Essay about Unit 365 - Understand the Process and Experience of Dementia

Dementia is a loss of brain function. If affects memory, thinking, language, judgement and behaviour. Dementia is progressive, so the symptoms will gradually get worse. In a later stage of dementia people will find it hard to carry out daily tasks and will come dependant on other people.

There are several causes of dementia some of them are; a stroke, brain disease, MS, certain medications, shrinkage of the brain, too many opiates over a long period of time and severe alcoholism

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.

Dementia Syndrome is a condition caused by a set of symptoms. These symptoms can include but are not limited to: - memory loss, mood changes, communication difficulties, difficulty understanding or thinking.

The ability to make decisions may fluctuate with someone with dementia due to the changing status of the illness. Their capacity will deteriorate over time and situations they are in can determine their mental state, for example if a person with dementia is tired or is put into a stressful situation they can find it very difficult to comprehend what is going on and become frustrated and confused therefore hindering their ability to make a decision. Knowing the persons past and present, wishes, feelings, beliefs and values can help us to better understand and help them to make decisions. As dementia worsens this can become more difficult as communication breaks down, this is where care plans are important, this will contain all the information about the individual It is also helpful to speak to family and friends to find the best ways to care for the person.

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.

Explain why individuals with dementia need to be supported to make advance care plans as early as possible

Boredom and frustration are the two most common causes of challenging behaviour in with dementia. Taking part in a physical or mental activity can provide a welcome distraction from the stresses of the illness and can help to focus them on the positive and fun aspects of life. Activity can be as simple as holding a conversation, singing or going for a walk and discussing what is seen.

According to the Department of Health (DoH, 2013), dementia is describe as a syndrome that can be caused by number of progressive disorder which affects memory, thinking, behaviour and ability to perform everyday activities. Whereas Morris and Morris (2010), describe dementia as deterioration of the brain cells which affects the memory, thinking, communication and mood changes with a specific disease. Both description of dementia are similar in which the disorder

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

Dementia is caused by loss of brain cells, and shrinkage of brain tissue. This damage leads to increased challenges the brain cells now have to overcome. Neural pathways are the ways our brain cells communicates with one another, so dementia interrupts and negatively affects this process.

Vascular Dementia is cause by the breaking down of nerves in the brain and does not get enough oxygen and nutrients. This type of dementia often causes a stroke or signs of a stroke. Like Alzheimers, and opposite of Lewy Body, it progresses at a slower rate. Like Lewy body, issues with movement happen earlier in the disease unlike Alzheimer’s that happen later in the

Two of the most common myths that are widely known are memory loss, and family history. As I explained above memory loss does take a key role in the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease but it also takes a role in other illnesses also. The association with memory loss is what it pertains to on a day to day basis. If the individual is unable to do daily tasks that one was capable to do only weeks prior one must look at all other aspects issues at hand. Other symptoms along with memory loss are compiled to result in the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease. In addition, family history does increase the risk of an individual having Alzheimer’s disease but it does not intentionally mean one has the disease (Sounders). There are still many myths out there that scientists are debunking every day. So just because you forgot to start the washing machine before going to bed, or left an ink pen in your shirt pocket doesn’t mean you have early onset Alzheimer’s disease. However, if your maternal grandmother had Alzheimer’s disease and your mother is experiencing early onset symptoms of this particular disease, it would not hurt to keep an eye on the risks factors on the early warning signs. Eat healthy, exercise daily, and enjoy life to the

Dementia is a syndrome caused by multiple progressive illnesses that affects memory, thinking, orientation, behaviour, comprehension, calculation, judgement, learning capacity, language, and loss of motivation and emotional control. The syndrome is characterized by Alzheimer’s disease, dementia with lewy bodies, vascular dementia, and frontotemporal dementia. Dementia mainly affects older people. Alzheimer disease is the most common form of dementia.

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