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How can confusion affect a person?
Cannot think clearly. Trouble focusing, may feel disoriented. Interferes with the ability to make decisions. Personality may change. Person may not know name, date, other people. May be angry, depressed, irritable.
Why should the NA work with the symptoms and behaviors she observes in a resident who has Alzheimer's Disease?
Because each person with AD is an individual, and will not show the same symptoms at the same times
What are 6 ways the NA can respond to a resident who is experiencing sundowning?
Provide adequate lighting before it gets dark. Avoid stressful situations during this time Limit activities, appointments, trips, and visits. Play soft music. Set a bedtime routine and keep it. Recognize when sundowning occurs and plan a calming activity just before. Remove caffeine from the diet. Provide snacks. Give a soothing back massage. Distract the resident with a simple, calm activity like looking at a magazine. Maintain a daily exercise routine
Define delirium and list 5 possible causes.
Delirium is a state of severe confusion that occurs suddenly. Causes of delirium include infections, disease, fluid imbalances, poor nutrition, drugs, and alcohol
What is the best way for an NA to respond to a resident who is perseverating?
be patient and not try to silence or stop the resident, answering questions each time they are asked, using the same words each time
Describe validation therapy.
Validation therapy means letting residents believe they live in the past or in imaginary circumstances
What is dementia?
Dementia is a general term that refers to a serious loss of mental abilities such as thinking, remembering, reasoning, and communicating
Why may developing a routine be helpful for a resident who has Alzheimer's disease?
Being consistent is important for residents who are confused and easily upset
Describe reminiscence therapy.
Reminiscence therapy encourages residents to remember and talk about the past
Alzheimer's disease is a progressive, degenerative and irreversible disease. What does this mean?
Progressive and degenerative mean the disease advances and gets continually worse, causing a breakdown of body systems and greater and greater loss of health and abilities. Degenerative diseases can cause death. Irreversible means the disease cannot be cured
How many items of food should be put on a plate or tray at a time?
One
Describe activity therapy.
Activity therapy uses activities that the resident enjoys to prevent boredom and frustration.
What type of skills does a person with Alzheimer's disease usually retain?
Skills a person has used often over a lifetime are usually kept longer
How might the NA remind a resident who has Alzheimer's disease where the bathroom is?
Signs, pictures, gestures, or written words; for example, a picture of a toilet on the bathroom door
What difficulties might families of people who have Alzheimer's disease face?
The resident may be living alone, which can cause the family to worry about the person’s health and safety. Financial resources may be limited, which adds to stress levels. Families do not know what goes on when no one is in the home. They may be afraid that the person is not caring for herself, may not take medica?tions properly, could wander away, or could cause a fire. The resident may be living with the family, which can cause stress and other emotional difficulties. The household sched?ule has to change; family members will lose the freedom to come and go as they please. Family members must monitor the loved one’s activities and provide constant care. They may lose sleep, as well as lose time to do their own activities and time to relax. It is very difficult to watch a loved one’s personality change and health and abilities deteriorate. It is hard to switch roles, i.e., to move from being a child who was once cared for by the parent to being the one caring for the parent.
Lis 2 community resources that may help a person who has Alzheimer's Disease.
organizations, books, counseling, support groups, and healthcare professionals