Holistic Therapies for Dementia
Currently, there is no known cure for Alzheimer's disease and few medications to treat it. As for the medications that do exist, effectiveness is quite varied. As a result, many care partners are seeking complementary or alternative therapies to treat their loved one's symptoms and behaviors.
In Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia, these therapies can target cognitive, behavioral, emotional and psychological symptoms.
Complementary vs. Alternative
Generally, a complementary treatment is used in tandem with traditional medical care. For instance, someone might be taking Razadyne (galantamine) and CBD capsule supplement.
Whereas, an alternative approach typically describes a situation when a treatment is used in place of conventional medical care. For example, using acupuncture and Chinese medicine to treat Alzheimer's disease.
Each item listed below has scientifically demonstrated some amount of effectiveness in improving the symptoms that accompany dementia. However, it is important to note that every individual will respond differently and there are no guarantees of a therapy's effectivess. But it is often the case that care partners and individuals with dementia turn to complementary and alternative therapies with the aim of simply improving their quality of life.
- Acupuncture
- Animal Therapy
- Aromatherapy
- Art Therapy
- Ayurveda
- Bright Light Therapy
- Deep Brain Stimulation
- Diet (things like coffee, cinnamon, tumeric, coconut oil, nuts, and the Mediterranean Diet contribute to improved brain health)
- TCM or Herbal Supplements
- Laughter Yoga
- Massage Therapy
- Mnemonic Strategies
- Reminiscence Therapy
- Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation
IMPORTANT NOTE: As always, you should consult your physician before taking any new herbal supplements or vitamins since natural substances could significantly (and potentially negatively) interact with your current medications.
For Senior Care Homes & Facilities
A vibrant and varied Activities program is at the heart of many nursing homes, long term care facilities, and assisted living centers. Activity Coordinators can, and often do, use some of the alternative therapies listed above as a part of their weekly Activities schedule.
StoriiCare is an Activities and Care Coordination platform that makes organizing, displaying, and recording every day care easy and effective.
With StoriiCare, you can schedule and record activities quickly. Additionally, you can display the daily or weekly schedule on TVs around your care home, or on your website.
From the Activity Calendar, you can record who participated in each event and it will show up in each resident's StoriiCare profile. Family members can even receive live updates each time their loved one completes an activity.
Practicing patient-centered care? StoriiCare makes it easy to go the extra mile by allowing you to record engagement levels and changes to mood during activity participation.
StoriiCare users have reported saving an average of one hour a day on paperwork, giving them more time to spend with people in their care.
If you think StoriiCare would make a good fit for your senior care community, book a demo today!
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