Dementia is a syndrome characterized by a progressive loss of cognitive functions, which affects a person’s ability to carry out daily activities. This deterioration usually results memory problems, difficulty thinking, orient, understand, calculate, learn and communicate.
Causes of dementia?
Dementia can have several causes, the most common of which is Alzheimer’s disease. Other causes include vascular dementia, dementia with Lewy bodies, Parkinson’s disease, ed Huntington’s diseaseamong others. Although aging increases the risk of developing dementia, this is not an inevitable consequence of advanced age.
Symptoms of dementia
The symptoms of dementia depend on the cause, but in general they greatly affect the person’s quality of life and their ability to live independently. Diagnosis and treatment of dementia They usually require evaluation by healthcare professionals, such as neurologists or geriatriciansand include options such as medications, cognitive and supportive therapies, as well as attention to the emotional and social aspects of the affected person.
Alzheimer’s is the most common form of dementia, but there are many others
The symptoms of dementia, as reported by the Mayo Clinic, depend on its cause, but the most common ones are as follows:
Cognitive alterations
memory loss, usually detected by those around the person.
Difficulty communicating
Problems with visual and spatial skills, such as
Difficulty in reasoning and solve problems.
Complications to carry out complex tasks.
Problems with planning and organizing activities.
Coordination and control of movements.
Episodes of confusion and disorientation.
Changes in personality.
Depression.
Anxiety.
Inappropriate behavior.
Healthy habits can achieve very significant improvements in dementia risk
How to reduce the risk of dementia
Living close to outdoor spaces and bodies of water can reduce the risk of older adults experiencing severe psychological distress, a factor that can lead to mild cognitive impairment and ultimately dementia, according to a preliminary study presented at the 75th Annual Meeting. of American Academy of Neurology.
Severe psychological distress
Researchers defined severe psychological distress as mental health problems that require treatment and have a moderate to severe effect on a person’s ability to participate in work, school and social situations.
“Given this There is a lack of effective prevention methods or treatments for mild cognitive impairment and dementia.“We need to be creative in addressing these problems,” says Solmaz Amiri of the Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine at Washington State University in Spokane, Washington.
Study with more than 40,000 seniors across the United States
Dementia, Alzheimer’s.
The study involved 42,980 people aged 65 and older living in urban areas of Washington state. The researchers analyzed data from Census and U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to determine the proximity of participants to green spaces, such as public parks, community gardens and even cemeteriesand blue, such as lakes, reservoirs, large rivers and coasts.
Participants completed a questionnaire to assess psychological distress. They answered six questions about how often they heard from each other symptoms of depression and anxiety using a five-point scale ranging from zero, meaning none of the time, to four, meaning all of the time.
The study questions
The questions included, for example, how many days they had been unable to work due to psychological distress, how many days their productivity had been reduced by at least half due to the distress, and how many times they had sought professional help. Scores ranged from 0 to 24, with an average score of 2. Participants who scored above 13 on the test were considered to have severe psychological distress.
The researchers reported it approximately 2% of participants suffered from severe psychological distress. Of the total participants, 70% lived within 800 meters of a green zone and 60% lived within 800 meters of a blue zone.
The advantages of parks
People who lived within 800 meters of green or blue spaces They had a 17% lower risk of suffering from psychological disorders more serious than those who lived more than 800 meters from green or blue spaces.
Of people who lived within 800 meters of parks and fountains, 1.3% suffered from serious psychological disorders, compared to 1.5% of people who lived more than 800 meters away.
“Our hope is that this study can help guide public health policies in the future, from where residential facilities are located to programs to improve mental health outcomes for people living in long-term care facilities or halfway houses. cure”, concludes Amiri.
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Example, inquiries about feelings of hopelessness, nervousness, and lack of interest in activities. The results were then correlated with the participants’ proximity to outdoor spaces and bodies of water to assess any associations with reported psychological distress.
The findings suggested that those living closer to these natural environments experienced lower levels of psychological distress, which in turn, may contribute to a lower risk of developing mild cognitive impairment and dementia.
Conclusion
The study highlights the potential mental and cognitive health benefits of living near green and blue spaces, suggesting that urban planning and community design may play a role in reducing dementia risk. It emphasizes the need for further research into preventative measures and the importance of fostering natural environments in community settings for older adults.
For more personalized advice or information on dementia risk reduction strategies, healthcare professionals can provide tailored recommendations based on individual health assessments and lifestyle factors.