Dementia Essays (Examples)

Dementia and Normal Ageing

Old age comes with quite a number of complications and change of behavior as well as physical changes. On the other hand, dementia also comes in with several symptoms that are closely related or similar to those displayed by people in old age. This makes it quite tricky for the family members of an ageing individual to tell whether the person is undergoing normal ageing or has been affected by dementia. This is made even harder to tell apart by the fact that dementia is more frequent among people of old age than the young people. The research paper looks at the two aspects and strives to contrast the two taking into account the biological, psychological, physiological as well as the sociological perspectives towards the two concepts.

Normal ageing

As we advance in years, the body gives way to several other signs that we did not…

Since individuals who are included in those demographics normally will have less in resources that can be used to seek out treatments, the burden will fall on society. If an efficient and cost-effective treatment can be found then society, as well as the individuals affected would benefit greatly.

orks Cited

Akamine, D., Filho, M.K., Peres, C.M. (2007) Drug-nutrient Interactions in Elderly People, Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care, Vol. 10, Issue 3, pp. 304-10

Dorey, Emma, (2007) Memory Loss Reversed in Mice (Alzheimer's Disease), Chemistry and Industry, Vol 11 Issue 1, Expanded Academic ASAP. Thomson Gale. Salt Lake City Public Library. Retrieved June 29, 2007 at http://0-find.galegroup.com.salty.slcpl.lib.ut.us:80/ips/infomark.do?&contentSet=IAC-Documents&type=retrieve&tabID=T003&prodId=IPS&docId=A165692154&source=gale&srcprod=EAIM&userGroupName=slpl&version=1.0

Husain, M.M., Garrett, R.K., (2005) Clinical Diagnosis and Management of Alzheimer's Disease, Neuroimaging Clinics of North America, Vol. 15, Issue 4, pp 767-77

Kawas, Claudia (2003) Early Alzheimer's Disease, New England Journal of Medicine, Vol. 349 pp 1056-1063

Levine, Robert (2006)…

(Transforming Care for People with Dementia across the Continuum)

Dementia can be cured with a mixture of psychotherapy, environmental modifications, and medicines. Drug treatment can be problematic by forgetfulness, mainly if the advised drug is to be taken a number of times a day. Behavioral problems are due to irritation or over stimulation. Enjoyable activities, like crafts, games, and music, can give therapeutic motivation and enhance mood. Changing the environment can increase protection and consolation while lessening tension. (What's the treatment for dementia?)

Often head injuries bring a sudden coping crisis. The sudden unpleasant changes that go with a head injury certainly cause many emotions. The injured individual's atmosphere must be neither too quiet nor too confused. The atmosphere must be made secure by taking away area mats to decrease falls, removing danger, giving tub bars, and putting child locks on cabinets or stove knobs if required. If the patient…

(Alzheimer's Society, 2007).

As affirmed that fifty five staff members were presented at all four sittings of the certificate training. Members who focused on all four sessions were alike to those who did not, in age, sum of years finished in school, employee's position and other individuality. As predictable, those who worked most to all of their time on the individual care unit were more probable to complete all four components. However, unpredictably, those who had no previous training were less likely to go to for all four than those who had some training. Training members were asked their view on twenty eight statements related to dementia and caring for people with dementia, together with such statements as spending time with people with dementia can be very enjoyable, good dementia care involves caring for a person's emotional needs as well as their physical needs, family members can provide valuable information…

Dementia

Alzheimer's disease is a type of dementia, of which there are many types. Dementia is a term that describes a number of conditions that lead to a loss of intellectual capacities but initially occurring with clear consciousness. The area most often first affected is memory; however, with some types of dementia this may not be the case. The DSM-IV-T diagnostic criteria for dementia consist of memory loss and the loss of one other cognitive domain. The disorder must result in significant impairment or distress either social, occupational or some other area of the person's functioning and must also constitute a marked change from the person's prior functioning (American Psychiatric Association [APA], 2000).

Alzheimer's Disease (AD)

Alzheimer's disease (AD) accounts for majority of dementia cases (50-60%) followed by vascular dementia (between 15-30%). Other common forms of dementia include Lewy body dementia and dementia associated with Parkinson's disease, but there are…

Dementia

hat happens to a family when one member -- the husband -- slides into the terrible and mysterious illness called frontotemporal dementia? How does his wife deal with his disease? An article in The New York Times delves deeply into the life of a New York engineer named Michael French, who began acting in bizarre, unexplainable ways in his 50s, and now, at 71, can no longer speak, write, read or walk. This paper reviews that article and reports on recommended caregiving strategies for patients with dementia.

A Rare Form of Dementia Tests a Vow of "For Better, for orse"

Michael French began acting a little weird when he was in his 50s, about ten years before he was diagnosed with the rare form of dementia noted in the introduction, according to his wife Ruth. This was totally out of character because Michael had run marathons, lectured at conventions,…

Dementia

Case Study Review: A basis for interpersonal Practice

Communication is the process of conveying opinions and exchanging ideas in a way which enhances the interpersonal relationship between individuals. It is a skill that enables us to share ideas and solve the problems that people encounter in their everyday life to live meaningfully. Communication is verbal and non- verbal and everything that anyone does is part of communication and conveys some impression to another party. It helps in connecting individuals and improving the relationship between people in any situation. Good interpersonal skills makes it easy for feelings, thoughts and needs of others to be known by others as they are listened to and understood in the best way. (Koprowska, 2008)

Larry is experiencing the consequences of poor communication. The inability to share information with his family or neighbours in the belief that they will avoid his wife is based on…

Dementia an Inevitable Part of the Aging Process?

Dementia is a chronic and usually progressive deterioration of mental abilities and intellectual capacity due to changes in the brain such as widespread loss of nerve cells and the shrinkage of brain tissue. Since dementia is most commonly seen in the elderly, it is often erroneously considered to be part of the normal aging process. However, it is important to remember that dementia is a condition that is a result of a disease (or trauma) and does not occur in a healthy person simply because of old age. In this essay I shall discuss why dementia is not an inevitable part of the aging process; describe the types of dementia and the ways in which they affect the cognitive functions of the afflicted person; the importance of diagnosing dementia and the role of the cognitive psychologist in diagnosis; and how people with…

dementia disorder and how healthcare professionals embrace theories, research and practical strategies, in order to help dementia sufferers cope with their difficulties.

Behavioral and Psychological symptoms in primary care

Doctors, nurses, other healthcare professionals and caregivers are challenged when it comes to the care of patients suffering from dementia. That is because dementia is frequently accompanied by a variety of neuropsychiatric symptoms, according to a peer-reviewed article in the journal Mental Health in Family Medicine. Those symptoms include "disturbed behavior, thought, mood and perception" (Buhagiar, et al., 2011).

The point of the article was to find out how much confidence that doctors (general practitioners) have as regards their ability to identify and manage the various behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia. The authors designed a two-page questionnaire and sent it to 160 general practitioners in north Dublin, Ireland. About 109 general practitioners returned the questionnaires (that is a 68% rate…

Introduction
Dementia is a degenerative cognitive health issue that primarily affects the elderly population and is characterized by “impairments in cognitive and intellectual ability, memory, language, reasoning, and judgment,” all of which interfere with the individual’s ability to function in everyday life (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, 2014). The two most common forms of dementia are Alzheimer’s Disease and vascular dementia (Livingston et al., 2017). While not much is known about the etiology of dementia other than that it is related to cellular damage in the brain, there has been some success in identifying possible ways to prevent it. This paper will define dementia, its manifestations and types, discuss three research articles that deal with preventing dementia, and provide suggestions for future research on this topic.
Defining Dementia
Dementia is a neurodegenerative disorder that results in the irreversible loss of brain functionality. Alzheimer’s Disease is the most common form…

Prescribing for Older AdultsSome psychiatric disorders are more prevalent in older generations as compared to the younger generations. This is due to cerebral-neural degeneration. Often, these disorders are not recognized in good time and are thus not treated properly despite their prevalence. Mental disorders in general can lead to disability, suicide or even a poor quality of life. In this section, I will discuss one of the disorders from the DSM-5 that affect older adults.DementiaDementia is a disorder that is characterized by inability to make sound decisions, think, or even remember crucial aspects that were easy to recall earlier on. Many people may think that dementia is a normal stage in the ageing process but it is not the case. The early signs of dementia include: forgetting to take a meal or even the process of making that meal, getting disoriented whereby the person suffering from this disorder tends to…

The Alzheimer’s Association (2018) offers healthcare administrators and practitioners a set of recommendations for dementia care. These evidence-based practice guidelines and protocols are designed to improve overall standards and quality of care, and also to help standardize and regulate care across the healthcare spectrum. The patient population targeted in the Alzheimer’s Association (2018) dementia care practice recommendations includes all individuals with dementia, and includes input from a wide range of research areas and areas of specialization within gerontology. Furthermore, the care guidelines are written in accordance with evidence published in associated peer-reviewed journals like The Gerontologist. For example, Hirschman & Hodgson (2018) found seven evidence-based interventions that are specifically designed to promote best practices including education, communication, and inter-professional team building. The Alzheimer’s Association (2018) guidelines use criteria related to these and similar care objectives, focusing on factors like care transition, long-term care goals, workforce implications, informational and psychosocial supports…

Alzheimer's disease afflicts more than 16 million individuals in the United States, but the etiology of this condition remains unclear (Sullivan, 2010). What is known is that Alzheimer's affects black Americans twice as often as whites and Hispanics 1.5 times as often, and this discrepancy is believed to be attributed to lower socioeconomic status and higher rates of chronic illness among minority populations (Sullivan, 2010). The case study in question concerns a retired postal worker, "Gene," who is a 100% disabled 73-year-old African-American veteran living in Cleveland. In 2011, Gene's wife of 50 years, "Shirley," died leaving him living alone for the first time in his adult life. At the time of Shirley's death, Gene had been diagnosed with early stage dementia but had been able to remain active and living independently for a period of one year in a long-term care retirement center. During his military service in World…

Dementia is not a disease that is distinct and particular. ather, dementia encompasses a disease that is collective of symptoms that have an impact on memory, thinking as well as social capabilities in a rigorous and severe manner to the extent that it hampers with functioning on an everyday basis. Dementia points toward issues with at least two functionalities of the brain such as loss of memory and impaired decision making or language and the incapacity to undertake a number of daily activities such as getting lost while walking or driving and even incapability to pay bills (Dementia). However, it is imperative to note that in as much as memory loss is a part of dementia it does not necessarily imply that having memory loss alone is suffering from dementia. Memory loss to some extent is part and parcel of old-age or advanced years.

The symptoms of dementia differ with…

Unlicensed Caregiver Experience in Dementia Care

Dementia Care

Nearly 5.4 million people in the United States suffer from Alzheimer's disease, the most common form of dementia (Chodosh et al., 2012, p. 85). The health care burden this places on nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and hospices is significant, especially since some dementia sufferers exhibit disruptive and sometimes dangerous behaviors. These behaviors include verbal and physical aggression, wandering, restlessness, insomnia, irritability, and repetitive vocalizations (McKenzie, Teri, Pike, LaFazia, and van Leynseele, 2012, p. 96). Nearly 1 million Americans currently reside in assisted living facilities and an estimated 45 to 67% suffer from dementia. Of these, 34 to 56% exhibit behavioral problems.

The impact of dementia care on professional caregivers is therefore significant, especially when dealing with patients with more advanced forms of the disease. Early studies suggest that dementia care training can have a positive impact on both the patient's health…

Frontal-Temporal Dementia (Frontotemporal Dementia)

Frontal-Temporal Dementia

Dementia is a collective term, which includes chronic cognitive disorders, which lead to loss of independent functioning. There are different types of dementia, and statistics show that it affects 3.4 million people in the United States alone (DiZazzo-Miller et al., 2014). Notably, the most affected people are the elderly, which suggests that the risk of dementia increases with age, and this further show that dementia is a significant health challenge. Disorders in this line show a progressive nature and this makes it difficult to provide care. FTD is a familiar variety of dementia, and its pathology varies when compared to the commonest form of dementia, which is Alzheimer's disease.

In comparison, FTD is prevalent on the frontal or temporal lobes, and it is more prevalent than Alzheimer disease (iedjik et al., 2006). Patients suffering from FTD show alterations in behavior, personality and impaired insights.…

[J-L Gueant2 et. al, (2005)]

Cognitive Functioning and Dementia

2001 study at the university of Guelph, Ontario, Canada has shown that the level of cognitive functioning may have implications for the onset of dementia among downs syndrome patients. The base for the research was the accepted theory that higher education implies greater 'synaptic reserve'. Earlier studies among healthy population has revealed that many years of education have an effect of slowing down the onset of Alzheimer's. Therefore in this study the researchers compared DS patients exhibiting symptoms of dementia and those without such symptoms and correlated them with other factors such as levels of education, recreational activities, employment, etc. In all, 35 adults subjects in the age ranging between 26 and 67 years were included for the study. All the subjects were periodically observed over 3 years and assessed for their decline based on Neuropsychological tests, reports from caregivers, and…

Caring for People With Dementia

Older patients suffering from dementia admitted at care facilities are not accorded the best of care because of their complex needs. This category of patients struggle with progressive cognitive decline, functional decline and challenging behaviors that impacts their quality of life. Dementia not only impacts the patients' but also their families, healthcare systems and the larger society. The patients are not accorded the best care mainly because the healthcare providers lack the understanding of the causes of cognitive impairment (Joosse, Palmer, & Lang, 2013). The care providers also appear overwhelmed because of the misperception of the problem. Cognitive impairment is categorized into chronic cognitive decline or the diagnosable dementia and acute cognitive changes that occur as a result of dementia. It is imperative that timely and accurate identification of the impairment is done because failure to do so often leads to suboptimal care. For patients…

patient or clients with Down's syndrome have continued to live longer as evident in the recent past, they are at high risk of developing Dementia, especially Alzheimer's, at an earlier stage than others. The ability of these individuals to live longer is partly attributed to advances in clinical and social care that have significantly increased the life expectancy of persons with learning disabilities. Alzheimer's disease is regarded as the major reason for people to develop Dementia when suffering from Down's syndrome. According to the findings of various studies, nearly every individual with Down's syndrome experience changes in the brain linked to Alzheimer's disease, though not all develop the symptoms of this disease (Watchman & Coppus, 2011).

The possibility of an individual to develop a comorbidity of Down's syndrome and Dementia is very high if the person is suffering from a learning disability. This has contributed to predictions of an increase…

Autism spectrum disorders and dementia disorders are prevalent and serious conditions. Whereas autism spectrum disorders tend to be diagnosed in childhood, dementia disorder are typically diagnosed in mature adults. Both conditions have a neurological basis, but neither disorder has a known cure. A better understanding of signs and symptoms can help individuals and family members cope with a diagnosis of either autism or dementia.

Autism spectrum disorder refers to a set of conditions, considered to be developmental disabilities, including Autistic Disorder and Asperger's Syndrome. Each of the autism spectrum disorders share some features in common, including impairments or challenges with communication and other behavioral issues. The most notable features of autism spectrum disorder include problems with communication, both verbal and nonverbal, lack of interest in social activities, delayed talking, lack of empathy with others, and fixations on items or routines.

Dementia disorder refers to a set of conditions impacting memory…

In essence, The Notebook is an interesting story of love, understanding, and care. It brings to the fore interesting facts relating to family caregiving, aging, and dementia.
With regard to the physical parts of aging and its influence on mental health, it should be noted that the aging process is impacted upon by a wide range of factors including, but not limited to genetics, the life choices one makes, etc. Some of the changes that could be triggered by age are slowdown in metabolism rate, hearing problems, osteoporosis, hair-thinning, etc. Common illnesses and mental disorders associated with aging include, but they are not limited to, Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, anxiety and depression, and some chronic diseases such as arthritis and adult onset diabetes. In the movie, both Noah (Duke) and Allie (in the nursing home) exhibit some of the frailties of old age. Noah does the hard job of trying…

Autism and Dementia

Description of Autism Spectrum Disorder and Dementia

Behavioral Criteria for Autism and Dementia

The Incidence ates and Causes

Options for Treatment Based on Theoretical Models

Description of Autism Spectrum Disorder and Dementia

Autism Spectrum disorder is a neurodevelopmental disorder which is essentially a brain dysfunction that has the potential to affect emotion, learning ability and memory that gradually comes to light as an individual grows up. This is generally evident in children and sometimes, if undetected and untreated, can manifest in adults also. Autism Spectrum disorder can include brain dysfunctions due to fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, Down syndrome and intellectual developmental disorder. In modern medicine, Autism and ADHD are also considered to be Autism Spectrum disorders (http://aadmd.org, 2015).

The root of autism seems to be in the very early brain development. Since it is a brain developmental condition that becomes prominent as an individual continuous to grow…

The Aging Population and Dementia
Introduction
Dementia is generally defined as a problem that impacts the elderly population and includes “impairments in cognitive and intellectual ability, memory, language, reasoning, and judgment that interfere with everyday functioning” (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, 2014). The two leading types of dementia in the world are Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia (Livingston et al., 2017). Dementia is a problem for the elderly population because it is so prevalent and still somewhat poorly understood. As Jayadev et al. (2010) point out, the cause of the disease is still relatively unknown, which makes treating it difficult for care providers. An average of 25 million elderly people suffer from some form of dementia in developed nations—and that number is double in developing nations (Livingston et al., 2017). The best that care providers can hope for in this situation is to treat it by using preventive care interventions,…

Identify Distinctions Among MCU, Dementia, and Alzheimer's
1. Topic
· Distinctions Among MCU, Dementia, and Alzheimer's
2. Information about medical conditions you are addressing
Dementia: Dementia is a syndrome characterized by diminished cognitive abilities, memory loss, and reduced thinking capacity. Dementia-related symptoms affect the day-to-day activities of the victim. Alzheimer's, a condition that causes brain cells to degenerate, is the leading cause of dementia. A slow decline of memory destroys thinking skills, and it translates into disrupted daily life. Inability to live an independent life affects the relationships, and as a result, the victims feel neglected by close family members or friends. Dementia can also occur due to other diseases such as thyroid or lack of essential vitamins in the body, but the good thing is this kind of condition can be reversed (AA, 2017).
Dementia can manifest different signs, but common ones include: Patients Being forgetful, losing track of…

Cognitive Disorder in Elderly

Cognitive Disorders in Elderly

Sachiko Furuya

Cognitive Assessment & Lab

Kris Thomas, PhD

The research of this study is related to cognitive, dementia, Alzheimer disease, and depression issues with the elderly populations of the United States and in the world in general. Societies with a large number of elderly people such as the U.S.A. are increasingly focusing their efforts on improving the life standards of these people based on the types of services given to them. The well-being of those on palliative and hospice care is as important as the well-being of the family members of these patients. Although many health issues present themselves during the elder years of any patient, there is a lot of attention paid to cognitive and mood issues in this age group. The disorders and maladies that are relevant to this population include, among others, depression, dementia, mild cognitive impairment (MCI)…

Health Care Delivery Structure

Alzheimer's disease is a progressive brain disease and the most prevalent root cause of dementia. In the present day, more than five million people living in America are suffering from Alzheimer's disease. It is the 6th prominent cause of death in the United States and is the 5th causal factor of death for individuals older than the age of 65 years old. It is estimated that the number of individuals suffering from this disease might even triple up by mid of the century with this number being expected to rise to one million for the U.S. (Illinois Department of Public Health, 2014). Despite the fact that plenty of the states in America were engrossed and pensive with issues of budgeting in the past four years, state policymakers have went on to develop and offer refinement to regulations on assisted living or residential care for Alzheimer and…

Brain training with non-action video games and its effects on brain health among the elderly showing early signs of dementia

Specific Aims

Past researches have revealed the potential contribution of video game-playing to the improvement of certain cognitive functions among healthy aged individuals (Lampit, Hallock & Valenzuela, 2014; Jak, Seelye & Jurick, 2013). Drawn by the above results reached by scholars in the field, game-making firms have developed and released several kinds of games aimed at brain training (for instance, Brain Age, Brain Challenge and Big Brain Academy). Ever since their earliest releases into the gaming market, games of this sort have enjoyed immense popularity worldwide (Toril, Reales & Ballesteros, 2014; Nouchi et al., 2013). Among the anticipated advantages of such games is improved cognitive functions (for instance, recall, processing pace, executive function, and concentration), indicated often using the term 'transfer effect'.

This research project specifically aims at examining the…

Mental therapy using non-intense video games and how it affects brain health among the aged population showing early symptoms of dementia.

The deterioration of cognitive abilities and brain tissue due to age could have several adverse effects on mental systems and could even lead to dementia. Thus, researchers are trying to discover methods which could help keep brain function, independence, health and cognition among aged people in its best shape. Usually, with age, the white and gray matter of the brain shrivels with this action seen more in its prefrontal cortex than other regions. Other affected brain parts are the cerebellum, the prefrontal cortex on the side as well as the central temporal lobe structure which includes the hippocampus. Despite this, the occipital cortices and the entorhinal do not experience any form of shrinkage (Ballesteros et al., 2015). Common symptoms of this shrinkage include reduced memory strength, lower mental processing…

Environmental Interventions for Patients With Dementia

Dementia is a neurocognitive disorder that has been treated in various ways throughout all history. The modern era has proposed pharmacological interventions in the past but these have proved dangerous and degrading to the quality of life that dementia patients and their loved ones prefer. For this reason, environmental interventions have emerged as an alternative method for treating elderly dementia patients. This intervention method consists of altering the environment in which the patient lives by accommodating for the needs of the patient with clearly identifiable pathways, open spaces for communication, naturalistic settings, adequate stimuli and private rooms for quiet. This paper discusses the fundamental principles of environmental interventions for patients with dementia and includes a justification for this approach as a suitable alternative to prevailing psychoactive drug interventions. It also includes a discussion of the historical context of the disorder, its current description according…

Among the most important aspects to the health promotion plan will be the benefits associated with a care manager, who can ensure that all six core elements of CCM are implemented fully. If this is accomplished, there should be a significant reduction in health disparities for patient and caregiver outcomes across generations.

eferences

AHQ. (2012). National Healthcare Disparities eport, 2011. No. 12-0006. ockville, MD: Agency for Healthcare esearch and Quality. etrieved 16 Apr. 2014 from http://www.ahrq.gov/research/findings/nhqrdr/nhdr11/nhdr11.pdf.

Braveman, P.A., Kumanyika, S., Fielding, J., Laveist, T., Borrell, L.N., Manderscheid, . et al. (2011). Health disparities and health equity: The issue is justice. American Journal of Public Health, 101(Suppl. 1), S149-55.

Brodaty, H. & Donkin, M. (2009). Family caregivers of people with dementia. Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience, 11, 217-28.

Castro, A. & uiz, E. (2009). The effects of nurse practitioner cultural competence on Latina patient satisfaction. Journal of the American Academy of Nurse…

Blog -- APN Quality Improvement Project

Blog: Provider-Associated Barriers to Hospice eferrals

The process of writing the quality improvement project for improving hospice referrals for patients suffering from end-stage dementia care was very instructive. eading the relevant literature revealed which research questions in dementia care are considered important by scientists and care professionals and which questions have yet to be asked. Aside from helping to outline appropriate goals for the quality improvement project, this task revealed that end-stage dementia care is a relatively understudied area of medicine. Writing the literature review also uncovered a list of best practice recommendations for palliative care, in relation to dementia, which was previously unknown to me. Overall, writing the quality improvement project helped me collect best practice recommendations authored by dementia care experts and understand the state of research in palliative care for patients suffering from end-stage dementia. This in turn increased my proficiency…

Huntley, J. D., Gould, R. L., Liu, K., Smith, M., & Howard, R. J. (2015). Do cognitive interventions improve general cognition in dementia? A meta-analysis and meta-regression. BMJ Open, 5(4), e005247.

Content Summary: This article reports that there are three main approaches in the use of cognitive interventions for people with dementia: cognitive training (CT), cognitive stimulation (CS), and cognitive rehabilitation; however the studies reporting the results of these interventions have been mixed (pg.2). The researchers attempted to use meta-analytic procedures to evaluate the efficiency of CT and CS for dementia that used active and non-active control groups, to examine their effects on commonly outcome measures in the research (e.g., MMSE, ADAS-Cog), and to determine associations between effect sizes and variables that influence the efficiency of these interventions by using meta- regression analyses (pg. 2). The researchers did an extensive search of online literature databases and trial registers using stringent…

Savages

In the film The Savages (Jenkins, 2007) two siblings (Jon and Wendy Savage, the parallel to the Peter Pan characters by the same first name is not hidden) are brought together to care for their aging father who has dementia. Lenny Savage (the father) is the patriarch of the estranged Savage family. Lenny was living in Arizona with his girlfriend, whom we suspect also has dementia, but she abruptly passes away as the film begins. Lenny has had no connection with his children who both live far away on the east coast (Jon in Buffalo; Wendy in New York). Their mother is out of the picture having left their father years before and no one knows where she is. The children, left to their own devices, have grown into isolated, repressed, emotionally-stunted, self-absorbed adults (savages). The film is more about the struggles of the sister and brother to grow…

Alzheimer's

Adult Daycare for Patients with Alzheimer's Disease

Barriers to Daycare Utilization:

Fortinsky, Richard H., Kulldorff, Martin, Kleppinger, Alison, and Kenyon-Pesce, Lisa. (2009). Dementia care consultation for family caregivers: ollaborative model linking an Alzheimer's association chapter with primary care physicians. Aging & Mental Health, 13(2), 162-170.

The study by Fortinsky et al. (2009) discusses some of the obstacles standing between family caregivers and the admission of their patients to daycare nursing communities. The purpose of the research is to evaluate strategies that might improve the willingness of family caregivers to work with these community services. In a consultation with 84 family caregivers, the study aims to determine what strategies might raise confidence in the capabilities of such services. Additionally, the study seeks to evaluate the responses of primary caregivers to the outcomes produced by this type of intervention. A third objective of the study would be to determine how successfully…

Myra's case is just one instance of many that a mental health nurse encounters on a regular schedule.

Nursing is best practiced when it follows the intentions of its founder Florence Nightingale who urged that nursing should be a practice that should literally provide for and care for the patient. Nursing, in other words, should be purely patient-centered. This caring extends to all aspects not just to the illness so that one treats the patient in a holistic way, considering all components of the patient such as the family, his or her social needs, hobbies, desires, spiritual inclinations and so forth. When done in this way, nursing extends itself from an automatic, robotic procedure to something that can motivate the nurse and uplift the patient (Watson, 1998). 'Nursing', in other words, extends to caring for the patient as a whole.

An effective nurse will strive to accomplish her best in…

Long-Term Settings

The health of the person usually starts declining with every passing day after 65 years of age and as Mrs. Smith is 82 years old, she is also suffering from some problems. She is in mid stage of dementia because of which she suffers from recent memory impairment, hypertension and mental confusion. Due to dementia, she has already been in problems several times. Like, once she left the pan over the stove and also fallen number of times due to syncope. Moreover, she forgets to take her medicines on time. So, she needs an attended that takes care of her medication, diet and exercises and must not be left alone or unattended at home.

In an old age, a person is in need of company more than any medication. Healthy routine and happiness is the best treatment for various diseases. However, Mrs. Smith lives alone at home during…

Application Process Improvement Models Organizations Systems

A clinical practice improvement initiative

The strategy of treating patients with dementia must be dependent on a thorough neurological, psychiatric, and general therapeutic assessment of the nature and causes of the cognitive setbacks and related non-cognitive symptoms, in the setting of a strong collaboration with the patient and family. It is crucial to distinguish and treat general medical conditions, notably delirium, that may be answerable for or contribute to dementia symptoms (Ferrara, 2010).

Currently, the organization is embracing the Progressing evaluation strategy. This approach focuses on incorporating occasional monitoring of the advancement and development of cognitive and non-cognitive psychiatric and how they respond to intervention. With the end goal to provide prompt medication, improve patient safety, and provide convenient advice to the patient and family, it is ordinarily fundamental to see patients in routine follow-up at regular intervals. Frequent patient visits such as once…

Difficult Patients

Mitigating isks from Dementia

Providing adequate care for an individual suffering from dementia presents many difficulties for nurses. Patients with dementia often have debilitating conditions such as Alzheimer's or similar neurologic diseases which are progressive, thereby making it challenging for them to remember, think lucidly, communicate effectively or complete activities of daily living. Furthermore, dementia can cause rapid variations in mood or even modify personality and behavior. With the tremendous number of elderly in society more and more nurses are required to care for patients with progressive dementias. It is imperative that a diagnosis be reached early in the course of the cognitive impairment and that the patient is closely monitored for coexisting morbidities. Nurses have a central role in assessment and management of individuals with progressive dementia. This essay provides some evidence-based practical strategies for managing the behavioral problems and communication difficulties often encountered in this population.…

Program Budget and Cost Analysis

Line-Item Budget for an in-Service Dementia Care Training Program

Florida now requires all direct-care staff working with dementia patients to receive specialized training. The curricula offered must be vetted by the Training Academy of the University of South Florida's Policy Exchange Center on Aging, otherwise assisted living facilities, nursing homes, adult day care, and hospices will be unable to accept patients with dementia into their facilities. In order to meet these statutory requirements and improve patient care, an in-service training program in dementia care will be instituted for a hospice facility located in Florida.

The Hospice House in Cape Coral, Florida maintains 36 beds for patients with terminal illnesses. On average, a little over 60% of the residents suffer from dementia at any one time, which is consistent with national trends (Williams, Hyer, Kelly, Leger-Krall, and Tappen, 2005, p. 98). The number of patients tends…

2).

According to Kane and Houston-Vega, Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia and manifests as "an insidious memory impairment, with other possible symptoms including aphasia, apraxia, agnosia, and disturbances in executive functioning" (p. 286).

In a highly multicultural society such as characterizes the United Kingdom today, identifying any relevant cultural factors that must be taken into account when formulating walking regimens as proposed herein. For example, Kane and his colleagues report, "There are differing epidemiological rates for dementia among the various ethno-cultural groups. Additionally, there are differing values, beliefs, behaviors, attitudes, coping strategies, and needs related to Alzheimer's disease and other types of dementia. This is evidenced by an expanding body of literature that describes the effect of mental health concerns, such as dementia, on diverse ethno-cultural groups" (p. 285).

Beyond the challenges to the provision of a cost-effective, community-based walking regimen is the difficulty involved in…

Alzheimer Healthy Community

PLANNED, PERSONALIZED CARE

Alzheimer's Healthy Community

Dog-Assisted Therapy for Older People with Dementia

A review of nine studies on the subject produced loose conclusions on the value of this type of therapy (Perkins et al., 2008). They, however, established a trend, indicating increased social behavior and decreased agitation when dogs were in the company of the respondents. This improvement in social behavior was unrelated with the severity of the respondents' dementia. Six of the 9 studies were conducted in the U.S.A., 2 in Japan and 1 in Australia on 28 respondents, all with a diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease or dementia (Perkins et al.).

The behavioral and psychological symptoms of this ailment not only cause the afflicted individuals much pain but also put them at risk of physical harm (Perkins et al., 2008). Animal-assisted therapy, on the other hand, has shown positive effects over pro-social behavior and the…

What is worth noting here is the fact that behavior disturbances, ranging in severity from repeated questioning to physical violence, are common (National Institute of Mental Health, 1989).

It is unclear whether Alzheimer's disease represents a single entity or several variants. Some experts believe that there are distinct subtypes of Alzheimer's disease, such as Lewy body disease (in which the signs of Parkinson's disease, visual hallucinations or alterations in alertness or attention, or all of these symptoms, are conspicuous) and frontotemporal dementia (in which disinhibition, misconduct or apathy, or all of these signs, are prominent). The well-established risk factors for Alzheimer's disease are age, a family history of the disease and Down syndrome (National Institute of Mental Health, 1989).

Confusions about Alzheimer's Disease and the Need for Alternative Actions

There have been numerous studies conducted in relation to Alzheimer's disease. At the same time, there are a number of reports…

181). Thus, it seems that a majority of hoarder have some kind of mental or psychiatric issue. The dementia patients who hoarded food were sometimes successfully treated with the drug fluvoxamine 15 Phenyopropanoloamine (Hwang et al., 1998, pg. 287), while most of the elderly received physical assistance in cleaning and/or clearing out the home, but this treatment was not "consistently effective" (Steketee, Frost & Kim, 2001, p. 182). A majority of the elderly hoarders were women, while dementia patients did not show a specific pattern. More than have of the elderly who hoarded lived alone, and had never married (Steketee, Frost & Kim, 2001, p. 182).

Another study in 2001 studied the same problem of hoarding in the elderly, and found some similar results. The study followed 62 cases found through social and service organizations, where the members were 65 or older. Caseworkers were interviewed about their elderly clients, and…

As expected, NIHSS scores indicated mild stroke severity, while the FIM scores suggested moderate motor deficits. A comparison of the demographic variables for the patients that met the inclusion criteria with those that did not, revealed no significant differences except in terms of stroke severity, laterality, and comprehension impairment.

The results of the cognitive evaluations (MMSE vs. MoCA, r = .79, p < .001; MMSE vs. cFIM, r = .56, p < .000; MoCA vs. cFIM, r = .67, p < .000) revealed good agreement between the three instruments (Toglia et al., 2011) and mirrored the results of Stewart et al. (2012). A comparison of the mean scores for MMSE and MoCA, however, revealed a significant difference (24.4 vs. 17.8, respectively, p < .001) in terms of sensitivity to subtle changes in cognition. This finding supports the conclusion that the MoCA may be more sensitive to MCI than the MMSE.…

Community Dementia Care and the Chronic Care Model

nd-Stage Dementia valuation Proposal

Health Promotion Plan for Community nd-Stage Dementia Care: The Chronic Care Model

Health Promotion Plan for Community nd-Stage Dementia Care: The Chronic Care Model.

In 2013 an estimated 5.0 million Americans over the age of 65 suffered from Alzheimer's disease (Alzheimer's Association, 2013). Although the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) considers dementia/Alzheimer's to be the fifth leading cause of death among adults 65-years of age or older, careful examination of Medicare claims data revealed that dementia is probably right behind cardiovascular disease as the second leading cause of death for this age group (Tinetti et al., 2012). Most of these patients would prefer to die at home, not only because of comfort concerns, but due to the higher quality of care that tends to be provided by informal and paid caregivers in this setting (reviewed…

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4. What is the advantage of a "patch"?

Evidently, the drug rivastigmine causes gastrointestinal side effects, but the patch allows only a small amount to be steadily absorbed into the bloodstream and thus creates fewer negative reactions to the drug. The Novartis website makes the case for a patch over a pill by saying "On average, an older American takes 5 prescription medicines. These medicines may need to be taken at different times and managing them all may seem overwhelming" (Novartis, para. 1). In this case, a patch eliminates having to remember several doses each day of one of the medications.

5. What is "moderate" dementia? What is dementia?

Dementia affects brain function. There is no known cure for dementia. It refers to several illnesses (Alzheimer's disease, Lewy or DLB) involving behavior, memory, communication and learning problems. There are other conditions in the brain which damage nerves or blood…

Cognitive Aspects of the Aging Process

The purpose of this work is to define cognition and to explain the effects of aging on the brain in relation to memory, attention, metacognition, effects on languaging and the effects of aging on the executive function and finally cognitive function in very old age. This will be inclusive of primary cognitive diseases found in aging adults such as dementia and Alzheimer's.

Medical science continues to discover more about aging with each passing year. Cognitive effects of aging are one element that the aging individual must face as well as something that family and friends of the individual will cope with at some point. Cognition is defined as "the mental process of knowing, thinking, learning, and judging." (Online Medical Dictionary, 2005) Therefore the elderly experienced "cognitive dysfunction" is defined as "disturbance to the mental processes of knowing, thinking, learning and judging." Disturbances or dysfunctions…

Care Case Study

Slide 1 Footnotes

There have been enormous changes due to introduction of various cultural elements in the continuum of care. Before, when people were admitted to assisted living facilities or hospital settings, there were very little cultural elements outside of the majority culture which had sponsored the facility. For example, if a facility was associated with some sort of church or temple, there were elements of that religion present, but there was little alternatives for members of other cultures or religions.

Yet, today, there are now a much wider array of cultural elements available in assisted living homes and hospital facilities. Assisted living programs are regulated on the level of the state.

As such, different states have different types of programs and policies that impact the degree to which cultural characteristics are included or excluded within various assisted living facilities. Some programs encourage cultural elements of patients…

Whenever possible, the relative should be informed regarding the existence and cause of the state of confusion. This is particularly so in the case when relations are asked to be involved in the care of the disturbed patient. The relatives should then be informed why and how their involvement is beneficial and how they may practically assist nurses in calming the agitated individual.

As regards wandering and agitated patients, they need to be carefully and closely watched in order to ensure that they do not wander out of the bounds of the circumscribed domains.

Persuasion and distraction is preferred to restraints or sedation and the relatives of the patient can be involved in helping the nurse deal with the agitated patient. The causes of agitation should be traced and seen to. These may include need for relieving oneself, hunger, or thirst.

Confused speech may also be a mark of the…

The emphasis is on normal, everyday activities provided for residents. According to the authors, however, little research has been conducted to investigate the actual effect of such activities and settings upon residents. The assumption is that such settings have a better effect that traditional institutions, but there is little empirical research to support this.

Hence, Verbeek et al. (2010) conducted a study to compare small-scale living with regular care in nursing homes in the Netherlands. Interestingly, they found no significant difference between the quality of life experienced by residents in traditional institutional settings and those in small-scale living facilities. Furthermore, there was also no significant difference in the job satisfaction levels of nursing staff between both types of institution was found. Another important aspect, namely neuropsychiatric symptoms and agitation were also significantly similar for both institution types. According to the authors, a difference was found in the satisfaction level of…

Health Promotion Program for Alzheimer's Patients

The objective of this study is to construct a health promotion program for Alzheimer's Patients. Alzheimer's disease (AD) is "a form of dementia that interferes with a person's intellectual and social functioning." (NCPAD, 2012) One of the primary concerns for the individual with Alzheimer's is weight loss "due to eating problems such as poor-fitting dentures, problems in swallowing, and loss of appetite. Weight loss or loss of appetite may be caused by noise, odor, and/or conversation distractions while eating." (NCPAD, 2012) Caregivers are faced with many challenges in providing care for the Alzheimer's Patient. Findings in this study state that the primary components required for the health promotion program for the individual with Alzheimer's disease are those of: (1) nutrition; (2) physical activity; (3) mental activity; and (4) social activity and participation.

Health Promotion Program for Alzheimer's Patients

Introduction

The objective of this study…

Anomic Aphasia is also known as nominal aphasia, dysnomia, and amnesic aphasia and refers to a disorder that generates difficulties in recalling names or words. This brain disorder is considered as a dearth of expressive language that makes it difficult for an individual to recall names or words. In addition, patients suffering from anomic aphasia experience difficulties in recalling numbers. While an individual has clear understanding of what he/she is attempting to name or write, he/she requires a relatively long period of time to recall it or may experience tremendous challenges in articulating the word, name or numbers. In some cases, patients suffering from anomic aphasia produce jargon words or other words when attempting to recall or express certain words, names or numbers. The other symptom of this condition is the inability for a patient to identify the appropriate word for an object or individual through he/she has the capability…

Fields such as human interaction are too unpredictable to be manipulated under laboratory settings. Human behavior, too, varies from place to place, and, therefore, results of one study that is conducted in one situation to one specific sample of people may not (and rarely do) have the same carryover effects to a different group of individuals conducted in a different spot or time. In other words, experimental, or quantitative, experiments necessitate that variables be closely matched and more, rather than less, homogenous. Therefore, they are best used in the hard sciences where they more often and most likely show consistent and repetitious results. The field of people is, however, more unpredictable and 'messy'. To that end, therefore, I find qualitative experiments more useful here.

This is particularly so in this specific case where we seek to zone in on difficult patients and seek to understand their motives. The characteristics of…

If anything, such a person may have regrets over having wasted too much of life on impersonal achievements and selfish pursuits.

6. Do you agree that in later life men become more nurturing and women more assertive? What do you think are the findings that could support or challenge that observation?

The observation that men tend to become more nurturing, less competitive, less aggressive, and "gentler" in later life and that women tend to become less emotional and more confident or assertive would seem to be substantially true. That is largely attributable to hormonal changes; specifically, aging males tend to produce much less testosterone and post-menopausal females secrete less estrogen in their later years (Pinker, 2002). Naturally, those hormonal changes would be expected to result in various behavioral changes in areas where human behavior (and gender-specific behavior in particular) are products of the secondary sex hormones (Gerrig & Zimbardo, 2008;…

Alzheimer's Care. 11(2). 83-99

Question Two

The majority of the desired results for my study rest on excellence of the nursing staff. Whereas in normal nursing home environments patients are constantly over stimulated, sleep is disturbed and patients are transferred (Gould, 2010). With regard to dementia patients, all of these nursing-related areas increase the chances of confusion and difficulty with the patient.

Instead, my innovation would be to set up an inn facility where each patient would have consistency above all else. The day staff would keep the patients on a regimented schedule for all meals, bathroom breaks and activities. The room would be decorated with calendars, clocks and other features to help the patient avoid disorientation. The night staff would be limited to only intervening and entering rooms in the event of an emergency to ensure each patient receives proper sleep.

urses would be accountable to log all daily…

Gilman was a social activist and herself experienced mental illness. These elements infuse her story "The Yellow Wallpaper" with greater meaning and urgency for Feminism and for plight of females then and now.

Gilman as social activist

Gilman advocates for woman. The woman owned by males and disallowed by husband, male physician, and brother from leaving the room becomes mad.

The woman is imprisoned -- locked in. Males stunt and kill her life. In the end she steps over them; Gilman is telling females to do so too.

Gilman's experience with mental illness and its treatment

Description of Gilman's experience

Elaboration of the haunting description of the wallpaper. Gilman's familiarity with the psychosis

E. Typical 19th century views/treatments of mental illness.

Description of contemporary treatment

b. Treatment of the character. It matched social beliefs and was created by males

Conclusion

How this knowledge enhances our understanding of the story and…

Nursing Case Study

Managing a possible Case of Gastroenteritis: A Nursing Case Study

The effective delivery of optimal nursing care requires a comprehensive treatment plan that addresses both the patient's symptoms and the security of the immediate environment. This report presents a case study of appropriate evidence-based nursing practices in treating an elderly female patient presenting with abdominal discomfort in a residential care setting.

The client presents with new onset faecal incontinence, diarrhoea and increasing abdominal discomfort and cramps. These symptoms suggest a possible gastrointestinal disturbance (Crisp & Taylor, 2009) and present a number of possible diagnoses. While the client's nursing care plan indicates that she is normally continent, her confidential disclosure to the nurse suggests that her symptoms may be more prolonged. Another relevant client characteristic is her advanced age of 85 years.

The client's proximity to the dirty utility room in the aged care facility and the report…

In stage five, the affected person will begin to experience "major gaps in memory and deficits in cognitive function" and may require some type of assistance with "day-to-day activities like preparing meals, taking a bath or putting on clothing. The affected person will also lack the ability to recall very simple, ordinary things like his/her address, telephone number or even the name of his/her spouse or close friend and will be unable to recall where they are in a physical setting, such as in a shopping mall or even their own home, and will not be able to recall what day of the week it is or the exact date (2009, "The Warning Signs of Alzheimer's," Internet).

In stage six, the affected person will experience severe cognitive decline in the form of a change in his/her personality and will not be able to "recollect their personal history, such as where…

Long-Term Care Facility Safety: Prevention and Reduction of Injuries Due to Falls

One out of every three adults ages 65 and older experiences a fall annually however, only about 50% of health care providers discuss falls with these individuals. Falls are the leading cause of injury death in adults 65 years of age and older. More than 19,700 adults died in 2008 form accidental fall injuries and in 2009 out of the 2.2 million nonfatal fall injuries in older adults in excess of 581,000 individuals had to be hospitalized. The direct medical costs were over $19 billion in 2000. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2012) According to the National Council of Certified Dementia Practitioners, "One of the most challenging, life-threatening issues related to care of the person with cognitive loss is the occurrence of wandering, wherein the person strays into unsafe territories and may be harmed." (2012) It is…

Senior Helpers began franchising in 2005. Senior Helpers is an in-home care service that is designed to give clients as much or as little help as they require so that they may enjoy living independently at home. Senior Helpers offers flexible and non-contractual services.

The Company provides the following services: assisting clients with everything from companionship to bathing to Alzheimer's and dementia care. Senior Helpers services include an in-home assessment to assist in the determination of the type and level of care needed. Our services are available anytime, including days, nights, weekends, and holidays for either long or short-term duration. Our future plans include developing a new Senior Helpers Facility at 7632 Hull Street Road, Chesterfield, Virginia 23832 by the end of 2012.

The greatest risks associated with our business today are competition and employee turnover. e feel we can overcome these risks because of our franchise support. Our biggest…