DCS Role
T/F Dementia Care Specialists can provide virtual family meetings
TRUE - this can be very valuable for out of state kids that want to help, but do not know how. This allows DCS to share education, answer questions and assist with creating a plan.
TRUE - it is used IN CONJUNCTION with other cognitive and blood tests when someone presents with cognitive decline.
T/F FTD is often misdiagnosed as a mental health disorder
TRUE - accurate diagnosis is on average delayed by 3 years.
T/F As soon as someone is diagnosed with dementia they have to stop driving
FALSE, But... they are often beyond the early stages when they are diagnosed, so this should be discussed
What percentage of people age 65 in the U.S. have dementia
9%
65 million over age 65 / 7.2 million
T/F Carla provides quarterly presentations in both counties on a variety of topics r/t dementia.
TRUE - P.A.C.T. Positive and Assertive Caregiver Training is held quarterly in Chippewa (Stanley) & Dunn (Menomonie)
T/F - If you have a family history of Alzheimer's you can get this blood test to see if you might develop it.
FALSE - this test is not for healthy individuals. Only for those showing signs of cognitive decline.
T/F Korsakoff Syndrome is a type of dementia caused by excessive alcohol use
FALSE - Korsakoff syndrome is a neurologic condition caused by severe vit B1 deficiency. This can be caused by: alcoholism, gastric surgery, and malnutrition
T/F only the doctor can determine if the person with dementia has to stop driving
FALSE - The doctor can, the family can contact the DMV, Law Enforcement can report to DMV, OT at Mayo EC can preform a drivers eval to provide more info to the doctor to determine if it is time to stop driving
How many people care for someone with dementia in the US
11 million
T/F Carla facilitates a support group in Boyceville and Cornell
FALSE
Chippewa Falls
Menomonie
Colfax
Virtual
T/F Lequembi and Ducanamab treatments can improve cognitive decline
FALSE - they will only slow the progression - in early stages only and have side effects!
TRUE - on autopsy abnormal clusters of a protein called TDP-43 which is involved in other brain disorders, including ALS and FTD. In LATE, it exhibits a different pattern of brain changes and tends to affect people over the age of 80.
In the early stages of dementia high tech GPS can be used to monitor PWD driving abilities
TRUE - bouncie.com is one that families have used, it will tell you... how much gas is in the car, how fast it is going, if it stops abruptly, etc. Much more sophisticated than Life 360 or an airtag! Will also give family objective information to help determine when it is time to stop driving.
What percentage of people with Parkinson's Disease will develop dementia
Up to 70%
T/F - Every county in Wisconsin has at least a part-time DCS
TRUE - so if a family member living in WI (but not Chip or Dunn) encourage them to contact their local ADRC and connect with that DCS too!
What percentage of FTD is inherited from a gene mutation C9orf72, GRN, and MAPT
10-15% passed down in an autosomal dominant pattern, meaning each child of an affected individual has a 50% chance of inheriting the mutation.
What is CTE Dementia
Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy - due to repeated head trauma due to contact sports or military
How would you coach a caregiver to get the person with dementia to stop driving?
Therapeutic Fibbing "borrow the car"
Disable the Car until MD can eval
Driving Checklist
DMV 4131 (completed by 2 people that have observed driving)
Scare tactic - not ideal, but sometimes families need to understand the legal liability.
T/F Are people that have PTSD at a 50% higher risk of developing dementia?
FALSE - They are at a 61% higher risk of developing dementia.
T/F DCS can provide case consults to OC/ADRC Specialists on consumers they are working wtih
TRUE - not every consumers needs to be referred to DCS.
T/F ... A skin biopsy can help diagnosis Lewy Body Dementia
TRUE - A skin biopsy (Syn-One Test) can help diagnose Lewy body dementia (LBD) by detecting the presence of phosphorylated alpha-synuclein (P-SYN), a protein that accumulates in the skin nerves of people with LBD
T/F - Progressive Supranuclear Palsy is a form of dementia
TRUE - Symptoms include slow or stiff movements, a tendency to fall backward, difficulty controlling eye movements, speech changes, and cognitive or behavioral issues.
How would you coach a spouse that still drives to prevent PWD driving (with a shared car)
Therapeutic Fibbing
Hiding - keys, wallet, coat, shoes
Providing old keys that are NOT for the car
What percentage of athletes that died before age 30 had CTE
40% - could only be definitively diagnosed on autopsy.