Transcript DEMENTIA - Council on Social Work Education

Master’s Advanced
Curriculum (MAC) Teaching
Module: Advanced Practice in
Mental Health Settings
Acknowledgement: The development of
this PowerPoint was made possible through a
Gero Innovations Grant from the CSWE GeroEd Center’s Master’s Advanced Curriculum
(MAC) Project and the John A. Hartford
Foundation.
Dementia
 DEFINITION:
 Group of symptoms that can be caused by
many disorders.
 Syndrome which refers to progressive
decline in intellectual functioning severe
enough to interfere with person’s normal
daily activities and social relationships.
(National Institute on Aging, 1995 No. 95-3782)
Dementia
 Progressive and irreversible declines in
 memory
 visual-spatial relationships
 performance of routine tasks
 language and communication skills
 abstract thinking
 Mathematical ability
Dementia
 Two Types:
 Reversible
 Irreversible
Dementia
 Reversible:
 D=
Drugs, Delirium
 E=
Emotions (such as depression) and
Endocrine Disorders
 M=
Metabolic Disturbances
 E=
Eye and Ear Impairments
 N=
Nutritional Disorders
 T=
Tumors, Toxicity, Trauma to Head
 I=
Infectious Disorders
 A
Alcohol, Arteriosclerosis
(Dick-Mulheke- Overview of Alzheimer's Disease)
Dementia
 Irreversible:

Alzheimer’s

Lewy Body Dementia

Pick’s Disease (Frontotemperal
Dementia)

Parkinson’s

Heady Injury

Huntington’s Disease

Jacob-Cruzefeldt Disease
Dementia

Irreversible:

Alzheimer's most common type of irreversible
dementia

Multi-Infarct dementia second most common type
of irreversible dementia

Death of cerebral cells

Blockages of larger cerebral vessels, arteries

Abrupt in onset

Associated with previous strokes, hypertension

Can be determined through diagnostic
procedures
Changes Caused by Alzheimer's
 Diminished blood flow
 Neurofibrillary Tangles
 Neuritic Plaques
 Degeneration of hippocampus, cerebral
cortex, hypothalamus, and brain stem
Theories Regarding Causes of
Alzheimer's
 Changes in Protein Synthesis
 Changes in Neurotransmitters
 Genetic Theories
Theories Regarding Causes of
Alzheimer's
 Genetic Theories
 Metabolic Theories
 Calcium Theories
Theories Regarding Causes of
Alzheimer's
 Environmental
 Aluminum--Traces of metal found in brain.
 Zinc--found in brains on autopsies.
 Food borne poisons--amino acids found in
legumes in Africa and India my cause
neurological damage.
 Viral
 May be hidden in body and attack brain
cells years later. (NIH-1995)
Theories Regarding Causes of
Alzheimer's
 Head Trauma
 Head trauma increase the concentration of
B-amyloid protein
 Low Level of Education
 Individuals with low level of education less
able to compensate for cognitive deficits
 Estrogen Deficiency
Diagnosis of Dementia Due to
Alzheimer’s
 Memory Impairment
 Multiple cognitive deficits with at least one
disturbance in the following areas:
 Aphasia—loss of the ability to use symbols to
communicate orally or in writing
 Apraxia—inability to initiate complex learned motor
movement or unable to perform activity on
command
 Agnosia---inability to recognize familiar objects by
sight, touch, taste, smell or sound
Diagnostic Tests
 Neurological Exam
 Brain Imaging—shrinkage, atrophy of
brain (CT or MRI)
 Blood Work
Stages of Alzheimer’s Disease
 Mild Stage
 Memory Loss
 Symptoms:
 Confusion
 Loss of Spontaneity
 Loss of Initiative
 Mood/Personality Changes
 Poor Judgment
 Takes Longer to Perform Routine chores
Stages of Alzheimer’s Disease
 Moderate Stage
 Impairments in:
 language
 motor ability
 recognition of objects
 increasing memory loss and confusion
Stages of Alzheimer’s Disease
 Moderate Stage
 Symptoms:
 Problems recognizing family members, close
friends.
 Repetitive statements and/or movements.
 Restless, especially in late afternoon and at night..
 Problems organizing thoughts, thinking logically.
 Can’t find right words; confabulation.
 Reading and writing difficulties
 May be suspicious, irritable, fidgety, teary or silly.
Stages of Alzheimer’s Disease
 Severe Stage
 Symptoms:
 Weight loss, even with good diet.
 Deterioration in self-care.
 Difficulties in verbal - May put everything in
mouth or touch everything.
 Loss of bladder and/or bowel
 May have difficult with seizures, swallowing, skin
breakdown, infections.
Stages of Alzheimer’s Disease
 Terminal Stage
 Symptoms:
 Loss of ability to ambulate.
 Loss of ability to sit.
 Loss of ability to smile.
 Loss of ability to hold up head.
 Loss of ability to swallow.