Cognitive impairment is a condition that affects memory, thinking, and decision-making abilities. It can be classified into mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and severe cognitive impairment. MCI often presents with symptoms such as forgetfulness, difficulty concentrating, and slight confusion, but it does not significantly interfere with daily life. In contrast, severe cognitive impairment, often associated with dementia, leads to profound memory loss, difficulty recognizing loved ones, and an inability to perform basic tasks. Understanding the symptoms, treatments, and preventive measures for MCI, as well as the care strategies for severe cognitive impairment, is crucial for improving patients' quality of life.
The extent of cognitive impairment
Cognitive impairment refers to one or more deficits in cognitive functions, including memory, attention, language, problem-solving, reasoning, and judgment. The degree of cognitive impairment can be mild or severe, depending on the cognitive area affected and the extent of the impairment.
1. Mild cognitive impairment
Mild cognitive impairment usually presents as a mild impairment in memory, attention, language, executive function, but not enough to affect the ability to live daily. For example, patients may find themselves having trouble remembering new information or recalling events from the past, or having trouble concentrating when dealing with complex tasks.
2. Severe cognitive impairment
Severe cognitive impairment, often associated with dementia, refers to the extent to which the impairment of cognitive function is severe enough to affect the ability to carry out daily living. In this case, patients may lose the ability to live independently and need the care and support of others.
Symptoms, prevention and treatment of mild cognitive impairment
Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) refers to a neurological disorder in which cognitive function (such as memory, learning ability, attention, etc.) is milder than before.Mild cognitive impairment is manifested as memory loss, decreased attention, anxiety and other symptoms.
1. memory loss: may cause memory function decline
2. Decreased attention: patients may have inattention and cannot properly identify effective information
3. Anxiety: when the disease is serious, it may cause mental disorders and anxiety
Prevention of mild cognitive impairment
Depending on the risk factors for mild cognitive impairment, mild cognitive impairment can be prevented by:
Develop good living habits:Get into the habit of physical exercise and keep moving;Participate in social activities regularly, communicate with family and friends, and try to avoid living alone; Develop healthy eating habits and reasonable dietary structure.
Take up hobbies: Develop the habit of reading, often some books and newspapers to read; Play poker properly; Studies have found that playing poker can delay cognitive decline.
Keep your body healthy:Control body weight to avoid obesity and overweight;Smoking less and drinking less, smoking and drinking are risk factors for mild cognitive impairment;Maintaining normal blood pressure levels, hypertension is also one of the risk factors for mild cognitive impairment.
Treatment of mild cognitive impairment
Memory training
We can exercise and improve our memory through a variety of fun and challenging memory games, such as memorizing the suits of playing cards or numbers. Methods of associative memory can also be utilized to better remember and recall information by associating new information with known information.
Training of attention
Attention training, such as focusing attention on specific tasks, such as using Schulte squares, can be used to improve our concentration and persistence of attention.
Language training
We can accumulate vocabulary and understand language structure through extensive reading, exercise the ability to organize and express thoughts through writing, and finally improve language fluency and communication skills through oral expression.
Psychological support
through emotional support to help patients and families cope with psychological stress.Help them to adjust their life, including improving their living environment, reducing the negative impact on cognitive function, and improving their self-care ability.
Symptoms and nursing of severe cognitive impairment
Patients with severe cognitive impairment not only have severe cognitive deterioration, but also have progressively reduced mobility, need assistance in most daily activities, and have reduced verbal expression.The patient is unable to recall anything or process any new information, recognize family members, or use and understand language; Eating and swallowing difficulties; Inability to dress, bathe, or control their bowel and bladder; they long stay in bed.
How to care for patients with severe cognitive impairment
Daily living care
1. Schedule activities that are interesting to the patient, but not too full and complicated.
2. Physical exercise.
3. Eating: dysphagia and bucking in an advanced stage of dementia. At this time should avoid eating sticky rice and other sticky foods not easy to chew. Drinking water is easy to cough,and can give lotus root powder and other adhesives to thicken the water. Eating time is prolonged and can be adjusted to a small number of meals. Eat while you are awake, and do not lie down immediately after eating. Give adequate time to chew and, if necessary, discuss with your doctor the use of a nasogastric tube for feeding.
4. Dressing: Encourage patients to dress themselves, choose simple clothes, give enough time, a password and an action.
5. Toileting: Regular bowel movements. Regular guided toileting to empty the bladder can reduce incontinence. Massage the abdomen to facilitate defecation. For patients with severe cognitive impairment, if they can't go to the toilet, they can choose to indwelling catheter or choose good absorbable diapers and do skin care.
6. Bathing: fixed bathing time, avoid bathing immediately after meals, do not leave the patient alone in the bathroom, pay attention to protect the privacy of patients, respect the habits of patients, such as severe resistance, do not force.
7. Sleep: Advanced patients are often reversed day and night, at this time can seek help from a doctor, use sleep AIDS and sedative drugs to help sleep.
Communication skills
1. Respect the patient and inform the patient before doing anything.
2. When you lose your temper, calm it, divert your attention, make good use of its forgetful nature, and deal with it later.
3. Praise more to improve patients' cooperation and reduce resistance.
4. Speak succinctly and clearly, with some body language.
5. Speak slowly and softly.
Home environment
1. The bathroom should be non-skid, and the aisle should be straight and easy to pass.
2. Use mobility AIDS to avoid falls.
3. An anti-falling bed, can be added fence, appropriate use of constraints.
4. The living environment should be quiet and bright.
5. Avoid dazzling patterns on walls and floors.
Conclusion
cognitive impairment, whether mild or severe, significantly impacts individuals and their families. Early prevention and lifestyle changes, such as a healthy diet, regular exercise, and mental stimulation, can help slow the progression of mild cognitive impairment. For severe cognitive impairment, comprehensive care, emotional support, and professional medical assistance are essential in ensuring patients’ well-being. While there is currently no cure for severe cases, a combination of preventive strategies and compassionate care-giving can greatly enhance patients' quality of life and alleviate the burden on caregivers. Raising awareness and advancing research on cognitive impairment remain crucial steps in addressing this growing global health challenge.
