The Phenomenon Of Dementia

Throughout this line of study, Alzheimer’s disease is a specific form of dementia. According to Alzheimer’s Association, dementia is a general term for a decline in mental ability that is severe enough to hinder daily life. Memory loss is a symptom of dementia and the most common type of dementia is Alzheimer’s. One of the most common and severe symptom of Alzheimer’s is difficulty remembering newly learned information. The changes of Alzheimer’s normally begin in the part of the brain that affects learning (Overview Alzheimer's Association). Some other symptoms of Alzheimer’s include gradual memory loss, the decline in capability to carry out everyday tasks and the loss of their language skills. According to Bialystok the rate of

Patient living in the nursing homes with diagnosis of dementia experience Disruptive behavior. According to Burton et al. (2015) more than 44 million people have dementia. Dementia affects memory, thinking and social abilities. These symptoms severely interfere with daily functioning of the patient. Approximately 90% of dementia patients demonstrate psychological and behavioral symptoms such as anxiety, agitation, depression, hallucination, delusion, and aggression (Chen et al., 2014). Behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) are a varied group of non-cognitive symptoms affecting demented patients. These symptoms are delusion, hallucination, agitation, anxiety, euphoria, disinhibition, night-time behavioral disturbances

Dementia is an umbrella term used to explain the gradual decline in multiple areas of functions, which includes thinking, perception, communication, memory, languages, reasoning, and the ability to function (Harrison-Dening 2013). Worldwide, 47.5 million people have dementia and there are 7.7 million new cases every year. Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia and may contribute to 60–70% of cases. (Alzheimer's society 2014). The complexity of dementia presents a number of behavioural challenges to those who live with dementia and their care providers. Aggressive behaviour seems to be one of the most prevalent challenging behaviours in the different stages of dementia (Weitzel et al 2011). As acute care

As the dementia progresses the individual will require more support, which will include day-to-day activities. We need to ensure that the individual is not overloaded with information, as this will increase their stress levels.

In conclusion the following factors agitation, depression, patient-caregivers relationship declining, worsening pain, high levels of burden of caregivers were found to be directly increase risk of aggression. Depression and the severity of dementia were indirectly related to the beginning of aggression. The correlation of time and increasing nonaggressive physical agitation was separate of the relationship between psychosocial measures and the beginning of

The term ‘dementia’ is used to describe a syndrome associated with an ongoing decline of the brain and its abilities. This includes problems with memory loss, thinking speed, mental agility, language, understanding, and judgment. People with dementia can become apathetic or uninterested in their usual activities, and have problems controlling their emotion. They also fine social situation challenging, lose interest in socialising and aspect of their personality may change. The majority of people who are diagnosed with dementia have either Alzheimer’s disease or vascular dementia, or a combination of the two. (Source 1) As the disease progresses, the person experiencing dementia becomes more vulnerable and their needs often complex; which requires appropriate care and management (Kitwood, 1997).this leads me to the next distinctive feature of patients with dementia.

Dementia is a term used to describe the symptoms of a number of illnesses which effect the function of the brain. It is an umbrella term describing the progressive decline in a person’s cognitive ability. The type and severity of symptoms varies with each type of dementia and is usually has a gradual onset, is progressive and irreversible. (1)

The nature of the behavioursWhen reviewing this area, it is important to note that there is an ongoing debate regarding the definitions and basic terminology for ‘non-cognitive’ symptoms. The term currently favoured in the psychiatric literature is ‘behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia’, but most of the psychology community still use the label ‘challenging behaviour’ (Emerson et al, 1995). Within these broader terms, further distinctions have been made (e.g. Cohen-Mansfield et al, 1992; Allen-Burge et al,

The definition of Dementia is “a general term for loss of memory and other mental abilities severe enough to interfere with daily life. It is caused by physical changes in the brain.” (Common Types of Dementia, 2012). The first manifestations of Dementia

Dementia refers to a syndrome which results in deterioration in thinking, memory, behavior, and ability to execute everyday activities and duties. Despite the fact that the syndrome is mainly associated with the older people, it is not a normal aspect or part of ageing. One of the major causes of dementia is the aspect of Alzheimer's disease. This disease contributes to about 60 to 70 percent of the cases of dementia. Dementia possesses psychological, physical, economic, and social impacts in relation to the family, caregivers, and the entire society. Dementia affects each individual in a diverse or different way with reference to the impact of the disease and personality following the development of the syndrome (Gao et al, 2013 p. 447).

The research aims at determining the affect of dementia on the lives of individuals and how it impacts on their social interactions. The research will also identify the ways in which aging individuals can refrain themselves from falling prey to this disease. It will highlight some important information for caregivers who will better understand this disease and will know how to deal with people who have this disease. As we all

Dementia is an extremely common disease among the elderly, with 4 million Americans currently suffering from the Alzheimer’s type alone. Figures show that 3% of people between the ages of 65-74 suffer from the disease, rapidly increasing to 19% for the 75-84 age bracket, and as high as 47% for the over 85s. Therefore, it is easy to see why Dementia is such a large part of many people’s lives, whether they are suffering from the condition themselves, or have an elderly relative who requires full time care just to undertake simple day to day tasks. The disease can be extremely traumatic for the patient and their families, as the person, who may have been extremely lively and bright throughout their

Alzheimer’s disease is a chronic illness which degrades the neural ganglia of effected individuals. This typically results in a rapid decline of the individual’s mental health. Behavioral, cognitive, and emotional changes will be noticed within the individual at varying levels of severity. However, there is no cure in order to prevent the progression of the disease. Today, it is estimated that about 5.5 million Americans suffer from this degenerative disease. It is a growing area of concern which needs rapid medical attention. Research on Alzheimer’s disease has been increasingly published in hopes of gaining an understanding of the disease in order to develop treatment or prevention plans. Health psychologists can assist the individual by allowing them to learn to live with the disease. This is seen through the use of psychological theories which allow the individual to understand their behavior in terms of their health.

The incidence of dementia increases as the general population ages and one source estimates approximately two billion individuals being affected by the year 2050 (Vasionyte & Madison, 2013). The nature of dementia results in cognitive decline that may lead to inappropriate behaviors, such as aggression, agitation, mood disorders, and eating problems, which can be a severe impairment when treating these patients

The negative reaction or behaviors of dementia patients ranges from mood swings, eating and sleeping disturbance, tumult, hostility, stray, verbal abuse, hyped behavior, loss of sexual control and feelings for others, (Finkel, Costa, & Silva, 1996). 61 percent of people faced with this disease is projected to die at age eighty which is 2x higher than individuals without Alzheimer's disease. It is impossible for a physician to diagnose dementia if a person’s cognitive abilities are not carefully examined. New reports from researches states that social support groups may and could promote cognition among people that either have developed dementia and those that are at the early stages of dementia. According to Crooks et al, studies were conducted