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. Delirium, age related memory and depression often affect the memory and cognitive impairment, which can be mistaken for dementia. If someone is clinically depressed, their symptoms may be very similar to someone who has got dementia. Delirium, like dementia, is more common in older adults. Depression, delirium and age related memory impairment are all symptoms of dementia.
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.
It is important to encourage to maintain independence. Know the most common types of dementia and their causes. 3.1) The most common causes of dementia are neurodegenerative disease where the brain cells die more quickly than normal which leads to a decline in the persons mental and physical abilities. Dementia can be caused by strokes, brain damage, old age, or it can be hereditary. 3.2) Symptoms of Alzheimer’s; Becoming more confused and forgetful, Mood swings, Becoming withdrawn due to loss of confidence, Having difficulty completing every
Parietal lobe which is responsible for sensory information from the body, also where letters are formed, putting things in order and spatial awareness. Occipital lobe which is responsible for processing information related to vision. Cerebrum lobe which is the biggest part of the Brain, its role is memory, attention, thought, and our consciousness, senses and movement. Lastly there is Hippocampus which is responsible for memory forming, organizing and storing and emotions. 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.
For example, a victim in an accident resulting in head injury may have difficulty remembering anything new. Concussions are a leading cause to anterograde amnesia. It is also a very common type amongst elderly people battling for of dementia, such as Alzheimer’s. In cases of anterograde amnesia, the damage resides in areas of the hippocampus,
237:- 1.1: The word dementia describes a set of symptoms that may include memory loss and difficulties with thinking, problem-solving or language. These changes are often small to start with, but for someone with dementia they have become severe enough to affect daily life. A person with dementia may also experience changes in their mood or behaviour. 1.2: The Key functions of the brain affected by dementia are: * Language * Memory * Perception * Emotional behaviour or personality * Cognitive skills (such as calculation, abstract thinking, or judgement). 1.3: Depression, delirium and age related memory impairment could be mistaken for dementia as they all manifest with similar symptoms.
Parietal lobe - responsible for sensory information from the body, also where letters are formed, putting things in order and spatial awareness. Occipital lobe- responsible for processing information related to vision Cerebrum lobe - biggest part of the Brain its role is memory, attention, thought, and our consciousness, senses and movement. Hippocampus = responsible for memory forming, organizing and storing and emotions. 3. Explain why depression, delirium and age related memory impairment may be mistaken for dementia.
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.
The medical model of dementia the medical model refers to what the clinical approach to dementia is for example how the changes in the brain happen, when the occur and how the condition is managed and what medication is used to manage it. Dementia as a clinical syndrome is characterised by global cognitive impairment,which represents a decline from previous level of functioning, and is associated withimpairment in functional abilities and, in many cases, behavioural and psychiatricdisturbances. a syndrome due to disease of the brain, usually of a chronic or progressive nature, in which there is disturbance of multiple higher cortical functions, including memory, thinking, orientation, comprehension, calculation, learning capability, language, and judgement. Consciousness is not impaired. Impairments of cognitive function are commonly accompanied, occasionally preceded, by deterioration in emotional control, social behaviour, or motivation.
UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS AND EXPERIENCE OF DEMENTIA Task A 1. For each of the following forms of dementia, describe: • How is the brain affected • The symptoms an individual might experience. Alzheimer's disease is a degenerative brain disease. Most patients start exhibiting symptoms after they reach the age of 60. Alzheimer's disease affects the brain through exponentially greater cell death and tissue loss, resulting in a decreased brain size.