Social Work with Dementia Patients

Alzheimer’s disease is named after a German doctor, Dr. Alois Alzheimer. In 1906, Dr. Alzheimer became aware of changes in the brain tissue of a woman who had died of an unusual

Alzheimer’s disease is a chronic neurodegenerative disease that accounts for sixty to seventy percent of Dementia cases. It is characterized by the development of amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles, the loss of connection between neurons in the brain and the death of nerve cells. There are two types of Alzheimer’s Early on-set Alzheimer’s which occur from the ages of thirty to sixty is very rare and makes up less than five percent of the cases of Alzheimer’s . The second type is Late on-set Alzheimer’s which is the most common type and it is found in those of ages sixty and up. The progression of Alzheimer’s is a lengthy progress from the time of diagnosis the average life expectancy is three to nine years. In the early stages people have difficulty with short term memory loss as the disease progresses symptoms include difficulties with language, disorientation, mood swings, loss of motivation, loss of self-care and behavioral issues. As Alzheimer’s progresses a person slowly withdraws from family life and society due to the jumbled state of their memory. On a physical level the body’s physical function slowly degenerates and eventually leads to death.

There are three stages in relation to understanding of the signs and symptoms of dementia. The first stage is the concept of early stage which is associated with overlooking of dementia because of the gradual onset. Common signs during this stage include forgetfulness, loss of track of the time, and lost in the familiar places. The second stage is the middle stage following clear and restricting signs of dementia. Some of the signs during this stage include forgetfulness of events and names, lost at home, communication difficulties, and changes in behavior such as repeated questioning. The final stage is known as the last stage. This stage is

Alzheimer’s discovered by (ralf) “Alois Alzheimer on November 26th of 1901.” Alois Alzheimer’s identified this disease by brain cell abnormalities. Dr. Alois

Dementia is a disease which causes mental debility and affects one’s way of intelligent, attentiveness, recollection and problem-solving (NHS, 2013). As a result of dysfunction of brain cells in some parts of the brain it affects the thinking process then dementia occurs and it usually comes with age (Ibid). It is estimated that 560

Alzheimer’s disease was first discovered by Doctor Alois Alzheimer in 1905. He was a German neurologist and psychiatrist. He observed Auguste D. who was 51 at the time he met her. Her family was concerned because she was having memory problems, changes in personality and difficulty speaking. Doctor Alzheimer originally diagnosed her with a form of aggressive dementia, but there was symptoms not commonly found in Dementia patients. Like difficulty in speech and aggression. When she died he performed an autopsy which he found that Auguste’s cerebral cortex shrank, and there was fatty tissues in the blood vessels of her brain. He discovered large amounts of neurofibrillary tangles and senile plaques (proteins in the brain), which are now the biggest indicator of Alzheimer’s. (alzheimers.org) These fibers increase with age, and when you have Alzheimer’s your body produces them faster then what it should. Alzheimer’s was not officially named in medicine until 1907, and was named after Doctor Alzheimer in 1910.

First discovered by Alois Alzheimer (a German physician) who first discovered the disease in 1906. (Alzheimer’s and Dementia)

To be fully diagnosed with dementia an individual must be impaired with two core mental functions enough to interfere with daily life. There is no one test that can diagnose dementia, so doctors will most likely run several test to be sure. Neurological tests, brain scans, and laboratory tests can all be ran by a doctor to diagnose dementia.

This disease is broken down into three stages the first being preclinical Alzheimer's disease, then mild cognitive impairment and lastly, dementia. During the first stage, changes in the brain start to occur and symptoms such as confusion begin. In the second stage, an individual is likely to still perform daily tasks on their own although symptoms of the disease are becoming more noticeable. During the last stage, which is dementia, an individual is typically dependent on a caretaker at this point.

Alzheimer’s disease gradually develops over a period of years and can last decades. The disease itself can be broken down into three main stages: the early stage, the moderate stage, and the severe stage. Each of the three stages exhibits a progression of the symptoms from the prior stage. In the first stage, the early stage, most patients generally have difficulty finding the right words, take a longer time to react, and struggle with short term memory loss (Alzheimer’s Disease). This stage can last anywhere from two to four years and is often when the disease is first diagnosed in

Alzheimer’s Disease was first described by the German neuropathologist Alois Alzheimer (1864–1915) in 1906. Funk & Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia defines Alzheimer’s Disease as “progressive degenerative disorder of the brain”. One suffering Alzheimer’s may suffer with

Diagnosing Alzheimer’s may not always be easy for physicians since there are many diseases and disorders that closely relate to Alzheimer’s. Physicians and specialists can diagnose Alzheimer’s by asking the family questions about past health, conducting memory and problem solving tests, and performing a Computed Tomography (CT), a Positron Emission Tomography (PET Scan) or a Magnetic Resonance Imaging test (MRI). Conditions that are related to Alzheimer’s include dementia, psychosis, Parkinson’s, major depression, and insomnia. Since Alzheimer's is a progressive disease, there are many changes that occur in the brain. Abnormal deposits of proteins form plaques and tangles throughout the brain. Once the healthy neurons stop functioning, they lose connections with other neurons and eventually die. The damage mostly appears in the hippocampus, the part of the brain that is essential for forming memories. There is currently no cure for Alzheimer’s but medications can improve symptoms. Cognition-enhancing medications are used to improve mental function and balance

Alzheimer’s Dementia has seven stages. Stage one is no impairment or normal function. Stage two is very mild cognitive decline. This stage can be the earliest signs of Alzheimer’s or age-related changes such as forgetfulness. Stage three is mild cognitive decline. This is when doctors can diagnose the beginnings of Alzheimer’s. Common stage three difficulties include trouble remembering names, greater difficulty completing or staying on task, and increased trouble with organizing and planning. Stage four is moderate cognitive decline. Symptoms in this stage become more clear such as forgetting recent events, becoming moody or withdrawn, and greater ability to perform complex tasks. Stage five is moderately severe cognitive decline or mid-stage Alzheimer’s. During this stage the patient may not be able to remember his or her address or telephone number and become confused about where he or she is and what day it is. The patient will still be able remember significant details about his or her family and past. Stage six is severe cognitive decline. During this stage memory continues to worsen and personality changes may begin to take place. This stage also includes wandering, changes in sleep patterns, incontinence, and remembering names of family members. The final stage is seven: very severe decline or late-stage Alzheimer’s. In this final stage the patient will lose his or her ability to respond, have a

Dementia is a collection of symptoms caused by disorders affecting the brain which impact on a person’s functioning, ranging from thinking to behaviour and the ability to perform ordinary tasks and there are different type of dementia with the most common types being Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia and Parkinson’s disease (Keast, 2015). In 2009, nearly two-thirds (62%) of people identified as having dementia or Alzheimer 's disease were living in a health establishment such as a nursing home, an aged care hostel, or the cared component of a retirement village (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2012). People with dementia experience problems with communicative, cognitive and emotional tasks.

According to the webpage, “What are the 7 Signs of Alzheimer’s,” there are seven stages that someone with Alzheimer’s goes through. During the first and second stages, doctors and family members would not notice that the person has the disease because the memory loss is not quite visible yet. The third and fourth stages are when it starts to become noticeable. The person may have trouble coming up with