Week 2 Dementia in the Older Adult

Question 1

describe the normal pathophysiological cognitive changes in older adults

Answer 1

loss of synaptic, which makes a memory impairment and makes memory slow but intact. and there is a mild decline in executive functioning.

Question 2

what is executive functioning

Answer 2

initiating, monitoring, inhibiting behavior, and planning, problem solving, and using your working memory

Question 3

what are pathologic cognitive changes

Answer 3

growth factors in the brain are inhibited, and you get death and loss of neurons. You can even get dementia

Question 4

what is the continuum of aging and cognitive things?

Answer 4

normal aging, mild impairment, dementia BUT NOT EVERYONE FOLLOWS THIS

Question 5

does everyone get dementia

Answer 5

no, it is pathologic

Question 6

what are the three most common types of dementia

Answer 6

Alzheimers disease
vascular
Lewy body

Question 7

what does dementia most commonly effect

Answer 7

memory and language

Question 8

what other kinds of cognitive deficits do you get aside from deficits with memory

Answer 8

aphasia, apraxia, disturbance of executive functioning.

Question 9

what is the most common form of dementia

Answer 9

alzheimers

Question 10

when does Alzheimers start (onset)

Answer 10

30-60 years, or can be late onset.

Question 11

what are the risk factors for Alzheimers

Answer 11

advancing age
positive family history
women over men
AA and hispanics.

Question 12

what is the clinical presentation of Alzheimers disease

Answer 12

memory impairment, lapse in judgement, personality changes, depression, language issues, difficulty with ADLs, visual spacial problems, short tempered and hostile, loss of motor functioning like swallowing and B and B.

Question 13

what is the second most type of dementia

Answer 13

vascular dementia

Question 14

what are the risk factors for vascular dementia

Answer 14

HTN, smoking, hypercholesteremia, DM, cardiovascular, cerebrovascular.

Question 15

what other impairments might you see with vascular dementia

Answer 15

memory, abstract thinking, judgment, impulse control, personality changes.

Question 16

is vascular dementia abrupt or slow onset, and is it stable or does it fluctuate

Answer 16

abrupt onset, and fluctuating course.

Question 17

what is Lewy body dementia and what is associated with it

Answer 17

progressive cognitive decline with fluctuations in alertness and attention, visual hallucinations, and Parkinson motor symptoms.

Question 18

what is the clinical presentation of Lewy body dementia

Answer 18

gait and balance issues, visual spatial issues, poor executive functioning, sensitivity to antipsychotics, may have depression

Question 19

what is delirium

Answer 19

sudden, rapid change in mental function, that is often confused with dementia

Question 20

what is delirium associated with

Answer 20

medical illness, recovery from surgery, hospital admission

Question 21

is delirium short or long term

Answer 21

short term, temporary

Question 22

what might we see with delirium

Answer 22

shouting and resting, refusal to cooperate with medical care, potential to be injured falling, combative, pulling out lines and tubes.

Question 23

what does treatment for delirium focus on

Answer 23

increased time OOB, walking, managing hydration, hypoxia, and nutrition