Early Symptoms

• An early sign of dementia for a senior could be getting lost in his neighborhood.senior image by Joann Cooper from Fotolia.com
  
  Detecting the early symptoms of dementia in seniors is critical to getting early treatment. The U.S. Congress Office of Technology Assessment estimated that 1.8 million Americans have severe dementia. The National Institute of Mental Health showed that Alzheimer's disease affects about 4.5 million Americans, and the number of Americans with Alzheimer's disease has more than doubled since 1980. Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia among people age 65 and older. Other studies have found that another 5 million Americans have mild to moderate dementia. According to the Alzheimer's Association, approximately 4 million seniors are afflicted with Alzheimer's disease. Some studies have indicated that seniors who received treatment for dementia early are able to delay its progression.
  
  

Diagnosing Dementia

• If these symptoms are evident, they should be brought to the attention of the senior's doctor.Doctor image by Monika 3 Steps Ahead from Fotolia.com
  
  To diagnose dementia, medical experts recommend seniors schedule an appointment with their physicians for a medical history evaluation. Then the patient will complete a medical and neuro-psychological evaluation, brain scans such as CT ("CAT") scans or an MRI, which is Magnetic Resonance Imaging. The scans help physicians determine if senior citizens have dementia.
  
  

Seeking Help

• Exercise may benefit the dementia patient by improving both symptoms and quality of life.senior power 23 image by Paul Moore from Fotolia.com
  
  The first step is to know the early symptoms of dementia in seniors. Encouraging your loved one who is suffering from dementia to seek medical help can be challenging because even though these seniors realize they are forgetting things, they may be resistant to receive medical attention. Nevertheless, seeking the help of a medical professional is critical to prolonging the life of a senior citizen.
  
  

Specialized Care

• An exercise routine may decrease the severity of symptoms of dementia.senior power eight image by Paul Moore from Fotolia.com
  
  Families who are caring for seniors with dementia at home or in a residential facility will need to plan special arrangements to support their loved ones. Chronic or irreversible dementia requires this kind of special care. Medical experts say that the families of dementia patients need to create preventative measures in their environment for wandering, disorientation, sleeplessness or incontinence. In addition, these families should set up safety precautions for seniors attending to electrical appliances, using car keys and locking doors. These family caregivers may also need to consider legal consultation for arranging finances for their senior citizens when dealing with dementia.
  
  

Exercise for Seniors

• Keep an open mind and share much love with dementia seniors.Senior couple image by Bartlomiej Nowak from Fotolia.com
  
  According to Dementiaguide.com, many medical studies have shown that regular exercise can improve the cognitive function and enhance the mood in many seniors with dementia. These studies indicate that regular physical activity such as a daily mild cardiovascular workout can delay the onset of dementia symptoms. An exercise program for seniors should combine various activities to promote balance, strength, endurance and flexibility. This is important because the earliest physical symptoms of dementia include slower walking, poor balance, a weaker hand grip and poor coordination. A medical physician or a qualified physical therapist can help family caregivers design an appropriate exercise program for dementia seniors.
  
  

Exercise Benefits

• Regular exercise is great for everyone, including seniors with dementia, because it includes many emotional, mental and physical challenges that will decrease the number of symptoms in dementia patients. Studies have shown that a daily exercise routine will enhance cognition skills, improve mood patterns through the release of serotonin, reduce anxiety, promote concentration and alleviate boredom in many seniors suffering from dementia.