Ask A Doctor: There are ways to delay the onset of Alzheimer's and other dementias

htrnews.com
By Dr. Tresa Teehan • For the Herald Times Reporter

Question: Are there ways to slow down memory loss or dementia in the elderly?
Answer: Studies have shown that there are ways to slow the onset or progression of dementia, but no method is foolproof and individuals will respond differently.

Dementia is the progressive loss of memory and other mental functions. There is no cure for it, but medications are being studied in an attempt to discover the most effective treatment.

By the age of 65, nearly one in 10 people has some form of dementia, and by age 80, that number changes to nearly 1 in 5. Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia.

Generally speaking, in order to delay the onset of dementia, keeping the mind active and vital is key. Doing so can involve several different strategies:...read the whole article