Importance of Message Therapy in Alzheimer -Dementia

_{Alzheimer is the most common cause of dementia accounting for around 50% of cases and degenerative brain disease. it is "a progressive neuro psychiatric disease of aging found in middle-aged and it destroys part of the brain, hence not curable.}

_{Global Insight: Alzheimer}

More than 47 million people affected with dementia worldwide which is expected to increase by 131 million or more than that by 2050. The estimated worldwide cost of Dementia is US$ 818, which is actually a vast economic impact which will not the end rather increased by trillion-dollar disease by 2018.

Only 1-in-4 people with Alzheimer’s disease have been diagnosed. Research says that Alzheimer’s and dementia is most common in Western Europe(North America is close behind) and least prevalent in Sub-Saharan Africa. (Alzheimer’s Disease International)

It is estimated to affect 496,000 people in the UK.Dementia affects 5.4% of the population over the age of 65, and prevalence increases with age.

What is Alzheimer (Dementia) – Let’s get understand

Still the foremost concern is that most of dementia patient found undiagnosed and unable to access for care and treatment. Even once it was diagnosed, the care is not streamlined rather fragmented, uncoordinated and unresponsive

Dementia is featured by a decline in memory, language, problem-solving and other cognitive skills that affects a person’s ability to perform everyday activities. This decline occurs because nerve cells (neurons) in parts of the brain involved in cognitive function have been damaged or destroyed. In Alzheimer’s disease, the damage and destruction of neurons eventually affect other parts of the brain, including those that enable.

_{Alzheimer disease is actually fatal, where in a person able to manage only basic function like walking, swallowing etc. Even patients in final stages are bed bound and depends on care taker completely}   

Phases of Alzheimer disease

• _{·    At early stage is characterised as recent loss of memory inability to learn and retain new information, language problems, mood liability and changes in personality. They even find difficulties in daily routing jobs, even forget their way around, or forget the place where they put things. They generally lose their control and memory however still they manage their social life}
• _{At intermediate stage, generally individual unable to learn and recall any information, even they find difficult to recognised their room or bathroom, which increases the cases of accidents. However, memory of remote event is affected but not completely lost. they usually require assistance to complete daily chaos} 
• _{At final stage, they find even difficult to walk and having no or insufficient voluntary control over urination or defecation. They don’t even swallow and require nasogastric feeding for living. They become fully dependent of care takers. Eventually they keep mute and lost complete memory} 

_{This is the time where patient need full take care and it became the catastrophe for patient and for the family members. Hospital care generally beyond the financial capacity for the whole life span, as the disease extends for long years. Moreover, it become the huge loss as one has to pay against emotions aligned to the patient} 

_{Why Massage is required: A caring sensation for Elderlies}   

_{If it is diagnosed on time one can initiate caring at early stages, The very first care is touching them as with warmth of touch has its own powerful sensation to create effects on patient. Touching while massage is the premium warmth we feel and realised last long when all other medication lost their effect.}

_{It is the drug free alternative to managing the agitation}

<sub>Considering Alzheimer patient, we have to set a fixed schedule for massaging to make them relaxed and feel the love and care of touch. One should begin with shoulders by fluffing them, then to head with gentle finger tips which felt them relaxed and allow circulation in the nerves, neck with fluffing and gentle rotation and then on face with fingertips friction.

If they feel comfortable you may extend massaging to the hips and lower back with bit hard and fast and then eventually to the feet by rubbing. Make sure you should be calm and controlled while doing it. Also increase the tendency to do it the severe the stage at the patient is.</sub>

_{Always make sure by the feel and postures of patient whether they like it or not, at times patient dislikes touch or the way it happens, so always keep observing their comfort. There should be the perfect chemistry between both of them as similar when it was required in partners. That’s why it was always preferred to have some curious and calm family members} 

Benefits of Message Therapy

Massage assists to alleviate depression and anxiety, and promote a sense of well-being. Cotton says “Just the act of a physical touch that isn’t necessarily associated with typical care-giving gives the resident a feeling of calm and centeredness.”

_{Case Study – Cotton says}

My father lived with me for two years during the end stage of his 10-year battle with Alzheimer’s. I would give him a massage at least three times a week, and I witnessed the positive effect it had on him. 

It was clear the massage alleviated some of his anxiety, improved his circulation, helped prevent the development of decubitus ulcers and enhanced his sleep.