Dementia and Delirium are perplexing conditions both to differentiate and experience. Dementia is a progressive intellectual function and other cognitive skills decline condition which results to a decline in an individual’s performance of their daily activities. Unlike dementia, delirium also known as acute confusional state is an acute medical condition which results in confusion and other disruptions in a person’s thinking and behavior including attention, activity level and perception. It is very important to distinguish between the two conditions because, delirium can be found in a person that already has dementia. A study done by Fick and Mion (2008) indicated that, about 22% of adults with dementia develop delirium.
Dementia and delirium can cause impaired functioning, memory loss, poor judgment and a problem in speech; however, there are many differences between the two. Even though delirium and dementia can manifest with similar symptoms, they are two different conditions. This is because, an individual can suffer from both delirium and dementia and therefore, it is very vital to differentiate between the two. In addition, delirium is reversible while dementia is a permanent condition. Therefore, differentiating the two will help in the quick treatment of delirium.
The causes of the two conditions are similar in one way or another at the same time they vary. Delirium is caused by acute illness or drug toxicity while dementia is caused by anatomic changes in the brain that are generally irreversible. Dementia is a condition caused by Alzheimer’s disease, lewy body dementia, vascular dementia prontotemporal dementia and other related disease. It can also be caused by emotional illnesses, metabolic disorders, traum...
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...dical conditions. The two conditions coexist and this complicates the differential diagnosis in patients with cognitive impairment. Patients with cognitive dysfunction should sort out potential causes of their impairment because; dementia and delirium exhibit similar symptoms and therefore, require distinct treatment strategies. Dementia and delirium are characterized by cognitive decline whereby the brain function changes. They both affect an individual’s attention, thinking and personality.
Works Cited
Whaley, L. & Breitner, J. (2002) Dementia. London: Health Press.
Fick, D.M. & Mion, L.C. (2008). Delirium Superimposed on Dementia. American Journal of Nursing, 108(1), 52-60.
Ajilore, O.A and Kumar, A. (2004). Delirium and Dementia. FOCUS, 2, 210-220.
Arnold, E. (2004). Sorting out the 3 D’s: Delirium, dementia, depression. Nursing, 34 (6), 36–42.
There are lots of factors which could cause dementia. Those who have someone in the family with Dementia are at a higher risk of developing Dementia because Dementia can be in the genes and those genes are passed to the next generation. Someone with Downs Syndrome is also at high risk of developing Dementia in earlier years of life. Others factors which could cause dementia are: Stroke, Diabetes, High cholesterol, smoking and alcohol-Korsakoff’s Syndrome.
Delirium is defined by an acute onset of disturbances in consciousness in which cognition or perception is altered. It can vary throughout the day ...
care to the residents suffering from dementia. Banner et al (2009 as cited in Lee J.et al.2012)
"Dementia: Hope Through Research." National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). National Institute of Neurological Disroders and Stroke, 23 Mar. 2011. Web. 29 Nov. 2011. .
Alzheimer’s Disease is the most common cause of dementia. Alzheimer’s is a type of dementia that causes problems with memory, thinking and behavior. Symptoms usually develop slowly and get worse over time. It can become severe enough to interfere with daily tasks. Allie Hamilton is suffering from dementia.
Contrary to common belief, Dementia is not a disease, it is a term that encompasses a collection of symptoms. These symptoms are associated with numerous diseases that involve the impairment of cognitive functions (DoH, 2013).
Nerney, C. (2014, April). Dementia. Lecture conducted from Massachusetts’s College of Liberal Arts, North Adams, MA.
While the cause of delirium is usually multifactorial, there are several risk factors can be identified. The risk factors can be divided into 2 categories: predisposing factors (host factors) and precipitating factors (Alexander, 2000). Predisposing factors are those that occur before an ICU admission, leaving them difficult to alter or correct. Examples of predisposing risk factors include: older age, history of hypertension, smoking, or...
Delusions are a symptom of psychiatric disorders such as dementia and schizophrenia, and they also characterize delusional disorders. Delusion is defined as a false belief based on incorrect inference about external reality that is firmly sustained despite what almost everyone else believes and despite what constitut...
“…a group of symptoms that are caused by changes in brain function. Dementia symptoms may include asking the same questions repeatedly; becoming lost in familiar places; being unable to follow directions; getting disoriented about time, people, and places; and neglecting personal safety, hygiene, and nutrition. People with dementia lose their abilities at different rates.”
Videbeck SL (2004) “Nursing Care Plan: Depression” Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing, Third Edition, page 325-326
Delirium, Depression, and Dementia are some of the most common psychological diagnoses in the elderly today. The three D’s are difficult to differentiate between in older adults because they overlap with each other and can all exist in the same patient at once. Delirium, Dementia, and Depression all affect the elderly’s quality of life and often increase the risks for one another (Downing, Caprio & Lyness, 2013). For the purpose of this paper I will be focusing primarily on the diagnosis of Dementia, the prevention, and nursing measures associated with it, but first I would like to differentiate between Delirium and Depression because Dementia is often associated with the two in the older adult population.
The elderly represents a large amount of the population in our society and continues to grow each day. As the population grows, it is important to meet the demands and resolve the challenges that we encounter in regards to the overall quality of health and well-being of the elderly. Mental health of the elderly is a major issue but majority of the time goes unnoticed and untreated by caregivers and loved ones. About 20 percent of adults 55 and older are suffering from some type of mental health disorder, and one in three elderly adults do not receive any type of treatment (The State of Mental Health, 2008). Those suffering from mental illness are hesitant to seek out help or any type of treatment because of the stigma, services and cost for care that then comes with mental health disorders. Mental health issues that affect elderly include dementia, delirium, and psychosis. Some of the most common conditions include anxiety, mood disorders such as depression and bipolar disorder and cognitive impairment such as Alzheimer’s disease. Mental health is essential to the
“Difficult, depressing, and tragic” are a few of the descriptions generally associated with illness. Those who suffer from dementia, especially, undergo a realm of these characterizations. With this adversity in mind, most people generate a basic understanding based on education rather than personal experience. It is this preconception that can prevent us from gaining a true insight of one’s reality.
This usually occurs in older adults aged above 65; however, it is a disability and not a normal symptom of aging. Chances of inheritability are present, but it depends on the individual and the type of dementia (Alzheimer Australia, 2011). The Global Deterioration Scale provides a detailed explanation of the seven stages of cognitive decline in dementia (Alzheimer’s Association of Canada, 2005). Types of Dementia There are four main types of dementia, with AD being the most widespread form. It accounts for almost two thirds (50 -70 percent) of the cases and thus more extensively studied (Miller, 2009)....