Drugs to Be Tested to Prevent Alzheimer’s

Scientists have chosen three drugs to be tested as a way to prevent the onset of Alzheimer’s disease in people who are genetically predisposed to get the disease at an early age. If one or more of the medications prove to be effective, the hope is that they may also provide benefits for the millions more people at high risk of developing the far more common late-onset form of Alzheimer’s.

Current Alzheimer’s medications may ease symptoms for a time but do not stem the underlying progression of disease or prevent its onset. These new drugs, under investigation, are targeted at preventing the memory loss and thinking problems of Alzheimer’s from occurring in the first place. The study will be conducted at medical centers in the U.S., Europe and Australia starting in 2013.

“Trying to prevent Alzheimer’s symptoms from ever occurring is a new strategy,” says Dr. John C. Morris, a professor at Washington University School of Medicine, which is leading the study.

The study will test the drugs in 160 volunteers who have one of several genes that cause early-onset Alzheimer’s. People who inherit such genes typically begin to show signs of dementia at an early age, typically younger than 50. Carrying such genes leads to Alzheimer’s in 100 percent of cases, unlike the APOE gene that can raise the risk of late-onset Alzheimer’s but does not guarantee you will get the disease.

The three drugs undergoing testing are designed to combat the toxic effects of beta-amyloid, the toxic protein that builds up and forms plaques in the brains of those with Alzheimer’s. Each works in different ways. The drugs are:

*Gantenerumab, an antibody that attaches to beta-amyloid and helps to remove it from the brain.

*Solanezumab, which binds to beta-amyloid before it clumps together, inhibits  the plaque formation process.

* LY2886721, a drug that blocks an enzyme, beta-secretase, which is critical for beta-amyloid formation, thereby reducing the amount of beta-amyloid produced in the first place.

Earlier studies have shown them to be generally safe, with some hints that they may have benefits against Alzheimer’s. A recent analysis of data on solanezumab, for example, found that while the drug did not meet the study’s goals, it might slow memory loss in those with very mild Alzheimer’s.

For the prevention study, participants will be started on one of the three drugs, or a placebo, years before signs of memory loss or thought problems have appeared. At this early stage, the effects of the disease process on the brain are likely to be minimal. The hope is that by starting early, before brain damage has taken root, the drugs may stave off future development of symptoms. Eighty volunteers who do not have the genes will also participate as controls.

“In most trials in Alzheimer’s disease, people are treating the disease after the damage is being done to the brain,” said study leader Dr. Randall Bateman of Washington University. “And in this trial we’re trying to treat the disease before that damage gets done.”

Participants will receive scans and tests to look for signs of brain plaques and levels of beta-amyloid in the blood and spinal fluid. Such markers are an indication that Alzheimer’s disease is progressing, even if symptoms like memory loss are not evident. Scientists will monitor these markers to see whether the new treatments may be working to slow to stop the disease.

The first part of the trial, being conducted by a research partnership known as the Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer’s Network, or DIAN, is expected to last for two years. If it appears one or more of the drugs are working, volunteers will be switched to those drugs, and the trial will likely be expanded. For more information, visit www.Dian-Info.org.

By ALZinfo.org, The Alzheimer's Information Site. Reviewed by William J. Netzer, Ph.D., Fisher Center for Alzheimer's Research Foundation at The Rockefeller University.

How Meditation May Help Against Alzheimer’s

Meditation is commonly used to reduce stress and provide a sense of well-being. Now researchers are finding that meditation may be indirectly useful against Alzheimer’s disease as well. Studies from the University of California, Los Angeles, found that teaching people to do meditation reduced stress among those who cared for someone with Alzheimer’s. Meditation also made seniors feel less lonely and isolated, which has been linked to an increased risk of developing the disease.

In one study, UCLA researchers followed-up on earlier findings showing that meditation eased stress levels in those who cared for a loved one with Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia, and looked for physical changes indicating improved health.

“We know that chronic stress places caregivers at a higher risk for developing depression,” said Dr. Helen Lavretsky, senior author and a professor of psychiatry at UCLA. “On average, the incidence and prevalence of clinical depression in family dementia caregivers approaches 50 percent. Caregivers are also twice as likely to report high levels of emotional distress,” and many are at increased risk of heart disease and other life-threatening ailments.

She and her team recruited 45 men and women who were caring for a family member with dementia. The caregivers were divided into two groups. One group was taught a brief, 12-minute yoga practice called Kirtan Kriya that included an ancient chanting meditation, which was performed every day at the same time for eight weeks. The other group was asked to relax in a quiet place with their eyes closed while listening to music on a relaxation CD, also for 12 minutes daily for eight weeks. Blood samples were taken at the beginning of the study and again at the end of the study.

After eight weeks of daily chanting, the meditation group showed clear reductions in levels of various proteins linked to inflammation. Increasingly, inflammation is recognized as a contributor to the development of heart disease and other chronic illnesses, including Alzheimer’s disease.

“This is encouraging news,” Dr. Lavretsky said. “Caregivers often don’t have the time, energy or contacts that could bring them a little relief from the stress of taking care of a loved one with dementia, so practicing a brief form of yogic meditation, which is easy to learn, is a useful tool.” The findings were published online in the journal Psychoneuroendocrinology.

For the second study, which appeared in the journal Brain, Behavior and Immunity, researchers looked at 40 older adults ranging in age from 55 to 85. Half were taught mindfulness meditation, a type of Buddhist meditation that promotes being mindful of the present moment and letting go off worries relating to the past or future. The meditators attended weekly two-hour meetings in which they learned the techniques of mindfulness, including awareness and breathing techniques. They also practiced mindfulness meditation for 30 minutes each day at home and attended a single, daylong retreat. The other half did not meditate.

The researchers found that practicing mindfulness meditation reduced feelings of loneliness in seniors. Many elderly people are prone to loneliness, which has been linked to poor health and an increased risk of heart disease, depression and Alzheimer’s.

Meditation also reduced levels of inflammatory proteins. “Our work presents the first evidence showing that a psychological intervention that decreases loneliness also reduces” markers for inflammation, said Dr. Steve Cole, professor of medicine at UCLA. “If this is borne out by further research, mindfulness-based stress reduction could be a valuable tool to improve the quality of life for many elderly people,” including those caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease.

The results “add to a growing body of research that is showing the positive benefits of a variety of meditative techniques, including tai chi and yoga,” said Dr. Michael Irwin, a study author and professor of psychiatry at UCLA. “These studies begin to move us beyond simply connecting the mind and genome, and identify simple practices that an individual can harness to improve human health.”

By ALZinfo.org, The Alzheimer's Information Site. Reviewed by William J. Netzer, Ph.D., Fisher Center for Alzheimer's Research Foundation at The Rockefeller University