Alzheimer's: holding it off.

As mentioned in the first two of the alzheimer's/dementia posts, there is currently no cure for Alzheimer's Disease (AD).  Nor is there a vaccination. And the general consensus is that the disease is acquired 20 or more years before symptoms begin to appear. 

At this point, the best that can be done is to hold off the symptoms.

For many, this is a reasonably successful approach: if the symptoms can be held off, slowed and minimized throughout old age, then the quality of life for those afflicted increases remarkably.  So what CAN you do to slow the progression of AD?

The good news is that it's the exact same regime needed for generic good health.

1. Regular exercise: walking counts.
2. Healthy diet
3. Mental stimulation
4. Quality sleep
5. Stress management
6. An active social life 
7. Treat other medical conditions like diabetes, obesity, heart disease, HBP.
8. Stop smoking

 And when all else fails, there's this:  remove the stigma associated with dementia and AD.  The city of Watertown, Wisconsin has taken on a city-wide challenge to become the nation's first dementia friendly town.  The downtown owners, shopkeepers and waitresses go through training and learn to deal with mild dementia cases...using pictures on menus so patrons can point to what they want and other "assistive" methods.