Dementia is a neurological disease that can be caused by damage to brain cells like head injury, brain tumor, stroke, and more. Dementia is often characterized by memory loss and cognitive impairments. This disease impacts six to ten percent of the U.S. population ages 65 and older. Dementia is a diverse term that does not describe one specific disorder, but actually describes a number of disorders that show the same general characteristics of memory loss and other emotional and cognitive inabilities (Anda, Chapman, Moore, Strine, & Williams, 2006). Alzheimer’s is the most common form of dementia and effects up to eighty percent of dementia cases. Other common forms of dementia include Lewy Bodies, vascular dementia, mixed dementia, and others …show more content…
Some patients take a year to transition from the diagnosis of dementia to another form of the disease like Alzheimer’s. Dementia is a disease that can be characterized by seven stages of transition. Stage one is when the individual has no memory loss, and the brain functions normally. The second stage includes a very mild decline in memory loss. The person that has dementia may notice this memory loss, but it goes relatively undetected by friends and family members. The memory loss in the third stage is mild. An individual in the third stage may have trouble completing complicated tasks and remembering names. In stage four, there is a moderate decline in memory loss. Complex activities become increasingly difficult to complete along with daily tasks like shopping and paying bills. The individual may experience mood swings and become withdrawn. Stage five marks the period of rapid decline in memory loss. The patients address and other memories may be forgotten. Individuals in stage five may still be independent but may require help making decisions. In stage six, there is a severe decline in memory. Also, some personality changes take place and mood …show more content…
There are many roles people have to play in Dementia Care. Some of these people include nurses, social workers, psychologist, physical therapist, occupational therapist, and a pharmacist just to name a few. Pharmacists provide different types of medication to dementia patients that are able to reduce or even stop the progression of memory loss. Medication also has the ability to stabilize mood swings so the patient is able to live life more regularly. Along with pharmaceutical treatment, there are other approaches and programs that might help treat the symptoms of dementia. Some of these programs include, cognitive rehabilitation, activity engagement, memory boards, and cognitive behavioral therapy to address anxiety (Earland & Gitlin, 2010). Also, when a patient with dementia needs more assistance with daily living, placing the patient in a nursing home where more care can be provided is an effective solution (Lopez & Rose, 2012). There are numerous treatment options and choosing the right one for a loved one may be a
insane? Well try living with Dementia. Dementia is not a disease; it is a group of symptoms caused by another disease, which produces a progressive loss of cognitive functioning (Psychology Today). People often believe that because of old age, a person may have Dementia, but this is a false accusation. In old age you may forget a few things here and there, but it is only when the symptoms affect the person’s daily life that it can be called Dementia. The exact cause of Dementia is damage to the brain cells;
Dementia worldwide is a common cause of death for the elderly. Dementia is a syndrome – usually of a chronic or progressive nature – in which there is deterioration in cognitive function beyond what might be expected from normal ageing. (WHO). Dementia can affect many things from memory, thinking, orientation, comprehension, and calculation, learning capacity, language and even judgment. ““Dementia” is an umbrella term describing a variety of diseases and conditions that develop when nerve cells
Dementia describes a chronic or persistent blend of symptoms that lead to the eventual decline in mental ability. Dementia’s symptoms are caused by brain disease and/or related injuries that can potentially lead to a decline in mental health that is extreme enough to interfere drastically with daily routines. At least two severe impairments of either; memory, communication, focus, perception and judgement are enough to be considered for the development of dementia. According to Alzheimer’s Australia1
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
marked decline in cognition is an unexpected outcome of the aging process. A decline has actually been identified to be cause for concern and thus falls under the broad scope of dementia. One particular disease that falls under the umbrella of dementia is Alzheimer’s disease. This is an unfortunate disorder with a hallmark symptom of gradual, ongoing, neurological decline. The disease not only consumes a person’s short term memory but eventually the long term memory as well. Unfortunately, Alzheimer’s
1.1 Explain what is meant by dementia? Dementia is a long-term condition that normally affects people aged 65 and over, younger people can be affected. Having dementia can cause loss of key functions to the brain, such as; loss of memory; confusion; speech and language problems; loss of ability to make judgements; loss of concentration; difficulty in processing information; changes in behaviour and personality. These all lead to a person not been able to function properly. The person’s ability to
Dementia is a disease effecting nearly thirty-six million people worldwide (Whiteman, 2014). Even with so many elderly suffering from the disease, there are many people who don’t know what dementia truly is. People often jump too quickly to the conclusion that dementia is a disease that only effects the memory. They may believe that dementia is inevitable and cannot be cured in any case. They may also believe that dementia is something the majority of elderly will experience when they get older
is on dementia, a late-life disorder, as it pertains to the geriatric population. “It is estimated that 24.3 million people around the world have dementia and that, with an estimated 4.6 million new cases every year, we can expect about 43 million people and their families to have to handle the challenge of dementia by 2020.” (McNamera, 2011) I will cover three relevant points concerning this disorder that cause changes in the brain. • Part one will cover the pathology and staging of dementia. • Part
allowing, depending on the type of dementia, to either eradicate it completely, or ease the symptoms later in life (Alzheimer’s Association). Likewise, they will have more time to start saving and planning financially; nationally, the cost of care for dementia patients exceeded $236 billion in 2016, around $5000 a year for each family (“2016 Alzheimer’s Statistics”). Not only will planning provide less stress and anxiety, a common enemy amongst families of dementia patients, but it will also allow
Dementia is characterized as a condition where the mental processes of cognition and memory start to deteriorate. It is described as a syndrome that hinders the daily lives of those who have it and is characterized by memory and thinking impairment. The most common form of dementia is Alzheimer’s Disease and the second most common is vascular dementia. Dementia is a syndrome occurring usually, but not limited, to people over the age of 40 and is due to brain damage caused by natural deteriorating
Dementia Care: The Stages of Dementia Dementia and Alzheimer's disease, the primary form of dementia in America, are scary words. Dementia is a progressive and debilitating disease that currently does not have a cure. Nearly 50 million people in the world have Alzheimer's disease, nearly 6 million of them live in the United States. The good news, if you are looking for any sort of a silver lining, is that not everybody who has dementia is in the final stages of this insidious disease, and advances
roughly 47 million people. [1] Dementia is a grouping of disease in which there is a deterioration in memory, thinking, behaviour and the ability to perform everyday activities. Symptoms range from memory loss, word finding difficulties and impaired judgement. Dementia doesn’t only affect the person diagnosed with it negatively, but caregivers as well. It is a disease which needs proper funds and research to help improve the life of those diagnosed with it. Dementia which is not a single disease is
diagnosed with the irreversible condition known as dementia, a disorder of the brain that will cause memory loss and difficulty with communicating. Many people mistake dementia as an illness, but it really is a set of symptoms that cause impaired thinking and memory. How can we better understand dementia in order to give the best care towards dementia patients? Spreading awareness of this disease is important so that people can catch the symptoms early enough to protect the health of Canadian older
for patients, their families, and society (Rabins PV, et al 2006 p.75). Dementia can have an impact on people from any age, but it is mostly common among older people. Statistics indicates that, one in six people above the age of 80 years old has some form of dementia and one in 14 people over the age of 65 years old has some form of dementia. In the United Kingdom (UK), it is estimated that 683,597 people are with dementia and this represents one person in every 88 people. Research indicates that
in elderly individuals. To many people, dementia is thought to be a disease that affects the memory of elderly people. They think it is irreversible and inevitable, that it is something the majority of people will face as they get older. Many people also confuse delirium with dementia. Delirium can be caused by illness, malnutrition, or medication, as can dementia, however, delirium describes a person who is less alert, drowsy, and restless, while dementia talks about someone who is fully awake,