chapter 19 Flashcards
cognition
ability to think logically and clearly
cognitive impariment
when some cognition is lost, affects concentration and memory, some lost is nl but dementia is not
confusion
inability to think clearly and logically, has trb focusing his attention and may feel disoriented, interferes with ability to make decisions, can affect personality,
delirium
state of severe confusion that occurs suddenly and is usually temporary, some causes are infections, dz, fluid imbalance, poor nutrition, drugs and alcohol,
dementia
general term that refers to serious loss of mental abilities such as thinking remembering reasoning and communicating, is it advances, these losses make it diff to perform ADLs, it is not a nl part of aging
progressive
once it begins, a progressive dz advances, it tends to spread to other parts of the body and affects many body functions
degenerative
gets continually worse, eventually causes body systems to breakdown, and causes greater and greater loss of mental and physical health and abilities
onset
time the signs and sx begin
irreversible
cannot be cured, like Alzheimer’s, will either die from dz or with dz
causes of dementia
alzheimer’s dz, multi infarct/vascular dementia, Lewy body dementia, parkinson’s dz, huntington’s dz,
lewy body dementia
abnl structures called lewy bodies develop in areas of the brain causing variety of sx
multi infarct/vascular dementia
series of strokes causing damage to brain
Alzheimer’s disease (AD)
most common cause of dementia in elderly, is a progressive, degenerative, and irreversible dz, women>men, african american2x>white, hispanics 1.5x>white, 1/10 over 65+, causes tangled nerve fibers and protein deposits to form in the brain eventually causing dementia, no known cause and no cure
sx of AD
appear gradually, generally begins with memory loss, as it progresses, it causes greater and greater loss of health and abilities, may get disoriented, may be confused about time and place, comm probs, lose ability to read write speak or understand, mood/beh changes, aggressiveness,w andering, withdrawl, generally progresses in stages and with each stage sx get worse
mild alzheimer’s disease (early-stage)
shows some probs with memory loss and forgetting words and locations of familiar objects, probs with memory and concentration but may still be independent
moderate alzheimer’s dz (middle stage)
generally, this is the longest stage, may show signs and sx such as forgetting recent events, forgetting some of one’s own past exp/background, chagne sin personality/beh being moody or withdrawn, change sin sleep, confsuion about time and place, needing help with some ADLs
severe alzheimer’s disease (late stage)
final stage of AD, a person may be unable to communicate with others, control movement or respond to surroundings, needs sig help with ADLs, ability to walk sit swallow may be affected
perseveration
ppl with AD may repeat words, phrases, questions, or actions
intervention
a way to change an action or development
agitated
when a R is excited, restless, or troubled
trigger
a situation that leads to agitation
sundowning
when a person with AD gets restless and agitated in the late afternoon,e vening or night, may be caused by hunger or fatigue, change in routine or caregiver, or any new or fustrating situation
catastrophic rxn
when a person with AD overreacts to something
pacing
when a R walks back and forth in the same area
