10 Benefits of an Early Dementia Diagnosis

The benefits of an early dementia diagnosis are many.

In the United States, approximately 6.5 million Americans over 65 live with dementia.

By the time signs and symptoms appear, it’s likely too late to change lifestyle or drug treatment schedules.

A dementia diagnosis can be terrifying. Many fears come with it, such as:

Losing your memory
Losing your home
Not being able to care for yourself
Not being able to recognize family

But for some people and families, with early detection, you can treat and slow the progression of the disease.

10 Benefits of an Early Dementia Diagnosis

Early diagnosis of dementia is vital to many people. In addition, if seniors have a specific symptom, they must get their health checked.

Early diagnosis of dementia is not only beneficial to the elderly but can benefit those around them too.

Here are ten benefits of an early diagnosis of dementia and how you can add these benefits to your own life or that of your loved one.

You Can Better Treat The Symptoms – With an early diagnosis, you can take steps to treat the symptoms of dementia before it progresses. You may lessen the severity and frequency of those symptoms, which will help your loved one live a more comfortable life.

Make Legal Preparations – Legal documents and preparations can be very important. It’s important to consider what will happen if you, or a loved one, can no longer maintain the level of care.

Sometimes, these legal documents may need to be drafted as soon as possible. For example, suppose your loved one’s behavior becomes erratic or aggressive. In that case, you may need to make sure that there is an emergency power of attorney so someone else can make essential decisions for your loved one while they can still communicate with you.

If an estate plan needs revised because of an increased level of care required by your loved one, then this should be done as well.

You might also need to consider what will happen if your relationship with your spouse or partner changes dramatically after making an early dementia diagnosis.

Review legal documents that outline what happens if one partner first passes away. Discuss how they will share assets among their surviving family members and friends.

More Time to Document Your Memories – One of the most meaningful benefits of an early diagnosis is that it allows you to document essential memories.

You can start by taking photos of events and setting them aside in a photo album. Or you could write the date, who was there, what time it happened and any other details that might help refresh your memory.

You can also write notes in an online diary or journal if it helps your loved one remember what happened during certain times in their life.

These records can help show how much your loved one has changed over time and how much they’ve struggled with dementia-related changes in behavior or personality.

Live Your Life Before You Lose Your Memory – You will have time to live your life before you lose your memory. This can be crucial, as it will allow you to remember the things that matter most in life.

Here are some ways that you can start living your life now:

If they have diagnosed you with dementia, don’t wait until it’s too late. Even if it takes time to get used to the diagnosis, you should still start living your life like it will not change in the future.

Get involved in activities that you enjoyed before. If there was something you loved doing before your diagnosis, then do it again!

Qualify for Clinical Trials – Clinical trials are the best way to learn about medication’s benefits, risks, and side effects.

They designed these studies to test new treatments on small groups of people with specific diseases or conditions. The results from these studies may not apply to you, but they can help your doctor choose the proper treatment.

Doctors often combine clinical trial data with other information and other people with the same condition to create a complete picture of how well a drug works in real life.

You might not qualify for clinical trials because of age or other factors. Still, it’s never too late to learn more about them if you’re interested.

Save Money on Medications – Many medications treat dementia symptoms, including anti-depressants, anti-psychotics, and anti-convulsive medications.

These medications can be costly. So it’s crucial to know if they have diagnosed your loved one with this condition so they can receive the proper care and treatment they need.

Your doctor might recommend medication that costs between $100 and $300 per month for generic drugs or between $2,000 and $4,000 for brand-name medications.

But suppose you’re covered by Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance). In that case, you could access free medications through the drug manufacturer’s patient assistance program (PAP).

You’ll Have More Time To Plan For Their Future – Being able to plan gives you more time than you would have had if your loved one had been diagnosed with dementia later in their illness. It allows you to prepare for finances, such as selling a house or providing financial support for other family members who may need help caring for your loved one.

Start Getting Early Support – It’s essential to get early support. Make sure you have the right doctors and support staff to help you through this period.

You will need someone who can provide emotional, spiritual, and practical support throughout your life. In addition, the person who takes care of your financial affairs needs to be someone you trust and respect and be able to communicate what you need clearly.

It’s also vital that they understand the nature of dementia, which can make it easier for them to know whether they are doing the right thing by themselves or others.

You should also discuss how you want to be cared for by eating, washing and dressing, sleeping, and going out in public. What sort of lifestyle do you want?

Rule Out Other Diseases – If you have an early dementia diagnosis, it is essential to rule out other diseases that could cause your symptoms.

This will help you determine what type of dementia you have and how best to treat it. For example, suppose you have an early dementia diagnosis but no stroke. In that case, it is unlikely that there are any other underlying causes for your symptoms.

However, suppose you have a stroke and an early dementia diagnosis. In that case, treatment may be more effective if they treat the stroke first.

Determine How Much Damage Is Done – The first step in treating any dementia is determining the damage caused by the disease.

They can do this through brain imaging, such as MRI or CT scans.

While these tests can be expensive and time-consuming, they can also help doctors differentiate between different dementia.