Exploring the Relationship Between Physical Health and Mental Health for the Person with Dementia.

INDEPENDENT STUDY
LEVEL THREE

Exploring the relationship between physical health and mental health for the person with dementia.

4915 Words

Introduction
“Dementia results in a progressive decline in multiple areas of functioning, including memory, reasoning, communication skills and the skills to carry out daily activities. Alongside this decline, individuals may develop behavioural and psychological symptoms such as depression, psychosis, aggression and wandering, which complicate care and can occur at any stage of the illness. Family carers of people with dementia are often old and frail themselves with high levels of depression and physical illness” (DOH 2009)

The following Essay will consider the relationship and impact between physical health and a diagnosis of dementia, for the person with dementia and their family carers. The importance of having a focus on both physical health and healthy living will be discussed, and reflections of this being an area which is often neglected by health care professionals and the wider population as a whole will be made. Finally, a rationale for supporting a more holistic approach to the care and support of the person with a diagnosis of dementia will be presented and an overview of how this has been included within my own practice area will be given.

Background

It is believed that nationally, there are currently 821,884 people in the UK who are living with a diagnosis of dementia, with 163,000 new cases of dementia being diagnosed in England and Wales every year.
However, until only relatively recently, dementia has suffered from poor awareness and understanding of the diagnosis and its disease trajectory. This may also have been made worse by the stigmas which are often attached to both mental health problems and old age.
It has now been widely recognised that a diagnosis of dementia is considered to be one of the main causes of disability in older adults.
The World Health

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