4 Alternative Treatments That Might Help Manage Alzheimer's Disease

If you or someone you love has been recently been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, it is understandably a hard thing to cope with. 

Alzheimer's currently does not have any cure — but that doesn't mean that someone needs to just succumb to the condition without any therapy. A myriad of treatment options can help improve a patient's life once the diagnosis is made.

We have already covered the types of medications you may want to consider for Alzheimer's in depth but there is more to treating Alzheimer’s than just using medications. Many alternative therapies can also be helpful in improving a patient’s mood, relearning skills that were lost, and keeping the patient in a good state of mind.

Talk therapy for Alzheimer's disease 

Talking is a very important skill to hone in on when it comes to patients with Alzheimer’s disease — as the brain begins to atrophy, a patient’s behavior is likely to change as well. They will be much more withdrawn and a social person can easily turn into a person that utters only a few words during a whole conversation.

Talk therapy is usually lead by a mental health counselor and conducted in individual or group classes. These group classes will be designed to have a collection of patients with recently diagnosed Alzheimer’s disease, and act as a support group for these patients to voice their emotions and fears.

Talk therapy is an invaluable resource because people going through something as stressful as an Alzheimer’s diagnosis can benefit from the support of someone going through the same emotions so they will not feel as if they are completely alone. 

Singing, dancing and art classes 

Enrolling in any type of class that brings people together can also help people newly diagnosed with Alzheimer's.

This can be anything like an art, dance or even singing class. These activities can help because they keep the person physically active and improve their mood.

Walking can become more difficult as the disease progresses, so staying as active as possible early on in the disease can keep a person mobile and more independent later on. This may be a challenge for someone who has never done these types of classes before, so try to find an activity that will bring as much enjoyment as possible. Having a spouse go during the initial meetings can help break the ice and immerse the patient in a world they may never have tried before. 

Cognitive therapy 

We have already covered  the benefits of cognitive stimulation therapy for Alzheimer's on a much deeper level in a previous article, but this is a good time to remind you of the benefits that this type of therapy can also provide.

Cognitive therapy is a broad term that can encompass cognitive stimulation therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy. These courses can all be conducted on an individualized or group basis and help by training a patient to relearn skills that they may have lost as the disease progresses.

This "cognitive rehabilitation" can help keep a person independent and reduce the burden on spouses or loved ones helping a person with Alzheimer’s during this time.

During these types of sessions, there are also opportunities for family and friends to attend to learn more about the disease and be aware of how Alzheimer's can progress. Although this may be stressful at first, knowing about what to expect is very importan to lessen the fear and help manage the patient as effectively as possible.

The main goal of all this therapy is to make the patient as comfortable as possible. Numerous studies have shown that this can be accomplished if a patient is able to stay in a familiar environment like their home. 

Another important skill that the family will learn during these courses is when it may be too much effort for you to care for the patient on your own. Oftentimes, this is a very stressful moment for family, because they feel guilty they are not fulfilling their obligation as a partner or friend. This is not true and on the contrary, it will help the patient much more if they are transferred to a place where they can receive more specialized care and not risk having a more serious complication.

Patients with Alzheimer’s will have personality changes and balancing problems in more severe forms of the disease so a well-tempered person can easily become aggressive later on in the course of the disease. If they were to fall, there is a high risk of fractures  which could require hospitalization and put the patient at an even higher risk of complications. These courses can help teach you what you are capable of doing yourself, and when it becomes too much for you to handle on your own. 

Exercise programs 

Exercise may not be for everyone, but when it comes to helping something with early-stage Alzheimer’s Disease, it is something worth picking up if it wasn’t a hobby of your’s in your earlier years.

Numerous studies have shown that exercise is a very beneficial component of Alzheimer’s therapy. The reason for this is because of the physiological changes that occur during any exercise. Levels of chemicals like serotonin and dopamine will rise during exercise and make anyone feel happier. This is a very important point because in Alzheimer’s Disease, patients are very likely to suffer from major depression. This can help reduce the need for medications that may come with their own list of undesirable side effects. 

Another benefit of exercise is that a person will strengthen their core, legs and pelvis with even mild forms of training. This will be very helpful in preventing future falls because as the disease becomes more severe, balance is likely to become harder and harder. Strong leg muscles can help stabilize the base of the patient and also prevent against unwanted tumbles.