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Abstract on dementia
Dementia and long term conditions
Abstract on dementia
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Many ordinary people have the wrong idea about a condition seen 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, but still having problems with cognitive functioning. However, dementia is not a disease. The word dementia comes from two Latin words meaning away and mind (Mace and Rabins, 1991, p. 6). Dementia describes a group of symptoms that affect the mind, typically occurring in old age. Changes to the brain occur gradually over time and show no visible changes. Dementia causes impairment and loss of mental power, taking away the ability to complete activities necessary to survive. Dementia affects only about thirteen percent of people over the age of sixty-five, half of which are over the age of ninety (Berk, 2014, p. 582). Most forms of dementia are irreversible and become worse with time, but there are some that can be reversed. Many forms of dementia don’t cause any pain, while some …show more content…
Some signs of dementia can also be symptoms of other diseases, making misdiagnosis common. The most common sign of dementia is severe memory loss. The amount of loss ranges depending on the severity of the dementia. Individuals may forget the names of people they have known all their lives or what they ate for dinner just hours after eating. People with dementia also have difficulty communicating, organizing, and reasoning. They will begin to lose their ability to carry out ADLs, or activities of daily living, and as the disease worsens, will most likely be unable to live on their
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 function deteriorates over a period of time and is usually at least 6 months before positive diagnosis of dementia can be made. Dementia is caused when the brain is damaged by diseases such as Alzheimer’s which is the most common of dementia, vascular which is a series of mini strokes,
Dementia – is the chain of signs and symptoms which effect the human brain. As a result of this changes in the brain occur which are irreversible. These changes lead to memory loss, difficulty in planning and learning, confusion and changes in behaviour.
performance that involves, but is not limited to, a loss in at least 2 of the
“…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.”
Alzheimer’s disease is a complex illness that affects the brain tissue directly and undergoes gradual memory and behavioral changes which makes it difficult to diagnose. It is known to be the most common form of dementia and is irreversible. Over four million older Americans have Alzheimer’s, and that number is expected to triple in the next twenty years as more people live into their eighties and nineties. (Johnson, 1989). There is still no cure for Alzheimer’s but throughout the past few years a lot of progress has been made.
People with dementia may have problems with short-term memory, keeping track of their belongings, keeping up with plans, remembering appointments or travel dates. Many dementias are progressive. This means that symptoms start out slowly and gradually get worse with time. Alzheimer’s and other types of dementia are diagnosed based on careful medical history, a physical examination, laboratory tests, and the characteristic changes in thinking, day-to-day function and behavior related to each
While there is little difference between dementia and Alzheimer it is important to distinguish the two. Dementia is, “ a general term for a decline in mental ability severe enough to interfere with daily life” (Alzheimer Association, 2014). While Alzheimer is, “is a ...
...the world. There is no cure for dementia and the other diseases relating to dementia. Dementia is the leading cause of Alzheimer’s Disease. Alzheimer’s Disease is also the most common disease with dementia (Wieregna, Bondi, 2011). Dementia can affect the patient and families in many emotional ways. Knowing that their loved one will be going through many mental disabilities and probably won’t be able to recall some memories can be tragic. Dementia can also affect families financially. The cost for a patient significantly rises every year due to the increase of the population (Hurd, 2013). Dementia can also lead to Parkinson’s and Huntington disease, which can affect the mobility of the patient (Quinn, Busse, Dal Bello-Hass, 2013). Dementia is still one of the most widely diagnosed diseases around the world. Without a cure for it, many more people will be affected.
In this day and age, it seems as though almost everyone has experience a loved one taken away form a very serious disease known as Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s disease is unbelievably devastating for everyone affected by it. This disease is causing major economical problems such as less occupancy in the nursing homes, and hospitals due to the rising population of elderly men and women being diagnosed with it everyday. Because there is not yet a cure for this disease and the percent of the population being diagnosed keeps rapidly rising, more time and money needs to go towards Alzheimer’s research.
Alzheimer's Disease Introduction to Alzheimer's Alzheimer's disease is a progressive, degenerative disease of the brain. It was first described by the German neuropathologist Alois Alzheimer (1864-1915). in 1905. This disease worsens with advancing age, although there is no evidence. that it is caused by the aging process.
“Loss” is the main thing many people think about when they think of dementia. Dementia is a term used to describe a disease that infects the mind of elderly people making them forget their memories and everyday activities. There are varying levels and extremes of dementia, meaning the disease affects people differently depending on how severe their specific case of dementia is. Fortunately, the disease does not happen immediately, it is a gradual process. The more time that passes, the more matured the disease gets. Also, dementia contributes to the loss of cognitive, psychological, and health related functions.
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive, terminal, degenerative brain disease. It is the fourth leading cause of death in adults and currently affects over four million people in the United States. This number is expected to increase over the next several years as the baby boomers age, until it reaches fourteen million by the year 2025.
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.
Introduction This assignment critically discusses dementia, a widespread disability among older adults today. It provides an introduction to dementia and analyses its prevalence in society. The various forms of dementia are elaborated with descriptions of dysfunctions and symptoms. Nursing Assessment and Interventions are provided in the further sections which discuss actions nurses should take while evaluating patients and treating them.
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...