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.
The main areas of the brain that are affected by dementia in terms of causing difficulties with their functions are: * Frontal Lobe – This is the part of the brain that controls behaviour, movement, personality and the interpretation of what is around us * Parietal Lobe – This is the part of the brain that controls the language we use, spacial awareness and recognition of places, objects and people. * Occipital Lobe – This is the part of the brain that controls eyesight and our ability to see * Temporal Lobe – This is the part of the brain that controls our speech, hearing and memory 1.3 – Explain why depression, delirium and age related memory impairment may be mistaken for dementia. Depression can sometimes be mistaken for dementia because with dementia a person’s behaviour and feeling of well-being can change and cause the person to appear withdrawn and this for example might be mistaken for depression. 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
Dementia Awareness Understand what dementia is. 1) Dementia is where there is a decline of the brain and its abilities, it is caused when the brain is damaged by disease, for example, Alzheimer’s disease, damage to the brain or a series of strokes. There are several types of dementia these include, vascular, Alzheimer’s, lewy bodies, fronto-temporal. 2) Areas affected by dementia are memory loss, speed of thinking, mental agility, language, understanding and judgement. 3) Other conditions such as depression and delirium both have similar symptoms as dementia.
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.
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
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.
NVQ Level 2 Adult Social Care Understand what dementia is 1.1 -Explain what is meant by the term ‘dementia’ The word dementia describes a set of symptoms that may include memory loss and difficulties with thinking, problem-solving or language. Dementia is caused when the brain is damaged by diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease or a series of strokes. 1.2 -Describe the key functions of the brain that are – affected by dementia The key functions that are affected by dementia are as follows: temporal lobe which is responsible for vision, memory, language, hearing and learning. Frontal lobe which is responsible for decision making, problem solving, control behaviour and emotions. Parietal lobe which is responsible for sensory information from the body, also where letters are formed, putting things in order and spatial awareness.
Understand And Enable Positive Interaction And Communication With Individuals Who Have Dementia Different forms of dementia can affect the way a person can communicate. The differences are; • Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia and with that individuals may have trouble following a sentence, finding the right words or calling things by the wrong name. Verbally communicating may be difficult do the lack of understanding of what is being said, or communicating coherently. • Vascular dementia mainly affects cognitive ability, also memory is also affected. So expressing themselves using body language may be difficult do to lack of cognitive control in their limbs, or hands.
2. Describe the key functions of the brain that are affected by dementia. The key functions that are affected by dementia are: Temporal lobe- responsible for vision, memory, language, hearing and learning. Frontal lobe - responsible for decision making, problem solving, control behaviour and emotions. Parietal lobe - responsible for sensory information from the body, also where letters are formed, putting things in order and spatial awareness.
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.