Dementia is a neurodegenerative disorder that is causing more negative consequences (i.e. economically, socially, and psychologically) than what is being anticipated. As a non-treatable and prominent disorder affecting a vast population, researchers are in desperate need to prove the effectiveness of different interventions proposed to demented patients. The importance of accurate diagnosis and successful development of intervention techniques have hence brought forward the necessity to evaluate the targeted population receiving different interventions. Up to date, depression and dementia are critical issues in mental health of old age, while QOL is also another major assessment scale applied to measure patients’ subjective well-being. Since previous literatures have indicated inconsistent findings regarding the relationship among the three factors: dementia, depression, and quality of life; this present study aims to investigate the association between the two factors (depression and quality of life) among elderly patients with dementia attending day care centers. In the end, four major hypotheses were formed based on previous literatures. First of all, it is likely that there will be a high degree of agreement between caregivers’ and patients’ report on the quality of life scale. On top of that, it is likely for patients with higher cognitive functioning to show better quality of life; whereas higher depression scores (more depressed) are likely to be correlated to poorer quality of life. Lastly, there may be some degree of association between severity of cognitive functioning and depression level. As for the control group, participants without dementia are likely to show lower depressive mood and better quality of life than pat...
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...e associated with QOL. Moreover, the negative trend between depression and quality of life generates additional information, which confirms some of the inverse correlations in previous literature. While cognitive functioning is not the only important factor in determining QOL, other factors such as impairments on physical activities, insights, and unawareness towards disorder may also be critical in affecting QOL. Future research should provide answers to whether these factors play a role in QOL, while treating depressive symptoms may be the key in maintaining the QOL among the Chinese AD patients attending day-care centers. Furthermore, a better life for patients with dementia in day care centers can therefore be achieved by detecting depression, treating depression, improving cognitive functioning, and perhaps working on the additional factors mentioned earlier.
Medical models of Dementia concentrate on the clinical base and how the changes occur in the brain.
Dementia is common among a large population of elderly people. The disease affects not only the individual diagnosed, but also the caregivers that work towards making their life comfortable in the end. Understanding and learning about the disease is crucial in helping those that experience or live with someone who has dementia. The services and support that are currently in affect for elderly people with dementia and the caregivers is poor, and ineffective because of the lack of research and information on the topic.
(Davidson, F. G.) Due to the nature of dementia being a neuropsychological disorder, those affected by the disease tend to look like they will not require much care, which, in reality, they often require more care than the caregiver originally expected, leading to stress and burnout. Another effect caused by this can be the caregiver blaming themselves by feeling like they are failing to give proper care, which, in reality, can often be very far from the truth. If the caregiver does not receive help from anyone else, the task of watching over the victim becomes a daunting twenty for hour task. Sometimes, the caregiver won’t be allowed quality sleep. Over 66 percent of home caregivers suffer from some form of psychological or physical illness. The most common illness that is resulted from giving care to Alzheimer’s disease is depression. The caregiver needs to monitor their emotional well-being as well as the well-being as the person that they are giving care to. Usually, giving care to those with dementia is actually more stressful than giving care to those with cancer. When the caregiver is a family member and not a professional, the emotional toll is often even greater. It is important for caregivers to remember that they need to take care of themselves first and
care to the residents suffering from dementia. Banner et al (2009 as cited in Lee J.et al.2012)
Dementia is a significant health issue in Australia (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2012) (AIHW 2012). Whilst Dementia primarily affects older members of the community, it can also affect young people and has a significant influence on overall health and quality of life (AIHW 2012). The type of Dementia is a determinant in the severity and development of symptoms in individuals (Department of Health 2013) (DoH, 2013). The gradual, progressive and irreversible nature of Dementia has a considerable social and physical impact not only on the individual, but also on family and friends.
Dementia is the progressive deterioration and impairment of memory, reasoning, and other cognitive functions occurring as the result of a disease or condition. Dementia can affect the person’s ability to carry out daily activities. For example, the person may forget where they live or they might think they have already done their activities but never did. Dementia can also cause the elderly to become incontinent and can’t control their urinary system. Many people get confused that dementia is a disease. Dementia is not a disease. However, it can lead to a disease or condition. Dementia is more common in the elderly population. It’s normal for people to forget things, but to a certain extent it becomes a critical issue. Depression also plays a role in the affects of dementia. Studies have been made to believe that the biological mechanisms for depression relating to dementia is, “interactions with vascular diseases, changes in glucocorticoid steroid levels that can result in hippocampal atrophy, accumulation of amyloid-[beta] plaques, inflammatory processes, and lack of nerve growth factors” (Heser et al., 2013). Dementia is caused because of plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. This can also be known as Alzheimer’s Disease. Dementia is the leading cause for Alzheimer’s Disease in the elderly. For all dementia cases, 60 to 80 percent of people with dementia will have Alzheimer’s Disease. The disease has 3 different stages, the early stage, the middle stage, and the late stage. Each of those stages has a variety of symptoms that affects the memory impairment of the person (Wieregna, Bondi, 2011). Also relating to dementia is Parkinson’s Disease and Huntington Disease. These diseases can result in impairment, which can cause challeng...
Non drug treatment includes counseling of patients and family members of the possible mental changes and what can be done to ease the transition. Environmental changes and daily habits can be altered to reduce any obstacles associated with dementia and cognitive exercises can be performed by patients to he...
... and duration varies from person to person. It depends on multiple factors, including the age of diagnosis and other medical conditions. The signs and symptoms start with cognitive disturbance as all other forms of dementia begin. We should refrain from being prejudiced and judgmental because of not taking the time to truly understand this disorder and how it may affect one’s life. Education and patience are the best ways to tackle this issue. In this paper, relevant topics involving dementia were discussed. Part one covered the pathology and staging of dementia. Part two explained the most common types of dementia that many people are diagnosed with. Part three summarized the treatment methods used to manage the disorder. We should apply a professional, respectful, and empathic approach while maintaining specific culture traditions to achieve a successful outcome.
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.
Li, T., Lee, Y., Lin, C., & Amidon, R. (2003). Quality of life of primary caregivers of elderly with cerebrovascular disease or diabetes hospitalized for acute care: Assessment of well-being and functioning using the sf-36 health questionnaire. Quality of Life Research, 1081-1088.
Finally, communication, an important Activity of Daily Living (ADL) is explored and patient/carer advice is presented so as to maintain good health conditions in the patient. Analysis of Dementia According to Miller, 2009, dementia is the most accurate expression which illustrates the development of cognitive impairment. It exemplifies the diverse brain anarchies which ultimately lead to severe brain dysfunction (Alzheimer Australia, 2011). Dementia is the leading cause of disability in older adults in Australia, accounting for 17 percent of the cases (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2004). Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Vascular Dementia (VD), Frontotemporal Dementia (FD) and Dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB) are the well-known forms of this disease.
Dementia is defined by the World Health Organization as a syndrome due to damage of the brain cells that most often chronic and progressive in nature. Some of the cortical functions that become impaired include memory, thinking, orientation, comprehension, calculation, learning capacity, language and judgment. Other manifestations that may accompany this disease are deterioration in emotional control, social behavior or motivation (Ouldred & Bryant, 2009) Dementia is not a normal part of aging, however it occurs most frequently in the older population. Fifteen percent of Americans over the age of sixty-five have dementia, and as the average life span continues to increase, so will the number of those affected by dementia (Fredman, James, Johnson, Scholz, & Weuve, 2012). The purpose of this paper is to discuss the pathophysiology, risk factors, symptoms, and treatment options for different types of dementia.
Dementia is a major neurocognitive disorder that interferes with the independence of the elderly by inhibiting memory and thinking skills. Fifty to eighty percent of dementia cases constitute of Alzheimer’s diagnoses; consequently Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type of dementia and currently affects 5.2 million Americans. Most of these cases are patients above the age of 65 and by 2050; 13.8 million Americans in total will suffer Alzheimer’s due to aging of the general population, specifically the baby boomers. Total cost to society ranges from $157- $215 billion (Associated Press). Some would assume the cost of Alzheimer’s to be incurred by pharmaceuticals or medical costs, however RAND Corp suggests dementia cost to society is from care rather than treatment. Therefore, assistance provided by informal providers and directs caregivers incur a majority of the financial and social cost. Currently, the workforce does not have the capacity or training to care for these unique patients; the delivery system needs to address Alzheimer’s as the population ages and more and more fam...