A recent article in the New York Times describes the benefits of non-pharmacological techniques that create positive emotional experiences for seniors living with Alzheimer’s.
Scientific studies as well as anecdotal evidence indicate that using food, scheduling, art, music, and exercise to create a pleasing environment can minimize the symptoms of Alzheimer’s and dementia. New research suggests that behavioral problems often arise from feelings of sadness and anxiety. Allowing patients to take part in individualized activities that remind them of life before Alzheimer’s can create feelings of wellbeing that last long after the memory of the activity fades.
This increased wellbeing results in diminished symptoms for the Alzheimer’s patient and reduces stress on the caregiver.
Read Giving Alzheimer’s Patients Their Way, Even Chocolate
From the Assisted Living Federation of America (ALFA). Visit them on the web at www.alfa.org.
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