失智症認知功能退化之照護

Care of Dementia Patients with Cognitive Deterioration

失智症(Dementia)是腦部持續慢性退化，也是老年人常見的認知障礙，因記憶力減退，導致獲取新資訊能力喪失，甚至伴隨精神症狀，降低生活品質，造成照顧者負擔，而現實導向、懷舊治療、運動、耳穴治療等是失智症患者常見的非藥物治療方法。台灣2020年領有身心障礙之失智症患者6.6萬人，持續增加中，因此延緩失智症患者認知功能退化更顯重要。臨床人員若能運用非藥物治療方法於失智症患者之認知訓練，即可減緩患者認知功能之退化，提升患者生活品質，降低照顧者負擔。

Dementia is a persistent and chronic degeneration of the brain; also, is a common cognitive disorder in the elderly. Due to memory damage, the ability to acquire new information is impaired. Accompanied by mental symptoms, it reduces the quality of life and causes burdens of caregivers. Reality orientation therapy, reminiscence therapy, exercise, ear acupuncture therapy, etc. are common non-drug treatments for dementia patients. There are 66,000 people with dementia in Taiwan in 2020, and the number is increasing. Therefore, it is important to delay the deterioration of cognitive function of people with dementia. If non-drug treatments can be conducted for cognitive training in patients with dementia, the clinical professionals can slow down the deterioration of cognitive function of patients, improve their life quality, and reduce the burden of caregivers.