They may also be problematic in those who have difficulties in processing past experiencesAnimal-assisted therapy has been found to be helpful. Drawbacks may be that pets are not always welcomed in a communal space in the care setting. An animal may pose a risk to residents, or may be perceived to be dangerous. Certain animals may also be regarded as "unclean" or "dangerous" by some cultural groups.Occupational therapy also addresses psychological and psychosocial needs of patients with dementia through improving daily occupational performance and caregivers competence. When compensatory intervention strategies are added to their daily routine, the level of performance is enhanced and reduces the burden commonly placed on their caregivers. Occupational therapists can also work with other disciplines to create a client centered intervention. To manage cognitive disability, and coping with behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia, combined occupational and behavioral therapies can support patients with dementia even further. Cognitive training
There is no strong evidence to suggest that cognitive training is beneficial for people with Parkinsons disease, dementia, or mild cognitive impairment. Personally tailored activities
Offering personally tailored activity sessions to people with dementia in long-term care homes may help manage challenging behavior. Medications
No medications have been shown to prevent or cure dementia. Medications may be used to treat the behavioral and cognitive symptoms, but have no effect on the underlying disease process.Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors, such as donepezil, may be useful for Alzheimers disease, Parkinsons disease dementia, DLB, or vascular dementia. The quality of the evidence is poor and the benefit is small.
The last two he described as the "senium", a period of mental and physical decay, and that the final phase was when "the scene of mortal existence closes after a great length of time that very fortunately, few of the human species arrive at, where the mind is reduced to the imbecility of the first epoch of infancy". In 550 BC, the Athenian statesman and poet Solon argued that the terms of a mans will might be invalidated if he exhibited loss of judgement due to advanced age. Chinese medical texts made allusions to the condition as well, and the characters for "dementia" translate literally to "foolish old person".Athenian philosophers Aristotle and Plato discussed the mental decline that can come with old age and predicted that this affects everyone who becomes old and nothing can be done to stop this decline from taking place. Plato specifically talked about how the elderly should not be in positions that require responsibility because, "There is not much acumen of the mind that once carried them in their youth, those characteristics one would call judgement, imagination, power of reasoning, and memory. They see them gradually blunted by deterioration and can hardly fulfill their function. "For comparison, the Roman statesman Cicero held a view much more in line with modern-day medical wisdom that loss of mental function was not inevitable in the elderly and "affected only those old men who were weak-willed". He spoke of how those who remained mentally active and eager to learn new things could stave off dementia.