Isolation & Memory Care Patients

For most people, when they come down with a typical, non-life-threatening illness, our doctors tell us to rest up and to avoid other people as much as possible. But for nursing home patients battling memory-related ailments, the act of isolating from others while as a method to recovery, creates a medical conundrum. This is because those dealing with cognitive-decline conditions desperately rely on daily social interaction to slow the rate of cognitive decline. So, you can see why the act of isolating a person in this setting, while they recover from an unrelated disease, often does more harm than good.

Mental health is a big part of memory care. For this reason, maintaining a positive mindset is essential, as mood plays a significant role for a resident with memory loss. Mood instability is just one of the many effects that isolation can have on a resident. Because mood plays a vital role, not only for cognitive health, it also has a dramatic ability to affect our body’s overall health. Therefore, isolation can have a profound impact on a person’s overall health, making them vulnerable to developing additional health problems that include:

• Loss in Spleen Mass
• Loss of Body and Renal Mass
• Asymmetric Hippocampal Atrophy
• Disrupted Sleep
• High Blood Pressure
• Suppressed Emotional Health
• Depression