How to Cope With Vascular Dementia
Vascular dementia is one of the most common causes of dementia, a gradual and progressive decline in mental abilities and memory. Vascular dementia is caused by diseases that damage the arteries in the brain, such as repeated small strokes, cardiac arrhythmia and high blood pressure.
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
-
-
1
Tell people that you suffer from vascular dementia. Ask them to break long instructions into smaller segments, repeat information or speak more slowly when you have difficulty understanding them.
-
2
Learn to manage stress. Be patient with yourself when you have difficulty remembering things. Try meditation and other relaxation techniques.
-
-
3
Use memory aids. Create visual reminders in your home, like labels and color coding. Use alarms, timers and talking clocks to remind you to take medication or do other tasks. Write down names appointments, and to-do lists. Check your notes frequently.
-
4
Build memory and mental capacity. In the evening, spend some time recalling what happened during the day.
-
5
Continue to participate in activities that you enjoy. Socialize and be physically active. You may be overwhelmed by new tasks or hobbies, so plan your activities carefully. Don't rush into anything without thinking about all the steps in detail first.
-
6
Adopt a healthy lifestyle to slow the progress of vascular dementia and prevent further strokes. Eat healthy foods and limit alcohol, saturated fat and salt. If you smoke, quit. Exercise regularly.
-
7
Control high blood pressure and heart disease to prevent further strokes. Have your blood pressure checked frequently. Discuss medicines with your doctor. Aspirin and blood thinners are used to prevent clots and other medication is often used to lower blood pressure.
-
1
