Hlten515B Implement and Monitor Care for Older Clients: Dementia

HLTEN515B implement and monitor care for older clients Written assignment 1 There are many different forms of dementia and each has its own cause. Some of the main type of dementia is Alzheimer’s disease, which is the most common form of dementia affecting 50%-70% of dementia patients (Alzheimer’s australia, 2005). This is a degenerative illness which attacks the brain, this is achieved buy tangles which are in the middle of shrunken brain cells and plaques which eventually cause the brain cells to die meaning information can no longer be recalled or assimilated.

There are also other types of dementia which include vascular dementia which is caused by circulation of the blood to the brain, Parkinson’s disease which is a disorder of the nervous system, Lewy-bodies dementia which is caused by the degeneration and death of the nerve cells in the brain and Huntington disease which is an inherited brain disease effecting body and mind. There are many support services out there to aid in dementia, although many people may be unaware of these services. There is also a significant impact on family and others.

The early signs of dementia are subtle and vague and may not be obvious. These may include progressive and frequent memory loss, confusion, personality change, apathy and withdrawal, loss of ability to perform ADL’s, not being able to learn new information or follow direction and irrational behaviours (Dementia – diagnosis and early signs). Sometimes people do not recognise symptoms of dementia. They often assume that these indicators or behaviours are a normal part of the ageing process.

There are many associated health problems when dealing with patients with dementia these may include constipation, changes in vision, changes in hearing, Infection due to a person’s health which can deteriorate very quickly due to a chest or urinary tract infection (UTI), dental problems, foot problems that are commonly associated with diabetes, elderly people with diabetes don’t always take all measures when dealing with adls, pain and poor nutrition. The uses of communication strategies are extremely important when dealing with a patient with dementia.

These strategies may help with relieving distress, agitation and challenging behaviours. Strategies when dealing with dementia patients may include, “introduce yourself at each encounter, use touch as appropriate, try to determine the cause of the behaviour and then try to reduce or eliminate it. These behaviours may be caused by boredom, which you would try and use activities as a distraction, Pain which we3 will try non-pharmacological treatment first e. g. : heat packs, Anxiety where we will use reassurance and diversion.

Often using a soft approach such as smiling, pleasant voice tones while talking calmly in short sentences will help defuse a situation. There are many community services out there to aid dementia patients these may include community nursing, meals on wheels, homecare, home modification, Alzheimer’s Australia, commonwealth centerlink centres, carers association, counselling, ACAT and respite care. Dementia has a huge impact on not only the lives of them self’s but also the family and carer.

Watching the person you love degenerate from a fully functioning person to some one that needs to be fully cared for. As a carer, you are likely to experience a range of different feelings. This is particularly difficult because as dementia gradually causes the person’s abilities and personality to change the nature of relationships will also change (better health). The carer and family may have feelings of guilt, as is quite common to feel guilty.

Another main feeling a carer or family member may have is anger, which is natural to feel frustrated and angry. You may be angry at having to be the caregiver, angry with others who do not seem to be helping out, angry at the person with dementia for difficult behavior, and angry at support services. Bibliography 8 Health Problems Associated with Dementia. (n. d. ). Retrieved from aged carer : http://www. agedcarer. com. au/topic/aged-care-health-issues/8-health-problems-associated-with-dementia Alzheimer’s australia. (2005). what is dementia.