Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is a life-changing diagnosis that affects not just your loved one but your entire family. There is no cure for FTD. However, medication and physical therapy can help your family manage symptoms and support quality of life. In some cases, memory care is the most loving option.
This article will help you understand the treatment options for frontotemporal dementia.
Our Promise is to love and care for your family as we do our own.
What Is FTD?
FTD is a brain disorder that can cause heartbreaking changes in a loved one. It harms nerve cells in the front and sides of the brain, the frontal and temporal lobes. They control decision-making, planning, speech, and emotions.
There are three main types:
- Behavioral: The most common type. It causes changes in personality, decision-making, emotions, and behavior.
- The speech type: Affects verbal and written communication
- Movement disorders: Causes slow movements, stiffness, tremors, low balance, weakness, and swallowing problems
Unlike Alzheimer’s, FTD doesn’t usually affect memories in the early stages.
Instead, it attacks personality and behavior. It also strikes earlier in life, usually between ages 45 and 64.
If you’re watching someone you love go through FTD, you’re not alone. Many families struggle to understand what is happening and how to help.
Frontotemporal Dementia Treatment Options
FTD gets worse over time. There is no cure or proven way to slow it down. But that doesn’t mean there’s nothing you can do.
FTD Treatment focuses on managing symptoms, maintaining quality of life, and supporting both your loved one and your family.
Medications for Managing FTD Symptoms
Medications can ease some of the most challenging FTD symptoms. The Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration (AFTD) recommends a cautious approach to medications for FTD.
The goal is to treat one symptom at a time, starting with the most serious.
An informed health care provider can help you figure out which symptoms to treat first. Medications that have been used to treat FTD include:
- Depression medications
- Medications that treat psychosis
- Anxiety medications
- Medications that help brain cells communicate better
Researchers continue striving for a cure through clinical trials. The FTD Disorders Registry can help connect you to trials if you’re interested in being part of that hope.
Managing Frontotemporal Dementia Symptoms With Speech Therapy
Communication is one of the hardest challenges as FTD progresses. Speech therapy offers tools to help you stay connected to your loved one when words become difficult. Speech therapists work on the following for those living with FTD:
- Speaking more slowly
- Using visual aids
- Developing hand gestures
- Using music and singing
- Learning to read body language
Speech therapy also addresses swallowing problems as they develop, so your loved one feels safe and comfortable.
Physical and Occupational Therapy for Frontotemporal Dementia
Occupational therapy helps your loved one maintain independence with daily activities such as showering, dressing, and eating. It helps keep your loved one safe and reduces frustration when simple tasks become harder.
Physical therapy often works hand in hand with occupational therapy. Custom exercise programs support mobility and help prevent falls, so your loved one can stay active and safe.
These therapies work best in structured environments. Our memory care communities at Kensington Senior Living offer personalized care plans in loving, safe places that feel like home.
Caring for a loved one living with FTD
Caring for someone with FTD is physically and emotionally exhausting. The risk of falling, choking, and unsafe behaviors grows over time. Eventually, 24-hour care becomes necessary, and that’s more than most people can manage on their own.
Symptoms can feel personal. Your loved one may:
- Lose interest in family activities
- Behave without thinking
- Become irritable
- Make hurtful comments
These symptoms come from FTD, not lost love. The person you’ve known is still there, even when the disease makes them seem distant or unkind.
Many families try to juggle FTD care with jobs, parenting, and other responsibilities. Burnout, isolation, and health problems often follow.
The good news is you don’t have to do this alone. Kensington Senior Living offers support and resources for caregivers. Our memory care communities are loving homes where older adults living with FTD can thrive.
When to Consider Memory Care for Frontotemporal Dementia
Moving a loved one to memory care can feel like giving up. However, choosing a care community is often the most loving decision you can make. Kensington Senior Living communities can help if you notice the following in your loved one:
- Wandering or getting lost
- Making dangerous or impulsive decisions
- Forgetting to eat
- Overdosing on medication or forgetting to take it
- Aggression that you can no longer manage safely
Has your health declined while caring for your loved one? That alone is reason enough to consider memory care. You matter too.
Choosing memory care allows you to return to being a spouse, child, or sibling again. Your loved one will receive meaningful dementia support from trained staff who understand FTD. Our structured, loving environment allows your loved one to find stability and connection.
How Kensington Senior Living Supports Families Dealing with FTD
Our Promise is to love and care for your family as we do our own. Our memory care communities support people with FTD through every stage with compassion and expertise.
Here’s what you can expect when you choose Kensington Senior Living:
- A 24/7 trained care teamwho understand FTD
- Structured daily routines to reduce confusion and agitation
- Safe, secure environments to prevent wandering
- Activities to keep your loved one active
- Medication management and health care coordination
- Regular communication with your family
For many families, the shift to memory care makes time together more meaningful as family visits are accommodated and encouraged. You’ll be able to focus on creating memories rather than just managing a crisis.
Contact Kensington Senior Living today to learn how our memory care communities can support your family when you and your loved one are living with FTD.
FAQ: Frontotemporal Dementia Treatment
Treatment options for FTD include medications, speech, occupational, and physical therapy. Memory care communities provide structured environments to improve treatment.
Consider memory care when you experience safety concerns, challenging behavioral symptoms, or caregiver burnout. Caregiver burnout can affect your health and other family relationships. Earlier transitions often go more smoothly than waiting until a crisis forces the decision.
We offer specialized memory care neighborhoods, with trained team members who understand the unique challenges of FTD. We adjust care as residents’ needs change. Our Promise is to love and care for your family as we do our own.