1. Explain what is meant by the term ‘dementia’ Dementia is the term used to describe a group of symptoms that occur when the brain is affected by certain diseases and conditions. Symptoms are progressive and degenerative and as more brain cell get damaged or die, a gradual loss of memory and decline in other intellectual functions which affects a person’s ability to remember, make rational judgments or communicate and is serious enough to interfere with performing the tasks of daily life. There are many different types of dementia, both inherited and non-inherited forms, with Alzheimer’s disease and Vascular dementia the most commonly diagnosed type. Dementia can occur to anyone at any age from damage to the cardiovascular system or a family history of Alzheimer’s disease, although it is most commonly associated with aging.
Dementia is basically damage in the brain where there is a build-up of abnormal proteins which causes a decline in mental ability. The decline can be either rapid or a gradual process. Typical causes of Dementia can be one specific disease such as Alzheimer’s which accounts for 60-80% of cases, or Parkinson’s or motor neurone disease, however Dementia is not a specific disease but rather describes a wide range of symptoms. In most cases, dementia is not inherited directly from family members, although a small number of cases can be inherited from family members. Other less common causes of dementia may include depression, head injuries, alcohol misuse, brain tumours, infections of the brain such as HIV, Strokes, or lack of Vitamin B in the diet.
In dementia some of these cells stop working properly. The part of the brain that this occurs in will affect how that person thinks, remembers and communicates. Senile dementia is a term that refers to dementia in people aged over 65. It is not uncommon for people under the age of 65 to develop dementia. This is known as early onset dementia.
Learn more: Warning Signs and Stages of Alzheimer’s Disease. * Is the most common form of dementia, a general term for memory loss and other intellectual abilities serious enough to interfere with daily life. Alzheimer’s disease accounts for 50 to 80 percent of dementia cases. Other types of dementia include vascular dementia, mixed dementia, dementia with Lewy bodies and frontotemporal dementia. Learn more: Related
They may become agitated or see things that are not there. While symptoms of dementia can vary greatly, at least two of the following core mental functions must be significantly impaired to be considered dementia: Memory * Communication and language * Ability to focus and pay attention * Reasoning and judgment * Visual perception People with dementia may have problems with short-term memory, keeping track of a purse or wallet, paying bills, planning and preparing meals, remembering appointments or travelling out of the neighbourhood. Many dementias are progressive, meaning symptoms start out slowly and gradually get worse. If you or a loved one is experiencing memory difficulties or other changes in thinking skills, don't ignore them. See a doctor soon to determine the cause.
Alzheimer’s disease By: Sheryl Powers D1MA101011 January 16 2012 Alzheimer’s disease is a slowly progressive disease of the brain that is believed to be cause by an increase of beta-amyloidal protein, which leads to nerve cell death. The nerve damage in the brain affects memory, reasoning skills, language and also perception. Alzheimer’s is a form of dementia and is thought to be the most common cause for dementia in patients over the age of 60. Patients over the age of 70 are considered to be at higher risk, with Alzheimer’s affecting the lives of about 50% of elderly over the age of 85. Alzheimer’s findings can be dated back to the 1900’s.
Unit 4223-316; Understand the process and experience of dementia. Outcome 1 1) A range of causes of dementia syndrome are; •Alzheimer's Disease •Most Common •Nerve cells dying in certain areas of the brain •Vascular Dementia •One or more major strokes or lots of small strokes •Deprivation of oxygenated blood •Fronto-temporal dementia •Changes in personality •Affects younger people, particularly men and very rare. 2)The types of memory impairment commonly experience by individuals with dementia are; •Difficulty remembering things that happened a short while ago but the same person may remember things that happened many years ago •Loss of basic skills, cleaning washing shopping •Forgetting where they live •Becoming unaware of their surroundings •An inability to have and show empathy •Forgetting their disabilities 3)How the brain works is that the left side of the brain analyses information collected from the right side and it enable you to expand on what you see, you are then able to say ‘I know that dog, it belongs to my neighbour’. Whereas the right side is responsible for putting information together. For example: If you see a dog the information comes from your eyes to the right side of your brain.
Dementia in Elderly There are many kinds of dementia ranging from mild symptoms to severe (Alzheimer’s) and is a disease of the brain. Dementia is usually a disease of the elderly although it can affect younger people, the onset can start in the mid sixties but most often starts in the 70 to 80 year old age range, growing old does not necessarily mean that a person is going to develop dementia, in fact most older people never suffer from this illness. The question is often asked ‘ is this disease hereditary? ’ the answer is, ‘it has not been proved’. Vascular dementia is the most common form of dementia and is caused by poor circulation of blood in the brain, there are several types of vascular dementia but most common is multi-infarct
Catherine scullion Unit Understand the process and experience of dementia. 1.1, Dementia caused by a combination of conditions, sometimes called mixed dementia. Dementia is not a specific disease, Its a an overall term that describes a wide range of symptoms associated with a decline in memory or other thinking skills severe enough to reduce a persons ability to perform every day tasks activities. Alzheimers disease accounts for 60/80% of cases. Vascular dementia which occurs after a stroke, is the second most common dementia, but there are many other conditions that can cause symptoms of dementia, including some that are reversible, such as thyroid problems and vitamin deficiencies.
Dementia is the leading cause of long-term disability in the elderly, affecting 2% of people aged 65-70 and 20% of those over 80. It usually begins with small memory impairments. However, Dementia is not considered as a particular disease. It is a general term that describes a wide variety of symptoms related to impaired memory or other reasoning abilities, which is serious enough to reduce a person's ability to accomplish everyday activities. Many people experience memory temporal lost, which is normal because is part of the normal aging process.