Currently there is no cure for Alzheimer’s. But drug and non-drug treatments may help with both cognitive and behavioral symptoms.
Promising New Drugs: Researchers, including our affiliate – the Boston University Alzheimer’s Disease Center (BUADC) – are looking for new treatments to alter the course of the disease and improve the quality of life for people with dementia. The BUADC has ongoing clinical trials of several promising new drugs and they are also testing new diagnostic tools. For more information about their research studies and how you can get involved, visit the BUADC web site.
Current Drugs that Help with Memory Loss: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved two types of medications — cholinesterase inhibitors (Aricept, Exelon, Razadyne, Cognex) and memantine (Namenda) — to treat the cognitive symptoms (memory loss, confusion, and problems with thinking and reasoning) of Alzheimer’s disease. The Alzheimer’s Association says that the FDA-approved drugs temporarily slow worsening of symptoms for about 6 to 12 months, on average, for about half of the individuals who take them. The Mayo Clinic’s web site has a good overview of these drugs, as well as the Alzheimer’s Association.
Non-Drug Treatments that Help Manage Behavioral Symptoms: Researchers have overwhelmingly concluded that diet, exercise, cognitive stimulation and maintaining social relationships have beneficial effects on those who already have Alzheimer’s and have amazing brain protective properties that can actually prevent the onset of the disease for some people. The Mayo Clinic also reports that new multi-component programs targeting high risk populations seem to be effective. These encourage physical activity, cognitive stimulation, social engagement and a brain healthy diet. They also teach memory compensation strategies that help optimize daily function even if brain changes progress.
At Senior Living Residences we are proud of our innovation and foresight in creating a treatment program based on this exciting and evolving body of knowledge and current research on Alzheimer’s. We developed a comprehensive treatment program for individuals with Alzheimer’s starting in 2007 based on very early research and launched our Compass Memory Support Program in 2010, including the first brain healthy nutrition program in the country for assisted living residents.