The Importance Of Dementia

Dementia is a progressive disorder that will affect how you’re brain functions and particularly your ability to remember, think and reason. Dementia usually affects older people and are approximately 820,000 people in the UK with the disorder, and around 15,000 are under the age of 65. If the dementia is recognised early enough that are a lot of things that you can be done to make the quality of life better. In a lot of dementia cases the symptoms and quality of life will progress and get worse over a number of years. The most common symptoms of a dementia patient are:

Dementia often includes symptoms such as memory loss, trouble doing normal everyday activities, and problem solving. Once the symptoms come, they will most likely stay. They will only become worse and worse over time, so it’s necessary to try and come to terms with the disease. Caregivers can try to make the person affected as comfortable as possible as their body is slowly transitioning. Because there is a loss of blood flow to the brain, signals that are necessary in order to keep the body functioning properly eventually stop being sent. The muscles will stop being sent signals to move, and sometimes the signal to breathe can even be stopped.

and risk. People with dementia can have mood swings and there personality can even change altogether. As carers we need to set boundaries to keep a person safe without infringing on a there rights, which can be difficult, especially in the advanced stages of dementia but there are some effective techniques to aid.

People who have dementia are not aware of requirements for living. They can forget to do the essential things that are vital. Taking medicines, hygiene and even eating are often forgotten. They can get lost or hurt and not understand what is necessary to correct a situation. Turning on the cooker or water and forgetting to turn it off again, locking doors, crossing streets etc can all be dangerous even deadly. In the same way as you would not think an infant capable of self care, a person with dementia cannot be either. Considering the facts that they cannot act in the manner of a

1.3 Individual’s process information in different ways therefore depending on their abilities will depend on their limitations of individuals with dementia. Some people are aware of their limitations, this may make them feel sad for the way they are now and making them worried about the future. Usually as the disease progresses, the level of self-awareness will most likely decline as well. In earlier stages of dementia the person you care fore may deny or not understand that they have the disease and this can then result in them not realising their own limitations in their abilities, such as driving, cooking etc.

Every person with dementia and reactions to the circumstances is unique, which may be related to the progressive changes in the brain

If an individual with dementia is doing an activity, which is familiar to them or part of, their routine that they have developed then the individual may be comfortable and do the activity with ease. On the other hand, if you take the individual out of their routine or familiar surroundings their confusion will grow.

Even diet or illness can affect their abilities or needs. One day a person with dementia will remember, and be quite able, to complete certain tasks but then may be incapable another. This is not their choice it is because the brain is a very complex organ and the chemical changes vary from person to person. The information is still in the memory but the neurotransmitters are able to send messages one day but maybe not the next. If an individual has a water infection they may be more confused and their needs go up whilst their abilities go down. Medication may produce more hallucinations or tremors therefore once again their needs are increased.

and risk. People with dementia can have mood swings and there personality can even change altogether. As carers we need to set boundaries to keep a person safe without infringing on a there rights, which can be difficult, especially in the advanced stages of dementia but there are some effective techniques to aid.

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.

Dementia is a term used to describe a collection of signs and symptoms that happen to the brain when it is affected by the progression of certain diseases such as vascular dementia (when brain cells die due to lack of oxygen) and Alzheimer’s disease (a specific brain disease). Some of the affects these diseases have are on a person’s memory, language and communication abilities, behaviour and ability to make rational judgements.

• Every individual, including individuals with dementia, has their unique life history, lifestyle, culture and preferences, including their likes, dislikes, hobbies and interests, which makes an individualised approach in care necessary.

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.

Each person with dementia is unique and difficulties in communicating thoughts and feelings are very individual. There are many causes of dementia, each affecting the brain in different ways. Some changes include:

Dementia effects your memory and a person’s ability to achieve a normal everyday task and activities.