Dementia and Alzheimer’s are major cognitive impairments for many senior citizens, and many of them need to be in memory care homes, but there is also alcohol-induced dementia.
Alcohol-induced dementia is brought on by excessive alcohol use and alcohol-related dementia is extremely difficult to manage and is becoming a common form of dementia.
One out of every eight American struggles with some sort of alcohol disorder according to a study by JAMA Psychiatry, and seniors had the highest alcohol abuse in the case study.
Alcohol And Dementia
According to Havard Medical School, alcohol use among seniors is on the rise, and it is trending upwards, between 2001 and 2013 the alcohol disorder increased by 107% for seniors.
Korsakoff Syndrome is a form of alcohol-induced dementia, and according to the Alzheimers Association, Korsakoff Syndrome is caused by alcohol abuse. Long-term alcohol abuse will lower the body’s Thiamine, and this causes dementia.
According to the Alzheimer’s Association the lack of thiamine causes the brain to be confused, lack coordination, staggering, wandering off, falling, and the ability to remember recent events, and it will cause memory gaps.
Confabulation can happen to seniors with alcohol induces dementia, they are not lying, but they will create false memories, but they are not trying to deceive anyone, they just cannot recognize the information that they are giving is fabricated.
These symptoms can make it very difficult for friends or family to know if it is alcohol-induced dementia, or if the events are true.
Reversing Alcohol-Induced Dementia
Alcohol-induced dementia is different from other forms of dementia, as it can be reversed! Unlike other forms of dementia that can not be reversed, they will all continue getting worse.
Abstaining the use of alcohol will reverse alcohol-induced dementia, but for seniors who have had long-term alcohol abuse, it can be extremely difficult for them to stop drinking.
Addiction to alcohol is a big problem for seniors and it can be very challenging as they are addicts. To cure the addiction the addict must want to do it voluntarily.
Alcohol-Induced Dementia
Scientists have not yet determined why some seniors with alcoholism will get alcohol-induced dementia, this problem will continue to grow as alcoholism is on the rise among Americans.
A memory care home will help with alcohol-induced dementia, and also nursing home will also help, but the level of care needs to be mental health and addiction-related, and not all homes will provide that type of care.
Talk to the nursing home or the assisted living memory care facility ahead of time to see if they will be able to help you and your loved one with alcohol-induced dementia.
Finding The Right Senior Care
Finding the right type of senior care can be difficult, here at Loving Assisted Living, we will help you to find the right solution for addiction and alcohol-induced dementia.
For the family, there is counseling available from the Alzheimers Association, and counseling can be very helpful with this type of dementia.
Seniors who are dealing with some sort of addiction, are at a much higher health risk than younger people, and some rehabilitation centers will place the seniors into an addiction program as soon as they can.
When you need a retirement home for your loved one, it is important to explain all of the addiction issues that your loved one has, so the home will know if they can help you.