Does your loved one have dementia-related psychosis? Let's talk about it.

Has your parent, sibling, or other loved one with dementia suddenly started seeing or hearing strange things? Or believing things that aren't true? Sometimes becoming very angry and aggressive? This is what we call dementia-related psychosis. Almost everyone with dementia will experience one or more of these symptoms at some point in their life. This can be a very frightening and distressing experience for both you and the person with dementia.

Finding the right treatment for this is not always easy. Sometimes doctors prescribe antipsychotic drugs, but they can have serious side effects. Also, these drugs are not always effective. So, today we will talk about some safe things you can do to manage this condition.

Let's look for a reason first, shall we?

The first thing to do is to check the medications the patient is taking, as some medications can cause psychosis as a side effect.

Imagine that your mother is taking several medications for high blood pressure and diabetes. Perhaps the cause of this mental problem is not dementia itself, but a side effect of another medication she is taking.

So, talk to your doctor about this. Perhaps switching to a different medication can solve this problem. But remember, never stop taking a medication or change the dosage without your doctor's advice.

Also, other health problems can cause these kinds of mental symptoms.

• Certain infections: Especially things like urinary tract infections can suddenly change the mental state of adults.
• Constipation: They may also be upset by the discomfort that comes with not having a bowel movement for several days.
• Vision or hearing impairments: If their glasses don't look right or their hearing aids don't work, they may misunderstand things.
• Sleep problems: Not getting enough sleep can also affect mental balance.
• Pain: They may also be restless due to unexplained pain somewhere in the body.

A skilled doctor can diagnose the cause of one of these problems and treat it properly.

Let's remove triggers that cause symptoms.

Certain things in the environment can cause these mental problems to suddenly increase. We call these triggers. Simply put, things that provoke symptoms. For example:

• Ghostly shadows falling on the wall.
• Changing the daily routine .
• The environment becomes very noisy (the house suddenly fills with people) or you feel lonely with nothing to do .

To control these things, you can do simple things like:

• Remove the mirrors, or cover them with a cloth. Because he might be afraid of seeing his own image and thinking it's someone else.
• Don't place unnecessary items on the floor of your home. Reduce the chances of tripping over things.
• Use well-lit bulbs to prevent shadows.
• Try to do things at the same time every day as much as possible (like breakfast time, bath time, etc.).
• Plan activities that he enjoys and enjoys throughout the day (like listening to old songs, reading the newspaper).

Let's talk to the doctor about the medicine.

There is no specific FDA-approved medication for dementia-related psychosis. However, doctors sometimes use atypical antipsychotics, a type of medication used to treat conditions such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

Some examples are:

• Aripiprazole (Abilify)
• Olanzapine (Zyprexa)
• Quetiapine (Seroquel)
• Risperidone (Risperdal)

These medications may help reduce symptoms a little. However, giving them to dementia patients is very risky because they have serious side effects.

For these reasons, doctors are very cautious about giving these medications. They have been found to increase the risk of sudden death. Therefore, anyone taking these medications should be monitored closely by a doctor.

Do not tie the patient up in times of distress!

Some people try to control their patients when they are upset, fearing that they will harm themselves or others. For example , they tie them to a chair, tie them to a bed, or lock them in a room . We call this (Restraints).

Although these can limit the patient's movement, they cause great harm.

• They are very scared and stressed mentally.
• When tied up, there is a greater risk of falling, getting injured, and developing pressure sores .
• You may also lose urinary control .

There are better ways to protect a dementia patient. For example, you can lock the door to a room that is dangerous, such as the kitchen. Even the Alzheimer's Association recommends that you never tie a patient up in this way unless there is a real danger.

Dementia, Psychosis, Mental Problems, Elderly Care, Antipsychotics, Treatment, Sri Lanka