What is dementia presentation
Dementia is a syndrome that affects memory, thinking, behavior, and the ability to perform everyday tasks. It is often caused by progressive disorders and can be caused by a variety of factors, including age and genetics.
Welcome caregiver relief welcomes you to what is dementia? Dementia is an umbrella term for a syndrome most often caused by a number of progressive disorders that affects memory thinking behavior and the ability to perform everyday tasks. There are many types of dementia, the most common of which is Alzheimer's disease.
Lewy body is the second most common type of dementia and also the most misdiagnosed of the dementia. What are the causes of dementia? The precise cause of dementia is not known. However, multiple factors lead to with development, including advancing age, family history, cardiovascular disease. And a history of head trauma.
different types of dementia affect different regions of the brain. The regions of the brain are responsible for different functions, such as language and logical thinking, memory and emotions, coordination. And body functions. And of course our senses hearing taste, smell, vision, and touch. It is important to know what area of the brain is affected to plan for future care needs.
What are the most common types of dementia Alzheimer's disease? Lewy body dementia, vascular dementia, Fronto temporal lobe, dementia, and mixed dementia. Having more than one type of dementia symptoms of dementia. It is important to be aware of the early signs of dementia. Early treatment can actually delay the disease process and slow cognitive decline.
Here are the top eight symptoms of dementia,
forgetfulness or memory lapses. Having problems with memory is the first and foremost symptom that you or others will notice. It is a typical symptom of dementia to forget things learned recently. This is considered short term memory. It could be the inability to answer a question or an inability to recall the intention to do something yet.
It is still possible to remember things from the remote past. This is known as long-term memory with Alzheimers disease. Even long-term memory will be affected in the later stages of this terrible disease.
Another symptom are word-finding problems or word confusion. It is normal for anyone to occasionally blank on a word. It is considered a red flag for all timers. If this happens with growing frequency, and if the words are simple or commonplace, Replacing the right word for another word is also a sign of dementia.
These are symptoms of dementia that occur early in the disease process.
major changes in personality or mood. The first sign of changes in personality, maybe withdrawal a person that is quiet, maybe more aggressive or vice versa, some develop uncharacteristic fears of new or unknown environment or situations. Others develop a distrust of others, whether strangers or familiar people.
Another symptom of dementia is trouble with abstract thinking. Abstract thinking is the ability to think. And imagine in the terms of ideas, there is an increased difficulty in performing tasks that were once easy, such as shopping or balancing the checkbook. Another symptom of dementia. Difficulty completing familiar tasks.
A common symptom of dementia is exhibited. When a person does not finish a task or an activity that is something they formally enjoyed or used to engage in frequently. Some may become confused or distracted and do not return to finish. Another symptom is disorientated. A person with dementia begins to be disoriented in new or unfamiliar environments.
They may wander off and get lost in public or get lost when driving or after parking the car. They may lose track of the time, day, month, or even the year. They may start to have trouble keeping appointments and remembering other reasons. Or commitments, another symptom is misplacing or losing items with our busy lifestyles.
We all have moments when we forgot where we place something. It is a problem when a person loses things often or misplaces them in unusual places, such as finding car keys in the refrigerator.
Another symptom is poor or impaired judgment, poor or impaired judgment may exhibit as difficulty with decision making. This can also be related to other possible symptoms of dementia, such as lapses in memory, personality, changes and trouble with abstract thinking inappropriate choices are worrisome.
As unsound decisions affect personal safety, health, and finances. Many of these symptoms go in notice for a long period of time, especially in all timers disease. This is because the symptoms are often subtle or even well concealed by the person experiencing them. Many of them diagnosed with dementia symptoms, maybe aware of some of the changes that are occurring.
But denial and the ability to compensate to hide some of these symptoms may take some time for some patterns of behavior to make themselves obvious to others of gnosis and tests for dementia. Your primary care doctor will first do a complete medical history. There will also be questions about familial history to determine if there is a history of dementia in the family.
There will be tests that are ordered to rule out other medical conditions that may cause memory impairment. It will also be determined how symptoms have changed and potential contributing factors. The Dr. May also a brain scan. There are different tests to diagnose for dementia and many are different paper and pencil.
Of memory and thinking, and that are called neuro psychological testing, easy valuations sample, various brain functions, including orientation, short-term memory ability to follow instructions and recognition of objects.
The tests most often used. For memory and thinking are the mini mental status exam also known as that M M S E or the St. Louis university mental status exam, also known as the slums tests,
treatable, medical conditions with the message. Symptoms in a previous slide we discussed, the doctors will rule out medical conditions that may present with symptoms of dementia. Experiencing memory problems does not mean you have dementia. There are many health issues that can cause problems with memory, including depression, drug interactions, thyroid problems, excessive use of alcohol.
Certain vitamin deficiencies and even a urinary tract infection can cause confusion and dementia like symptoms. If diagnosed, these are treatable illnesses and can be re and the dementia like symptoms can be reversed. The treatments for dementia, there are currently no cure for dementia. Or Alzheimer's disease and no treatment to reverse or halt its progression, the present treatments available, treat the symptoms such as memory problems.
They may also slow the cognitive decline. However, there are other symptoms that occur and there are medicines that treat people as needed. Focus on dementia. With a cure for dementia, a long way off. It is important to focus on the here and now it is time to focus on providing the best possible care to those suffering.
With this terrible condition person centered care is an approach that focuses on a person as an individual and not just as disease or a diagnosis.
Family centered care, focuses on the caregiver as well as the patient with dementia. Thank you for joining us today.
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