Early Signs Of A Progressive Dementia - 784 Words

The early signs of a progressive dementia often bring discord to families, because siblings disagree on what is really wrong and chalk up the changes they are seeing to depression, boredom, a recent illness or even â€Å"allergies†. One of the family members usually suspects something like â€Å"Alzheimer’s† but the other disagree thus diagnosis is delayed. Early dementia is also known as MCI (Mild Cognitive Impairment) and only about half of those with this diagnosis move on to one of the more progressive dementias. So, it is understandable that some in a family might say – â€Å"Grandma was just like Dad.† â€Å"But, she was able to take care of herself till she was 85.† The importance of early diagnosis is three fold: 1) Allows the person with a progressive illness to be more involved with the planning for the future. 2) Allows the AD person to participate in drug studies and/or to take medications that extend the functionality for activities of daily living. 3) Helps the primary care givers to plan for the future so they are not always wondering what will happen – they then can start planning for sharing the care, cost of care and legal documents that will be needed. If your family member is younger and you have not sought a diagnosis it is sometimes a good idea to seek Long Term Insurance before the diagnosis because would most often a dementia diagnosis would prohibit that individual from qualifying. Dementia itself is a more global impairment not just in memory, but in theShow MoreRelatedAlzheimer s Disease : Symptoms And Treatment Of Dementia1482 Words   |  6 Pagesother subsets of dementia, Alzheimer’s disease being one of the most well known. With the skyrocketing increase of individuals suffering from dementia will come the need for more intervention and prevention projects to help the number of individuals suffering from all forms of dementia. Even though there is an umbrella of different forms of dementia, dementia it self is a term used to describe a disease that is chronic, progressive, and terminal and each of the forms of dementia are classified inRead MoreDementia Is The Only Cause Death That Does Not Have A Cure972 Words   |  4 PagesDementia is the only cause of death that does not have a cure and cannot be prevented. It is the loss of mental functions such as thinking, memory, and reasoning that is severe enough to interfere with a person s daily funct ioning. Dementia is not the name of a specific disease itself, but rather a group of symptoms that are caused by various diseases or conditions. This is referred to as an umbrella term, a phrase that covers a broad interval or set of functions or items that all fall under a singleRead MoreRapidly Progressive Alzheimers Disease: A Case Study1333 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿Rapidly Progressive Alzheimers Disease: A Case Study Abstract We present the case of a male (JR) who initially presented with mild psychosis, memory problems, uncharacteristic apathy, persistent depressive state, and family reports of occasional agitation at the age of 69. The family had been overseeing homecare without medical supervision based on their own research and family history. A complete physical was performed and no major comorbid conditions were found. Laboratory tests revealed abnormallyRead MoreDescribe the types of dementia and common signs and symptoms1148 Words   |  5 PagesUnit 40 - P1 Describe the types of dementia and common signs and symptoms The term ‘dementia’ describes a set of symptoms which can include loss of memory, mood changes and problems with communication and reasoning. These symptoms occur when the brain is damaged by certain conditions and diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. †¨Age is the greatest risk factor for dementia. Dementia affects one in 14 people over the age of 65 and one in six overRead MoreThe Effects Of Dementia On The Brain Essay1262 Words   |  6 PagesUsually in chronic or progressive nature, Dementia is a syndrome where there is a deterioration in one’s cognitive function. Which is dramatically greater than normal cognitive deterioration expected from normal aging. It is caused by a variety of diseases and injuries that affect the brain, such as a stroke or Alzheimer’s disease, 60-70% of cases are contributed to Alzheimer’s. Dementia affects memory, comprehension, calculation, language, judg ment, thinking, and learning capacity. This is devastatingRead MoreHlten515B Implement and Monitor Care for Older Clients: Dementia737 Words   |  3 PagesHLTEN515B implement and monitor care for older clients Written assignment 1 There are many different forms of dementia and each has its own cause. Some of the main type of dementia is Alzheimer’s disease, which is the most common form of dementia affecting 50%-70% of dementia patients (Alzheimers australia, 2005). This is a degenerative illness which attacks the brain, this is achieved buy tangles which are in the middle of shrunken brain cells and plaques which eventually cause the brain cellsRead MoreSymptoms And Symptoms Of Dementia935 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"Worldwide, 47.5 million people have dementia and there are 7.7 million new cases every year† (WHO). Dementia is not a specific disease. Instead, it is a broad term used to describe a wide range of symptoms that impact one’s daily functioning (ALZ). These symptoms are associated with memory, thinking, and social abilities (Mayo Clinic). While signs and symptoms of dementia can differ based on the cause, there are several common cognitive and psychological changes that occur. Common cognitive changesRead MoreDementia And It s Types Essay1429 Words   |  6 PagesDementia and it s types Dementia is a syndrome caused by multiple progressive illnesses that affects memory, thinking, orientation, behaviour, comprehension, calculation, judgement, learning capacity, language, and loss of motivation and emotional control. The syndrome is characterized by Alzheimer’s disease, dementia with lewy bodies, vascular dementia, and frontotemporal dementia. Dementia mainly affects older people. Alzheimer disease is the most common form of dementia. Prevalence 44.4Read MoreAlzheimer s Disease : The Most Common Form Of Dementia1427 Words   |  6 PagesDementia, known as one of the world s current pandemics, is estimated to be the fourth most common cause of death in the developed country, second only to cardiovascular, cerebrovascular diseases and cancer. With the aging population, dementia has gradually become a serious threat to the health of the elderly people in Australia. Alzheimer s disease is the most common form of dementia. Alzheimer s disease usually occurs in a primary degenerative encephalopathy in senile and pre senior periodRead MoreThe Common Types Of Dementia1013 Words   |  5 PagesDementia can be defined as a decline in mental ability severe enough to interfere with daily life (alz.org). More than often, individuals affected by dementia are over the age of 65. In the United States, there are more than three million cases of dementia each year. According to World Health Organization, the number of people living with dementia is currently estimated at 47.5 million worldwide and is expected to increase to 75.6 million by 2030 (World Health Organization 2015). Dementia is caused