Week 7 - Dementia Flashcards
4 common types
Alzheimer’s
Vascular dementia
Dementia with Lewy bodies
Frontotemporal dementia
Vascular dementia
Results from ischemic or hemorrhagic brain damage caused by CVD. Blood and o2 supply to brain is blocked which results in cell death
May be caused by single or multiple strokes
Dementia with Lewy bodies
Characterized by the presence of Lewy bodies in the cortex and brainstem
Has features of both AD and Parkinson’s
Frontotemporal dementia
Characterized by degeneration of the frontal lobe, temporal lobe, or both
10% of patients have an inherited form, 30-50% have a family history of it
Most common dementia for 60 and under
Dementia problems disrupt the individuals:
Work, social responsibilities
ADLs
Alzheimer’s characteristics
Chronic, progressive, degenerative
Most common form
Amyloid plaques, neurofibrillary tangles, loss of connections between cells, cell death
8As of dementia
Amnesia
Aphasia
Apraxia
Agnostic
Altered perception
Apathy
Anosognosia
Attention defects
Apraxia
Loss of motor function
Amnesia
Loss of memory
Apathy
Loss of interest
Agnosia
Loss of ability to recognize people/things and their purpose
Anosognosia
Loss of awareness of condition
Early signs of dementia
Mild forgetfulness
Short term memory loss
Difficulty recognizing numbers
Loss of initiative
Poor judgement
Anxiety
Moderate signs of dementia
Anxiety, mood swings
Difficulty completing tasks
Hallucinations
Impaired attention
Increased mem loss
Poor insight
Loss of impulse control
Sleep loss
Wandering
Late signs of dementia
Aggression
Difficultly eating
Hallucination
Agitation
Inability to self care
Inability to understand
Inconinecne
Loss of appetite
Loss o memory
Seizures
Diagnosis of dementia
No single clinical test
Diagnosis is made once all other possible causes of the signs/symptoms are ruled out
Caring for dementia patients
Goal is managing the decline in cognition
Maintaining QOL adn function as well as possible
Supporting family
Medication therapy for dementia
Antipsychotic meds (used sparingly)
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors
- may help with sleep
Antidepressants
Nursing assessment: subjective data
Past health history
Meds
Symptoms
Nursing assessment: objective data
Appearance
Behaviour
Neurological (gait, tone, tremors)
Strengths and abilities
Trends and patterns
Overall goals for patients
Maintain physical health
- maintain function
- enhance/stabilize condition
- eliminate pain
- prevent responsive behavior
Support well being
How many hospitalized patients have dementia
20-40%
BPSDs
Behavioural and psycholigical symptoms of dementia
May worsen in acute care settings
These symptoms are often due to perceived threat in environment
Sun downing
Slides aren’t too specific but i think its just behavioural disturbance
Create a calm quiet environment and maximize daylight exposure
Dementia safety risks
Falls
Wandering
Injury to self or others
Fire/burns
Vulnerable to elder abuse
Oral care with dementia
Loss of ability to do self oral care
Watch for pocketing and inspection mouth regularly
Skin care with dementia
Many patients at risk for skin breakdown
- keep skin dry and clean
I don’t know why this is isn’t the dementia slides
