Diagnosing and Living with Dementia

2.1 Describe the impact of early diagnosis and follow up to diagnosis A proper diagnosis of dementia is essential, in order to rule out other conditions that may have symptoms similar to dementia and that may be treatable, including depression, chest and urinary infections, severe constipation and brain tumours . Also to rule out other possible causes of confusion, such as poor sight or hearing; emotional changes and upsets, such as moving or bereavement; or the side-effects of certain drugs or combinations of drugs. Folllow up diagnosis can enable a patient to access advice, information and support

2.1 Describe the impact of early diagnosis and follow up to diagnosis. Early diagnosis of dementia can have a huge impact on the individual and their family and friends.

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, stroke or can be brought on by factors such as excessive drinking or drug abuse. Dementia is best cared for in its early stages and, therefore, an early diagnosis is essential. Recognizing the symptoms by both the dementia patient and the

1.2 Describe the types of memory impairment commonly experienced by individuals with dementia. Memory problems are usually the most obvious symptom in people with dementia. For example, a person with early stages of dementia might go to the shops and then cannot remember what they wanted. It is also common to misplace objects. As dementia progresses, sometimes memory loss for recent events is severe and the person may appear to be living in the past. They may think of themselves as young and not recognise their true age.

1.2 Background According to government statistics, approximately 750,000 people in the United Kingdom currently have dementia, with an anticipation that this may rise to close to 1.7 million by 2051. Elderly patients are most frequently diagnosed with

There are many types of dementia, causing many different symptoms and treatments, it may take time to find the appropriate treatment/medication to suit the individual.

Unit 40 - P1 Describe the types of dementia and common signs and symptoms The term ‘dementia’ describes a set of symptoms which can include loss of memory, mood changes and problems with communication and reasoning. These symptoms occur when the brain is damaged by certain conditions and diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. 
Age is the greatest risk factor for dementia. Dementia affects one in 14 people over the age of 65 and one in six over the age of 80. However, dementia is not restricted to older people: in the UK, there are over 17,000 people under the age of 65 with dementia, although this figure is likely to be an underestimate.

Globally, the World Health Organisation reports there are approximately 47.5 million people who have been diagnosed with a form of dementia and there are 7.7 million new cases each year. The number of people effected internationally is estimated to triple by 2050 to

UNIT 4222-371 UNDERSTAND THE FACTORS THAT CAN AFFEST INTERACTIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS OF INDIVIDUALS WITH DEMENTIA. OUTCOME 1. Dementia is a progressive illness that usually occurs over a period of time one of the earliest signs of dementia is problems with a persons memory, this can result in the individual behaving and communicating differently .

Unit 4222-237 Dementia Awareness (DEM 201) Outcome 1 understand what dementia is Explain what is meant by the term “dementia” (201.1.1) Dementia describes a set of symptoms that may include memory loss and difficulties with thinking, problem-solving or language. These changes are often small to start with, but for someone with dementia they have become severe enough to affect daily life.

Understand the impact of recognition and diagnosis of dementia 2.1. Describe the impact of early diagnosis and follow up to diagnosis I have been in care for a while and started out as a health care support worker so I have seen all different levels of progression with all different types of dementia. However the importance of early diagnosis is the same.

1. HOW CARE PROFESSIONALS WORK WITH PEOPLE WITH DEMENTIA 2. General practitioner-If a person is worried or concerned about memory the first contact would be a GP. If the GP suspect the patient to have dementia they may suggest referral to a consultant doctor or a memory clinic. If a doctor suspects someone to have dementia they might give the person the mini mental state examination which is abbreviated to MMSE this is to assesses a number of different mental, abilities, including: short and long term memory, attention span, concentration, language and communication skills, ability to plan, ability to understand instructions. What the MSSE is looking for a can a patient memorize short list of objects and then repeat the list. Moreover, can

Recommendations The WHO highlighted that “Poor understanding creates barriers to timely diagnosis and to accessing ongoing medical and social care, leading to a large gap in treatment” (WHO, 2012). However this could be avoided with proper creation of awareness & guidance for easy understanding of dementia, as well as eradication of stigmatizations which tend to devastate dementia patents and their family/carers even more (WHO, 2012).

In this section I will use evidence, and compare practice and opinion with popular models and approaches to care. Dementia experience and care has changed dramatically over recent years, and it is now more recognizable that people can live well with dementia. Historically, it has been viewed largely as a biomedical phenomenon with a trajectory of irrevocable decline related to neurodegenerative changes (Hall et al, p11). Dementia care in the past had been modelled on a biomedical approach, putting the emphasis on diagnosis and treatment for the individual. It focused on individual symptoms and behaviour and looked to minimise these through interventions such as drug treatments (NHS SCOTLAN). Through the biomedical approach, dementia was seen

For people developing Alzheimer’s disease, there is no actual test to diagnose a person with it. Doctors will diagnose a person with Alzheimer’s disease when they have a severe cognitive decline that will meet the standards of dementia, dementia is very consistent that it will turn in to Alzheimer’s disease and that no other