What treatment and support options are available?

Further information on all such services and options can be found at

Dementia often causes changes in eating behaviour. Many people with dementia lose weight because they do not eat enough food or because they burn more energy through increased activity. Loss of appetite can lead to decreased food intake. Some people with dementia may have swallowing disorders and can therefore no longer eat familiar meals. Eating too little or having a one-sided diet can result in nutrient deficiencies, which may affect the proper functioning of the body. To prevent this, you can seek nutritional advice from a dietician.

In most cases, you will need to pay for the consultation with a dietician yourself. However, some social insurance schemes also cover use dietician services free of charge. All you need is a referral from your general practitioner. Simply ask your social insurance provider or your general practitioner.
    
Under the following link, you will find more information on dietology for dementia:

Under the following link, you will find a short video in which a dietician introduces her profession:

An occupational therapist supports you if are no longer able to live your everyday life as you normally would – for example after an accident, an operation or due to an illness. The most important goal of occupational therapy is to improve your personal ability to act independently so you can organise and manage your everyday life as best as possible. This involves, for example, activities such as:

• dressing and undressing,
• carrying out personal hygiene,
• shopping,
• riding public transportation,
• walking your dog or
• baking a cake for your neighbour.

The occupational therapist supports you in being able to do the things that are important to you in your everyday life again.

Occupational therapists will also advise you if you need assistive devices for healthcare, for example

• for reaching for objects,
• to open screw caps,
• to close buttons and put on stockings or
• if your home needs to be converted to make it accessible.

You can access support from occupational therapists in various ways. Occupational therapists work, for example,

• in outpatient clinics,
• in rehabilitation facilities,
• in hospitals, or
• independently in a practice.

Many occupational therapists also offer home visits.

You will need a doctor's referral for occupational therapy, which you can obtain from your general practitioner, for example. You can also obtain a transportation voucher from your doctor. The ambulance will then take you to therapy and pick you up again. However, you can also visit independently or with a relative.

The health insurance providers BVAEB, SVS, and ÖGK cover the costs of occupational therapy if you use the services of a contracted therapist. If you choose an elective therapist, you will pay for the therapy yourself and can usually be reimbursed for parts of the costs by your health insurance.

If you are insured with the KFA, you will always have to pay for therapy yourself. However, you may receive a subsidy from the KFA. Check with your insurance provider for details. If you click on the following link, you will find more information on occupational therapy for dementia:

A dementia diagnosis can come as a shock for affected people and their relatives. This is why psychological support is often useful or necessary. The clinical psychologist can make a diagnosis using various test procedures and treat you accordingly. To take advantage of this service, you will need a referral from your general practitioner, a psychotherapist or a specialist in psychiatry or neurology. Psychotherapists can also support you or your relatives after a dementia diagnosis to cope better with the diagnosis, manage fears, and address existing or anticipated limitations. In order to receive psychotherapeutic treatment, it is often necessary for you to receive a diagnosis and findings from a clinical psychologist before starting therapy. This involves a detailed interview and psychological testing. You will then receive a report containing the necessary information on the dementia diagnosis to determine the course of action and so that therapy can begin. If you choose a psychologist or psychotherapist who has a contract with the health insurance provider, you do not have to pay for the therapy. If you choose an elective psychologist or psychotherapist, you will have to cover the costs yourself. You can claim some of the money back from the insurance provider afterwards. Check with your social insurance provider for details.

Early recognition of dementia allows the person affected to adapt more effectively to resulting limitations. With suitable treatment or therapy, you can address dementia-related changes and receive support in managing mental stress. For more detailed information, speak to your general practitioner.

People with dementia often experience speech and swallowing disorders. Speech therapy can help to prevent these disorders or reduce their impact for as long as possible.

Treatment can be provided in insurance companies' facilities or in a practice, for example. However, many speech therapists also offer home visits.

You can get a referral for speech therapy from a neurology specialist or your general practitioner, for example. If you choose a speech therapist with a health insurance contract, you do not have to pay for the treatment. If you choose an elective speech therapist, you will have to cover the costs yourself and will be reimbursed for part of the costs later by your insurance provider. You can find out more about speech therapy for dementia by clicking under the following link:

Music therapy can help to reduce anxiety and depressive moods. However, music therapy can also have a positive impact on advanced impairments. People with dementia can often still sing whole songs by heart, even if they no longer speak.

To access music therapy for dementia, you need a referral from your family doctor, a clinical psychologist, a psychotherapist or a dentist.

Some hospitals and clinics in certain federal provinces offer outpatient music therapy services. Both are covered by insurance and you do not have to pay for them. If you choose a private music therapist, you have to cover the costs yourself and will not be reimbursed by the insurance provider.

People with dementia often experience difficulties with their sense of orientation. This can also be due to the fact that they have poor vision but can no longer express this. It is especially important for people with dementia to maintain good vision, as this helps prevent problems with orientation and reduces the risk of falls. An orthoptist can help by adjusting your glasses to suit your needs and providing guidance to you and your relatives on how to improve vision. Orthoptists can be found, for example, in hospitals, at vision therapy providers in some insurance providers’ facilities or outpatient clinics. You do not have to pay for the services mentioned above. If you choose an independent orthoptist, you will have to cover the costs yourself. If you click on the following link, you can find more information on orthoptics for dementia:

Some people with dementia develop movement disorders as the disease progresses. This means that they generally move less and forget certain skills, such as walking safely. This puts them at risk of falling and injuring themselves. Physiotherapy can help to strengthen the body, improve balance and practise everyday activities. Physical training also supports brain function.

There are various ways in which you can access of physiotherapy services. Physiotherapists work, for example,

• in health resorts or insurance outpatient clinics,
• in rehabilitation facilities or
• independently in a practice.

Many physiotherapists also offer home visits.

You can obtain a referral for physiotherapy from your general practitioner or from a specialist. You can also obtain a transportation voucher from your doctor. An ambulance will then take you to the therapy and pick you up again. However, you can visit independently go there yourself or with a relative.

If you choose a physiotherapist with a health insurance contract, you do not have to pay for the therapy services. If you choose an elective physiotherapist, you will have to cover the costs of the treatment yourself. However, you can be reimbursed for part of the costs by your insurance provider. Check with your social insurance provider for details.

If you click on the following link, you will find more information about physiotherapy for dementia, for example about training for relatives:

If you click on the link below, you will find further information and a short video on the subject of physiotherapy:

There are also other services that do not have to be provided by members of legally regulated healthcare professions. These can also provide support in the treatment of dementia. If you are already receiving care or support, you can ask your caregiver or support worker where these services are available in your area. If you are not yet receiving care or support, ask your local authority or organisations such as Volkshilfe, Hilfswerk, Caritas, Diakonie or the Red Cross. You can also find suitable offers online: Enter the term together with the name of your town or region in a search engine such as Google.

Example terms:

Training for family members
Aromatherapy
Visiting services
Exercise programms
Biography work
Memory training
Art therapy
Massages
Reality orientation training
Self-help groups
Senior animation
Snoezelen
Animal-assisted intervention
Validation