So expressing themselves using body language may be difficult do to lack of cognitive control in their limbs, or hands. They may also show the same signs as Alzheimer’s disease. • Lewy bodies dementia is very similar to Alzheimer’s disease, the difference being that they may have hallucinations and become fearful. This will affect communication due to their behaviour may mean they are too scared to talk, or be spoken to. Physical and mental health factors need to be taken into account when communicating with someone with dementia, they may also be hard of hearing, or have limited eyesight.
Discuss the deficits Mr Lusk has presented with. Mr Lusk has presented with many of the signs of Dementia. Mr Lusk’ inability to perform everyday tasks and reported progressive memory loss are both factors in Dementia. Mr Lusk’ is also wandering and getting lost in familiar setting this is a sign that Mr Lusk is disorientated with time and place which is an early warning sign of Dementia. Other early warning signs that Mr Lusk has presented with are deficits in language often people with Dementia forget how to speak simple words which can impact on the ability to have a conversation with the person, judgement, insight and thinking are also signs of Dementia people with Dementia have a hard time with abstract thinking and can’t problem solve as well as they use to.
Cristina-Sandra Chirita | Dementia | [Date] Cristina-Sandra Chirita | Dementia | [Date] Dementia Awareness assessment Dementia Awareness assessment 1. Understand what dementia is: 1.1 Explain what is meant by the term “dementia” Dementia are the signs and symptoms caused as a result of the specific diseases such as Alzheimer’s or a stroke that involve the damaging of brain cells; as the brain cells die the person with a dementia will lose their ability to do things they are used to doing as different parts of the brain are damaged. Dementia affects both older and younger people and the decline in the person will get worse as more brain cells are damaged or die. 1.2 Describe the key functions of the brain that are affected by dementia - behavior, movement, interpretation of what is around us and personality: frontal lobe; - language used, special awareness and recognition of places, objects and people: parietal lobe; - eyesight and ability to see: occipital lobe; - memory, hearing and speech: temporal lobe. 1.3 Explain why depression, delirium and age-related memory impairment may be mistaken for dementia Because this are symptoms of dementia but the cause for them to happen can be different: - for depression: a person can be depressed but not suffer for dementia; - for delirium: it can be caused by an infection and the person could become confused and suffer with memory loss which are also signs and symptoms of dementia; - for age-related memory impairment: if someone becomes forgetful they might think or others might think they have dementia because a lot of people associate dementia with old age and memory loss but younger people can be affected too.
Dementia Awareness Unit 237 Dementia is a condition which is the gradual loss of brain function, this also makes it degenerative. It can include symptoms such as memory loss, confusion, problems with speech and understanding. Dementia at the moment has no cure, as it has a number of diseases that coincide with it. Alzheimer’s is part of dementia. Functions that are affected by dementia are; Short term Memory loss, Language skills, the ability to interpret information, spatial skills, judgement and attention.
2.2 Describe the key functions of the brain that are affected by dementia. Key functions of the brain are affected by dementia, conditions will deteriorate as dementia is a progressive brain disease. The main areas of the brain that are affected by dementia in terms of causing difficulties with their functions are: 1) Frontal Lobe – this is the part of the brain that controls behaviour, movement, personality and the interpretation of what is around us 2) Parietal Lobe – this is the part of the brain that controls the language we use, spacial awareness and recognition of places, objects and people. 3) Occipital Lobe – this is the part of the brain that controls eyesight and our ability to see 4) Temporal Lobe – this is the part of the brain that controls our speech, hearing and memory Below are the normal and affected conditions of the brain; Key functions of the brain affected by dementia | Normal Brain Function | Effects of dementia on Brain Function | * The brain is made up of billions of cells. Each cell sends messages to many other cells that send messages to our body * Most cells in the brain are called neurons * Neurons communicate with each other by passing an electrical signal down their arms (axons) * This leads to a release of chemical at the ‘fingertips’ * At the end of the axon (at the fingertips) there is a gap, known as a synapse – message passes on by shooting out a special chemical across the synapse and in to the
People experiencing vascular dementia will, like those with Alzheimer’s disease, have problems with learning, remembering, recognition, planning and problem solving. However, there is a major difference in the two diseases. Alzheimer’s disease tends to affect the whole of the brain and to progress gradually and steadily. Vascular dementia tends to affect only certain areas of the brain, and this means someone may retain more of their abilities – and also more awareness of their condition. Dementia syndrome or ‘mixed dementia’are terms for a condition in which abnormalities characteristic of more than one type of dementia occur simultaneously in the brain.
However, if the person is depressed then it could be the depression not the dementia causing them ill-being. Delirium for example can be brought on as a result of an infection and this might be mistaken with dementia because for example the person could become confused and suffer with memory loss which are also signs and symptoms of dementia. It is very similar for age-related
1.3 -Explain why depression, delirium and age-related memory impairment may be mistaken for dementia This may be the case because they all share many of the same symptoms as dementia, for example depression can manifest as anxiety, irritability, sleep disturbance, changes in appetite, weight loss or occasionally weight gain, fatigue, decreased energy and difficulty concentrating, thinking or making decisions. Delirium can produce reduced awareness of the environment, wandering attention, being withdrawn, poor memory and difficulty speaking or recalling words. Age-related memory impairment can include forgetting where you left things you use regularly, forgetting names, forgetting an appointment,
Explain the way that individuals process information and reference to the abilities and limitations of individuals with dementia. Individuals with dementia, their brains process information incorrectly and communication can become difficult, this difficulties can become upsetting and frustrating for the individual with dementia. People with dementia often confuse the generations for example confusing their wife to be there mother, this can be distressing for the family but is natural aspect of their memory loss. When caring for residents with dementia it important to take into account the individual’s needs and abilities, interests and preferences, dementia effects memory, thinking and reasoning, as dementia progresses the need and abilities of the individual changes. In the earlier stages of dementia the individual may feel upset or anxious and be more self-aware of their memory loss and their own limitations and want to talk and share about how they are feeling, their worries and concerns for the future, support and empathy should be given.
1.1 Explain what is meant by the term ‘dementia’. Dementia is a condition which is described by a number of symptoms and is a progressive decline of mental abilities and cognitive function as well as changes in personality, mood, communication and behaviour. Dementia is caused by chemical and structural changes within the brain as well as brain injury. 1.2 Describe the key functions of the brain that are affected by dementia. Dementia can affect the following key functions of the brain: - Temporal lobe - Parietal lobe - Frontal lobe - Occipital lobe - Hippocampus - Cerebrum lobe These all affect the function of: -Memory -Emotion -Cognitive skills -Perception -Behaviour -Communication -Senses and movement 1.3 Explain why depression, delirium and age related memory impairment may be mistaken for dementia.