How Geriatric Psychology Can Help in Alzheimer’s Treatment
Alzheimer’s disease is one of the most common neurologic disorders in geriatric patients across the world. The disease involves the continuous decline of memory, thinking, and behavioral skills. While there is still no cure for Alzheimer’s, there are ways to treat it to temporarily reduce the symptoms. And one way to enhance Alzheimer’s treatment is through geriatric psychology.
What Is Geriatric Psychology?
Geriatric psychology is a branch of psychology that focuses on the study of mental issues related to older adults. It is the most advanced branch of mental health that deals with mental illness and cognitive impairment, among other mental issues. It is also considered to be the specialty of developmental psychology.
A geriatric psychologist looks into all the factors that can contribute to the mental issues of older adults, including the physical and psychological symptoms of the illness and the individual’s family and social network, to help determine the treatment.
What Is the Role of Geriatric Psychology in the Treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease?
Geriatric psychology is vital because it helps assess and diagnose Alzheimer’s disease. The disease is difficult to detect because the early stages are not evident.
Psychologists can detect the disease through the use of psychometrics. Psychometrics is a tool that is used to measure mental functions. Psychological tests and other kinds of assessments are commonly used in doing this.
One commonly used assessment to detect Alzheimer’s disease is the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). This test is used to assess cognitive functions such as memory, orientation, language, and attention. It also measures the ability to solve problems and how patients perceive their condition.
Another way to assess the severity of Alzheimer’s disease is through the Functional Activity Questionnaire (FAQ). This is a brief questionnaire that nurses mostly use to evaluate the activities of patients.
It is not simply enough to determine the severity of Alzheimer’s disease; the treatment approach is also essential. Hence, geriatric psychology can help in this aspect as well.
How Geriatric Psychology Can Help in the Treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease
The primary purpose of geriatric psychology is to help patients with mental disorders. And through research, it has been found that many factors contribute to the development of Alzheimer’s disease.
The benefit of geriatric psychology in Alzheimer’s treatment is that it helps identify these factors, which can then be used in the treatment. This is achieved through the use of psychological therapy.
Psychological therapy is used to treat Alzheimer’s disease and other mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety. The therapy is conducted with the cooperation of the patient and the family members.
The goal of the therapy is to develop skills to cope with the illness and maintain or improve the quality of life of the individual. There are many resources available to help in the therapy. However, it is crucial to choose carefully because the wrong skills can worsen the patient’s situation.
Geriatric psychology also helps stop or reverse the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. This can be achieved through the use of cognitive exercises. Many studies have shown that it is possible to slow down the progression of Alzheimer’s disease through the use of these exercises.
Final Thoughts
Geriatric psychology is a valuable area of psychology that is used in evaluating, diagnosing, and treating mental disorders in aging adults such as Alzheimer’s disease. The diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease are complicated, especially because the early signs are not obvious. Geriatric psychology helps in identifying these signs to come up with the best treatment plan. And it is also helpful in stopping or reversing the progression of Alzheimer’s disease through cognitive exercises.
Fight the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease with the help of Morristown HC. We are a rehabilitation and nursing center that offers geriatric psychology services in Morristown. We take pride in delivering a comprehensive continuum of clinical excellence imbued with warmth and compassion. Get in touch with us today!