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Dealing With Parkinson’s Disease

Dealing With Parkinson's Disease

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive neurological disorder that affects movement. It is caused by the loss of nerve cells in a part of the brain called the substantia nigra. These cells produce a chemical called dopamine, which helps control movement. When these cells die, the level of dopamine in the brain decreases, which leads to the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.

The symptoms of Parkinson’s disease can vary from person to person and can gradually worsen over time. Some of the most common symptoms include:

  • Tremors: Involuntary shaking, usually in the hands, arms, legs, jaw, or face
  • Rigidity: Stiffness of the muscles
  • Bradykinesia: Slowness of movement
  • Postural instability: Difficulty with balance and coordination
  • Freezing: Episodes of immobility
  • Speech problems: Slow, slurred speech
  • Depression
  • Sleep problems
  • Cognitive decline

There is no cure for Parkinson’s disease, but there are treatments that can help manage the symptoms. The most common treatment is medication, which can help improve the symptoms of tremor, rigidity, and bradykinesia. Other treatments include surgery, physical therapy, and speech therapy.

Living with Parkinson’s disease can be challenging, but there are many things that can be done to make life easier. Here are some tips:

  • Stay active. Exercise can help improve balance, coordination, and flexibility.
  • Eat a healthy diet. A healthy diet can help reduce inflammation and improve overall health.
  • Get enough sleep. Sleep is important for overall health and well-being.
  • Manage stress. Stress can worsen the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. Find healthy ways to manage stress, such as exercise, relaxation techniques, or spending time with loved ones.
  • Stay connected with others. Social support can help you cope with the challenges of Parkinson’s disease.
  • Join a support group. Support groups can provide you with information, support, and understanding from others who are living with Parkinson’s disease.

Coping with Parkinson’s disease can be challenging, but there are many things that can be done to make life easier. Here are some tips:

  • Stay active. Exercise can help improve balance, coordination, and flexibility. It can also help reduce stress and improve mood. Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise most days of the week.
  • Eat a healthy diet. A healthy diet can help reduce inflammation and improve overall health. Choose plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Limit processed foods, sugary drinks, and unhealthy fats.
  • Get enough sleep. Sleep is important for overall health and well-being. Most adults need around 7-8 hours of sleep per night.
  • Manage stress. Stress can worsen the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. Find healthy ways to manage stress, such as exercise, relaxation techniques, or spending time with loved ones.
  • Stay connected with others. Social support can help you cope with the challenges of Parkinson’s disease. Join a support group or connect with others online.
  • Take care of your mental health. Parkinson’s disease can sometimes lead to depression, anxiety, or other mental health problems. Talk to your doctor if you are experiencing any of these problems.
  • Be patient with yourself. It takes time to adjust to living with Parkinson’s disease. Don’t be too hard on yourself if you have setbacks. Just keep moving forward and don’t give up.

Here are some additional resources that may be helpful:

  • Parkinson’s Disease Foundation: https://www.parkinson.org/
  • American Parkinson’s Disease Association: https://www.apdaparkinson.org/
  • National Parkinson Foundation: https://www.parkinson.org/
  • Michael J. Fox Foundation: https://www.michaeljfox.org/

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Sedona Winds Retirement Community offers independent living in Sedona, Arizona, can help! Call us today at 928-985-6259 and learn more about our facility and what we have to offer today’s seniors.

Alzheimer’s Disease, Lewy Body Dementia, Memory Care
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What is Alzheimer's Disease
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What Is Alzheimer’s?

Alzheimer’s is a kind of dementia that impacts memory, thinking and behaviors. Symptoms, in time, develop to be severe enough to interpose with day-to-day tasks.

Understanding Alzheimer’s and dementia.

Alzheimer’s is the most general source of dementia, a typical term for memory loss and other mental abilities severe enough to disrupt day-to-day life. Alzheimer’s disease is responsible for sixty to eighty percent of dementia cases.

Alzheimer’s isn’t a normal part of getting older. The biggest known risk factor is aging, and most individuals with Alzheimer’s are sixty-five or older. This disease is a “younger-onset” of Alzheimer’s when it impacts an individual under sixty-five. Younger-onset can also be known as early-onset Alzheimer’s. Individuals with younger-onset Alzheimer’s could be in the early, middle, or later stage of the disease.

Alzheimer’s worsens progressively. This is a type of progressive disease, in which dementia symptoms steadily worsen over several years. In earlier stages, memory loss is moderate, but with later-stage Alzheimer’s, people lose the capability to engage in a conversation and respond to their settings. On average, an individual with this disease lives five to nine years after diagnosis but could live as long as twenty years, dependent to other factors.

There is no cure, but there are two treatments —  lecanemab (Leqembi™) and  aducanumab (Aduhelm™) show that the removal of beta-amyloid, one of the characteristics of Alzheimer’s disease, from the brain decreases cognitive and functional reduction in individuals living with early on-set of Alzheimer’s. Other treatments can briefly slow the increasing of dementia symptoms and better the quality of life for those suffering from the disease and their caretakers. Presently, there is an international effort underway to discover better ways to treat the disease, impede its onset and prevent it from progressing.

10 Early Signs and Symptoms of Alzheimer’s (and Examples)

Loss of memory impacting day-to-day life could be a symptom of Alzheimer’s or other type of dementia. This is a brain disease that is the cause of a progressive decrease in memory, reasoning and thinking skills. There are ten symptoms and warning signs. When you observe any of them, don’t disregard them. Arrange an appointment with your medical professional.

  • Memory loss that disrupts daily life – Forgetting names or plans, but recalling them later
  • Troubles in planning or solving problems – Sometimes making errors when managing utility bills or finances
  • Troubles completing familiar tasks – Needing help with the TV remote
  • Confusion with time or place – Confused about the day of the week but remembering later
  • Challenges understanding spatial relationships and visual images– Vision changes associated with cataracts
  • New challenges with words when speaking or writing – Often troublesome to find the right words
  • Diminished or poor judgment – Making bad decisions
  • Seclusion from work or social activities – Often feeling uninterested in social events
  • Changes in personality and mood– Getting frustrated when routines are disrupted

Find Retirement Communities In Sedona

Sedona Winds Retirement Community offers independent living in Sedona, Arizona, can help! Call us today at 928-985-6259 and learn more about our facility and what we have to offer today’s seniors.

Alzheimer’s Disease, Assisted Living, Dementia, Senior Living
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What is Lewy Body Dementia?

What is Lewy Body Dementia?

Lewy body dementia, or LBD, is the 2nd most common form of degenerative dementia after Alzheimer’s disease. Protein deposits, defined as Lewy bodies, develop in nerve cells in areas of the brain associated to thinking, memory, and motor control (movement).

Lewy body dementia causes a gradual regression in mental facilities. Those with LBD may hallucinate visually and shifts in attention and awareness. Other issues include Parkinson’s disease like signs and symptoms like stiff muscles, slower movement, challenges walking and shaking.

Symptoms

LBD signs and symptoms may include:

  • Hallucinating visually. Hallucinations — believe you see things that are not there — might be one of the first symptoms, and they usually happen again. Those with LBD may have hallucinations of shapes, animals, or even people. Sounds, smells, or touch hallucinations are possible.
  • Movement disorders. Parkinson’s disease signs (parkinsonian signs), like slowed movement, stiff muscles, shaking or a lumbering walk may happen. This could lead to falling.
  • Poor control of body functions. Blood pressure, pulse, sweats, and the digestive process are controlled by a part of the nervous system that is usually impacted by Lewy body dementia. This could result in abrupt drops in blood pressure when standing up, lightheadedness, falls, bladder control loss and bowel troubles, like constipation.
  • Cognitive issues. You might have thinking issues comparable to those of Alzheimer’s disease, like confusion, low attention, visual-spatial issues, and memory loss.
  • Difficulty sleeping. You could have rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder, in which can make you physically act out your dreams while sleeping. This might involve conduct like hitting, kicking, shouting, and screaming when you’re asleep.
  • Inconstant attention. Cases of drowsiness, extended periods staring blankly, long naps throughout the day or jumbled speech are likely.
  • Depression. You could develop depression.
  • Lethargy. You could lose motivation.

 Causes

LBD is characterized by the anomalous build-up of proteins into masses referred to as Lewy bodies. These proteins are also related with Parkinson’s disease. Those that have Lewy bodies in their brains also have the amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles related with Alzheimer’s disease.

Risk factors

A few determinants seem to heighten the risk of becoming infected with Lewy body dementia, including:

  • Age. Individuals over the age of 60 are at a higher risk.
  • Gender. Lewy body dementia impacts more men than women.
  • Family history. Individuals that have a relative with Lewy body dementia or Parkinson’s disease are at a higher risk.

Complications

Lewy body dementia is gradual. Signs and symptoms worsen, with the cause of:

  • Extreme dementia
  • Aggressive conduct
  • Depression
  • Heightened risk of falling and injury
  • Worsening of Parkinson’s disease signs and symptoms, like the shakes
  • Death, on average about 7 to 8 years after symptoms begin

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Alzheimer’s Disease, Lewy Body Dementia, Memory Care
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Dementia vs. Alzheimer’s Disease
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Dementia vs. Alzheimer’s Disease

Dementia is common terminology for a decline in an individual’s mental ability serious enough to disrupt day to day life. Alzheimer’s is the most general cause of dementia. Alzheimer’s is a particular disease. Dementia, however, is not.

Getting familiar about the two and the difference between them is vital and can enable individuals with Alzheimer’s or other type of dementia, their families, and their caretaker with necessary knowledge.

Dementia overview

Dementia comprises of a group of symptoms related to a decrease in memory, reasoning, or other thinking abilities. A lot of varying kinds of dementia are out there, and a lot of conditions are the cause of it. Mixed dementia is the condition whereupon brain changes of more than one kind of dementia happen at the same time. Alzheimer’s disease is the most general causation of dementia, that accounts for 60 to 80 percent of cases of dementia.

Dementia is not a typical part of getting older. It is brought upon by damage to brain cells that impacts their ability of communicating with one another, in which may impact thinking, demeanor and emotions.

Alzheimer’s overview

Alzheimer’s is a regressive brain disease that is brought on by complex brain changes after cell damage. Alzheimer’s induces dementia symptoms that steadily get worse over time. The most general early symptom of Alzheimer’s is having a hard remembering newer information since the disease usually affects the part of the brain related with learning first.

As Alzheimer’s progresses, symptoms get more serious and can comprise of disorientation, uncertainty, and demeanor changes. After time, talking, swallowing, and moving around could become challenging. There isn’t a way to stop, cure or even slow the disease.

Although the greatest known risk factor of Alzheimer’s is an increase age, the disease is not a typical part of getting older. And even though a lot of individuals with Alzheimer’s are sixty-five and older, approximately two hundred thousand Americans under are sixty-five have younger onset Alzheimer’s disease.

10 Early Signs of Alzheimer’s

  • Memory loss that interrupts day to day life
  • Difficulty in planning or problem solving
  • Challenges finishing familiar tasks
  • Time or place confusion
  • Trouble comprehending visuals and dimensional relationships
  • New issues with words in talking or writing
  • Misplacement of things and losing the capability of retracing steps
  • Reduced or poor decision making
  • Removal from work and/or social activities
  • Shifts in behavior and personality

When you notice 1 or more signs in yourself or another individual, it may be challenging to know what to do. It is natural to feel uncertainty or nervous about talking about these changes with others. discussing concerns about your own health could make them appear more “real.” Or, you might be worried about upsetting someone by sharing notices about changes in their capabilities or demeanor. Nevertheless, these are consequential health concerns that need to be assessed by a doctor, and it’s vital to take measures and find out what’s going on.

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Sedona Winds Retirement Community offers independent living in Sedona, Arizona, can help! Call us today at 928-985-6259 and learn more about our facility and what we have to offer today’s seniors.

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