Functions that are affected by dementia are; Short term Memory loss, Language skills, the ability to interpret information, spatial skills, judgement and attention. These are all affected with the different types of dementia due to which part of the brain is affected. Depression, Delirium and age related memory impairment may be mistaken for dementia as the individual may present with similar signs and symptoms to dementia. To ensure weather these conditions are dementia or not a full assessment needs to be carried out by a qualified doctor. The medical model of dementia sees dementia as being degenerative with no cure.
Unit: Dementia Awareness This unit must be assessed in accordance with Skills for Care and Development’s Assessment Principles. Learning Outcome 1: Understand what dementia is Assessment Criteria 1.1. Explain what is meant by the term ‘dementia’ Dementia is a term used to describe a range of signs and symptoms that occur when the brain is affected. Chemical and structural changes in the brain damage and kill brain cells, dementia is a progressive disease and this simply means that the symptoms will gradually get worse. Neurons and synapses become damaged by dementia they may be unable to carry messages that tell a section of the brain what to do.
Influences such as: • memory loss • losing recall • inability to speak • disorientation • misinterpretation of information • variations in lucidity 2. Other factors such as: • personality changes • health changes • environmental changes eg • place of residence • behavioural change • social change • lifestyle 3. Memory impairment effects such as: • lack of recall • not making connections • use of demeaning speech • use of inappropriate tone • of voice • challenging language • using inappropriate words or sentences Outcome 2. 1. Person centred approach: This is a way of working which aims to put the person at the centre of the care situation taking into account their individuality, wishes and preferences Identifying communication strengths through: • life story profiling • personality profiling • health profiling • one-to-one case meetings • enriched care planning 2.
Explain why individuals with dementia need to be supported to make advance care plans as early as possible 2.1. Explain why pain in individuals with dementia is often poorly recognised and undertreated 2.2. Describe ways to assess whether an individual with dementia is in pain or distress 2.3. Describe ways to support individuals with dementia to manage their pain and distress at end of life using 3.1. Explain why carers may experience guilt and stress at the end of life of an individual with dementia 3.2.
Impairments of cognitive function are commonly accompanied, occasionally preceded, by deterioration in emotional control, social behaviour, or motivation. The syndrome occurs in Alzheimer’s disease, in cerebrovascular disease, and in other conditions primarily or secondarily affecting the brain’. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK55480/ The social model of dementia were as the medical mode is more about the medical side of things the social model is more about the person and how the illness affects them. The social model of care is to understand the emotions and behaviours of the person with dementia by placing him or her within the context of his or her social circumstances and biography. By learning about each person with dementia as an individual, with his or her own history and background, care and support can be designed to be more appropriate to individual needs.
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. they may be feeling depressed, angry or scared with what is happening to them, or lack of understanding of where they are and what you are trying to communicate. time needs to be taken when communicating with someone with dementia, speak slowly, in simple language and avoid the use of slang. use props or items such as a cup, to show them what you mean if they don't understand you, take into account your body language ensuring that you seem open, friendly and someone to trust. it is also important to understand their body language, they may not want to talk to you, or perhaps not happy with the way you look, if they don't respond well to you, or seem scared/frightened/angry with you,
However the care that the individual's will receive will differ, the way they both take the news that they have dementia and their attitudes towards it will be very different. I believe an older person will cope better with the news that they have dementia because it is more common and their is alot of help and care available for them, whereas a young person with dementia may struggle because they may have to give up work and often struggle to access the right care and support they need. 1.3 Describe how the experience of dementia may be different for individuals - Who have a learning disability Dementia generally affects people with learning disabilities in similar ways to people without a learning disability, but there are some important differences. People with a learning disability: · Are at greater risk of developing dementia at a young age - particularly
The lack of a definition is part of the problem. Some gerontology experts with dementia experience who recognize the ambiguity of the term care, target the social and emotional aspects of care with phrases such as “therapeutic Caregiving” as Barbara J. Bridge’s (1998) does in her book of the same title Therapeutic Caregiving: A Practical Guide for Caregivers of Persons with Alzheimer’s and Other Dementia Causing Diseases. Joanne Koenig Coste (2003) refers to a “habilitative “approach to care giving in her book; Learning to Speak Alzheimer’s. Using the terms social care and emotional care remind us that the everyday care that all of us already know and use holds power. At times, I will give social and emotional care separate attention in order to elaborate on the importance of each.
As a patient’s cognition and hence functional abilities for decision making is impaired in dementia, a patient may or may 7 Ethical Issues in Dementia 48 not possess adequate decision making capacity to make an informed choice. 3. A diagnosis of dementia per se, however, does not automatically imply a loss of decision making capacity, which is specific to each patient and to each medical decision. Therefore, those who cannot comprehend complex situations may still possess the capacity to make simple decisions, or to convey their opinions regarding the burdens and benefits of ongoing treatments. 4.
* A client may be suffering from confusion, either temporarily because of an acute medical problem, or as a result of dementia. The elderly often have some degree of sensory impairment and this also has an impact on communication. A health care worker might be dealing with someone suffering from a mental illness. This may take many forms; perhaps the client is depressed and reluctant to speak, or may be deluded or hallucinating. This makes communication challenging and the care worker needs to learn strategies to improve her sensitivity.