Late Adult 1 Flashcards
What are the three Ds of late adulthood?
Delirium
Dementia
Depression
What is dementia?
a slow, progressive, and irreversible cognitive impairment
What are the manifestations of dementia?
MEMORY IMPAIRMENT: ability to learn new information or recall previously learned info
one or more of APHASIA, APRAXIA, AGNOSIA, disturbance in EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING
Must be sufficiently severe to cause impairment in social or occupational functioning
What is effected first by dementia, STM or LTM?
STM
What is aphasia?
impaired ability to communicate through oral or written language
What are some of the signs of aphasia?
- difficulty in word finding
- vague speech
- difficulty comprehending spoken/written language
- unintelligible speech or muteness
What is apraxia?
impaired ability to execute MOTOR functions despite motor abilities and sensory function
ex dressing is often affected
What is agnosia?
loss of ability to recognize persons or things
What are the two ways you would be able to see agnosia?
may not recognize everyday objects or familiar people
may not associate objects with their purpose
What are executive functions?
Higher level brain functions (more complex/deep)
ex. planning, organizing, sequencing, abstracting
What are 2 consequences of a disturbance in executive functioning?
Difficulty with new tasks, situations, information, and decisions
New learning is impossible
List 4 types of dementia and the percentage of dementia patients affected by each
Alzheimer’s Disease >60%
Vascular dementia 20%
Frontotemporal dementia 5-15%
Lewy Body dementia 2-5%
Approximately what percentage of Alzheimer’s patients experience delusions?
50%
Approximately what percentage of Alzheimer’s patients experience depression and anxiety?
40%
Approximately what percentage of Alzheimer’s disease experience hallucinations?
25%
What behavioural disturbances may be associated with dementia?
- self-destructive behaviour
- non-compliance
- dependency
- aggression (verbal/physical)
- impulsiveness/disinhibition
- hiding/hoarding
How long does the early stage in dementia progression usually last?
2-4 yrs
What symptoms are associated with dementia in the early stages of dementia?
forgetfulness denial confusion difficulty with ADLs social withdrawal
family becomes aware and seek assistance
What symptoms are associated with dementia in the middle stages of progression?
Significant impairment of ADLs
Decreased:
language skills
ability to reason/plan
Disinhibition and aggression
may be admitted to residential care
How long does the end stage of dementia last?
1-2 yrs
What symptoms are associated with the end stages of dementia?
Decreased engagement with environment
Dependent with ADLs
Decreased motor skills
Decreased speech
What is delirium?
it is a cognitive impairment characterized by a sudden onset of altered behaviour and mental state
transient state with fluctuating symptoms
What are some symptoms of delirium?
difficulty with attention
disoriented (date, time, location, people around them)
sensory disturbances ex hallucinations
sleep-wake disturbances (circadian cycle may become out of sync)
changes in psychomotor activity
anxiety, fear, irritability, euphoria, apathy
may be hyperactive: agitation, constant motion, repetitive movements
may be hypoactive: inactive withdrawn, decreased motor/verbal responses
or mixed: fluctuates
What is depression?
an impaired cognitive state that affects mood directly
