ShA new Portuguese scientific study, developed by researchers from the Egas Moniz School of Health and Science and Garcia de Orta Hospital, has concluded that investing in nutrition and family support can increase the life expectancy of people with severe dementia. Data from the study “Nutrition and Outcomes of 100 Residents with Severe Dementia Who Were Endoscopically Fed” were published in the journal Nutrients.
This team, led by Professor Jorge Fonseca and Professor Diogo Souza Cateta, studied 100 consecutive patients with criteria for severe dementia, who were part of a specialized nutritional support program through laparoscopic gastrostomy. A condition for the patient’s participation in this program was to maintain a rich and stable emotional relationship with family members and caregivers. Initially, this group of patients had low weight and poor nutritional indicators, but many regained the weight and the average survival of the group was 28 months, almost two and a half years – much higher than the two or three months mentioned. In previous studies.
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Jorge Fonseca, professor at the Egas Muniz School of Health and Sciences, points out in a statement that “several patients have been followed for four to five years in this procedure, which reveals the importance of supporting these family and caregivers and that it is possible to increase the average hope of life.” These patients.” “In general, the traditional clinical view is that people with severe or advanced dementia have a very low chance of survival, but this research shows that it is possible to counter this trend and improve these prognoses.”
The study aims to alert the scientific community that it is possible to contribute to improving the quality of life for these patients and that the use of alternative treatments can have a significant impact on their lives.
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Remember, dementia is a general term used to refer to a group of diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease — according to the CUF Health Network, it accounts for about two-thirds of all cases — that are characterized by cognitive changes that may be associated with memory loss, language changes, and disorientation in time or place.
The World Health Organization estimates that there are 47.5 million people with dementia worldwide, and expects this number to reach 75.6 million in 2030 and almost triple in 2050, to 135.5 million.
Read also: Signs of dementia that appear 14 years before diagnosis
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