Essay On Dementia Awareness
Dementia awareness
Outcome 1 Understand what dementia is
1. Explain what is meant by the term ’dementia’
Dementia is a non-specific illness syndrome with serious loss of global cognitive ability. It can be static or progressive. More common above the age of 65 but can occur before that age, when it’s called „early on set dementia”. It can occur becouse of a brain injury (e.g. stroke) or with a disease or damage in the body (e.g. Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson disease). The main signs and symptoms are short term memory loss, mental and behavioral problems, language problems, decreased problem solving.
2. Describe the key functions of the brain that are affercted by dementia
Frontal lobe
Loss of spontaneity., flexibilty, concentration. …show more content…
Problems with speech and/ or understanding spoken words. Short term memory loss. Agressive behaviour. Changes in sexual behaviour.
Occipital lobe
Difficulty with colours, locating object, reading and writing. Can couse hallucinations.
Cerebellum
Loss of ability to walk, fine movements, compley movements. Tremors and vertigo. As loss of ability of fine movements can affect speech too.
3. Explain why depression, delirium and age related memory impairment may be mistaken for dementia
Depression: Due to similiar symptoms like changes in mood and interest, problems with memory, changes in sleeping habits, socialy isolated depression can be confused with dementia, but depression is caused by chemical imbalances in the brain.
Delirium: Due to similiar symptoms like confusion, changes in mood and behaviour, activity level, hallucination, but delirium is a medical condition and has short duration: can last from hours to weeks.
Age related memory impairment: As the body getting older the functioning of the brain is also get reduced providing symptoms like being forgetful, missplacing objects, learning difficulties, memory problems.
Outcome 2 Understand key features of the theoretical models of dementia
1. Outline the medical model of
Outcome 1 Understand what dementia is
1. Explain what is meant by the term ’dementia’
Dementia is a non-specific illness syndrome with serious loss of global cognitive ability. It can be static or progressive. More common above the age of 65 but can occur before that age, when it’s called „early on set dementia”. It can occur becouse of a brain injury (e.g. stroke) or with a disease or damage in the body (e.g. Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson disease). The main signs and symptoms are short term memory loss, mental and behavioral problems, language problems, decreased problem solving.
2. Describe the key functions of the brain that are affercted by dementia
Frontal lobe
Loss of spontaneity., flexibilty, concentration. …show more content…
Problems with speech and/ or understanding spoken words. Short term memory loss. Agressive behaviour. Changes in sexual behaviour.
Occipital lobe
Difficulty with colours, locating object, reading and writing. Can couse hallucinations.
Cerebellum
Loss of ability to walk, fine movements, compley movements. Tremors and vertigo. As loss of ability of fine movements can affect speech too.
3. Explain why depression, delirium and age related memory impairment may be mistaken for dementia
Depression: Due to similiar symptoms like changes in mood and interest, problems with memory, changes in sleeping habits, socialy isolated depression can be confused with dementia, but depression is caused by chemical imbalances in the brain.
Delirium: Due to similiar symptoms like confusion, changes in mood and behaviour, activity level, hallucination, but delirium is a medical condition and has short duration: can last from hours to weeks.
Age related memory impairment: As the body getting older the functioning of the brain is also get reduced providing symptoms like being forgetful, missplacing objects, learning difficulties, memory problems.
Outcome 2 Understand key features of the theoretical models of dementia
1. Outline the medical model of