The Importance of Routine in Dementia Care

Dementia refers to several different diseases that affect a person’s memory, thinking, and social abilities. People can have one or more forms of the disease.

For most people, regardless of which disease they suffer from, memory loss is one of the early symptoms. However, memory loss by itself doesn’t mean you have dementia; memory loss may come from any number of causes.

Dementia is caused by damage to or loss of certain nerve cells and their interconnectedness in the brain. The symptoms you develop depend on the damaged area(s) of the brain, so the same type of dementia can affect different people differently.

At Advanced Neurology Specialists, LLC, board-certified neurologist Dr. Cory Lamar and our team provide therapies that help slow down dementia’s effects and let patients retain a good quality of life for longer. Here, the doctor discusses the importance of establishing a daily routine for dementia care.

What are some common forms of dementia?

Different forms of dementia can affect people. Each progresses a bit differently.

Alzheimer’s disease

This is the most common cause of dementia, and getting older is the biggest risk factor for it. The risk of developing Alzheimer’s doubles about every five years after you turn 65.

For most people, Alzheimer’s disease begins in and around the region of the brain involved in memory, with symptoms getting worse over time.

The causes of Alzheimer’s disease are complex, but one key part is the buildup of two proteins inside the brain, beta-amyloid and tau. These clump and form masses called plaques and tangles, respectively. Researchers believe these clumps damage healthy brain cells and the fibers connecting them.

Over time, the disease also causes certain areas of the brain to shrink, reducing the levels of neurotransmitters needed to send messages throughout the brain and to the body.

Vascular dementia

This type of dementia occurs from damage to the vessels that supply blood to the brain, leading to stroke or damage to the fibers in the brain’s white matter.

The most common symptoms of vascular dementia include difficulties with problem-solving, slowed thinking, and loss of focus and organization, which are usually more noticeable than memory loss.

Often, vascular dementia occurs together with Alzheimer’s disease or other brain disease, making it difficult to diagnose.

Lewy body dementia (LBD), also called dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB)

Lewy bodies are balloon-like clumps of protein found in the brains of people with DLB, Alzheimer's disease, and Parkinson's disease. Lewy body dementia is one of the more common types of dementia.

Around 5% of people diagnosed with dementia are found to have DLB, but there’s good evidence that the condition is underdiagnosed. Researchers believe it may account for up to 20% of all dementia cases, with men and women equally affected.

Common symptoms include acting out dreams, visual hallucinations, problems with focus and attention, and difficulties with movement.

Frontotemporal dementia

This is a group of diseases that destroy nerve cells and their connections in the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain. These areas are responsible for personality, behavior, and language, and patients lose aspects of personality, thinking, judgment, language, and movement.

The importance of routine in dementia care

Daily routines are important for anyone with dementia, no matter the type. They allow them to navigate the world in a predictable way — something that becomes even more important as they lose awareness of time.

In addition, routines are stored in long-term memory, and dementia usually destroys short-term memory first, so those routines remain accessible even into the middle stages of the disease.

Routines also reinforce a sense of independence, build self-esteem, and can even help patients retain their skills for longer periods.

Establishing daily routines also decreases stress for caregivers, because these routines create an environment that’s more predictable and less stressful, allowing for more moments of connection and joy.

If a loved one is experiencing any form of dementia, it’s important to learn more about their condition and the importance of routine in their care. Advanced Neurology Specialists, LLC, in Naples, Florida, can help. Call our office at 239-667-5878 to set up a consultation with Dr. Lamar, or book online with us today.