Stats
The greatest risk factor for any type of dementia.
Age.
1 in 9 people 65 and older will develop dementia and 1 in 3 people 85 and older.
Although age is the greatest risk factor, people of all ages can develop some type of dementia.
Alzheimer's dementia is:
a) A brain disease with an uncertain etiology
b) An expectation of aging worsened by stress
c) A genetic disease with early treatment options
a - Alzheimer's dementia is a progressive brain disease with clear changes in the brain's chemistry and function.
While there are clear trends that are noted in the brains of people with Alzheimer's dementia, there is not a clear cause-and-effect pattern.
Memory loss is the only thinking skill that is lost with dementia.
False.
Dementia involves much more than memory loss. It affects every part of the brain and causes brain cells to die. It affects reasoning, judgement, language, organization, attention, perception, abstraction.
Why is it important to approach a person with dementia from the front and not from behind?
As the disease progresses, it becomes very difficult to see, peripheral vision is lost, and vision can be more "tunnel-like."
Approaching from the front, maintaining eye contact allows a person to see you coming.
When trying to de-escalate a situation, it is best to have multiple people involved.
False.
More than one or several people can be overwhelming and difficult for a person with dementia to process. They are already in crisis-mode and more people can be overstimulating.
True or False.
Dementia is not something to be concerned about in Sawyer County?
False.
The aging population is growing and more people will develop some form of dementia. In Sawyer County there are roughly over 500 PLWD. About 50% of PLWD don't get an official diagnosis but live with the disease.
True or False.
Dementia is a mental illness.
False.
Dementia is not a mental illness or a disease, but a series of conditions that can arise when an individual is afflicted with one or more of the 120 diseases that can cause dementia.
Mental illness is treatable, in most cases, symptoms can be managed, the trick is getting a correct diagnosis.
Mental illness usually presents itself in episodic phases that eventually end. Dementia is characterized by a gradual decline and is terminal.
Approach is very different for both.
If you come across an individual hallucinating and you suspect they may have Lewy Body Dementia, the best thing and safest thing to do is to try and bring them out of the hallucination.
False.
Hallucinations are experienced by people with dementia largely due to changes in the brain caused by the disease.
To them what they're experiencing is real; by trying to convince them otherwise you may create frustration and anxiety that could make things worse and cause them to feel their concerns are being dismissed.
Name at least 2 causes of agitation?
Pain, hunger/thirst, fatigue, scared, need to use the bathroom, not sure what to do, under stimulated, overstimulated, the environment, the caregiver, medications, or other medical conditions
Name at least 2 things you can do in the event communication fails.
Give them space
Distract
Offer something to drink
Offer to have them sit down
Breathe with them
Give them time
Change officers
Speak with the caregiver and ask what calms their person
True or False.
Dementia affects only individuals living with the condition.
False.
Dementia affects entire families, communities, businesses, organizations, health care, faith communities, law enforcement, fire, and EMTs.
When communities are not aware of or understand dementia, it causes more isolation and loneliness in not only the person but also the caregiver. The majority of caregivers are the ones in crisis vs the person with dementia when a 911 call is made.
Alzheimer's disease and other dementias cause people to become violent.
If so, why?
If not, why?
When a person has lost all physical and emotional control, they will act in self-defense.
They are responding to feeling threatened.
People with dementia cannot change their behaviors to meet our needs. We can only change our behaviors to meet their needs.
Behavior is communication - they are trying to communicate an unmet need and it is up to you to figure it out.
Why is it important to provide 1-2 step instructions/directions/sentences when speaking to a person who may have dementia?
Due to brain changes caused by dementia, it can take up to 30 seconds for a person to process what you are saying.
It is best to correct a person living with dementia and orient them to what is true and bring them back to reality.
False.
Correcting, criticizing, or arguing with a person with dementia causes more frustration, anger, and anxiety. It is important to go with the flow and enter their world.
Medications are the most effective way to manage behaviors.
False.
There is no way to prevent, cure, or slow the progression of dementia. Some medications MAY assist with some of the symptoms, however; medications can cause many side effects.
A person with dementia does not have behaviors, they are not able to communicate effectively due to changes happening in the brain. Communication can occur when a person with dementia has unmet needs, a caregiver does not understand the disease, or sensory overload caused by the environment.
True or False.
Most people living with a type of dementia live in memory care facilities or nursing homes.
False.
More than 70% of people living with dementia live in the community.
People can live well with dementia for many years with the support of the caregiver and awareness and understanding of the community.
A type of dementia that includes symptoms such as visual hallucinations, paranoia, Parkinson's-like symptoms, sleep disturbances, eventual memory loss, and other brain functions.
What is Lewy Body Dementia
As an adult, the brain weights 3 pounds. How much does a brain weigh with advanced Alzheimer's disease or another dementia?
1 pound.
Plaques and tangles cause brain cells to die and with the progression of a type of dementia, the brain shrinks and becomes like Swiss cheese with holes throughout the brain.
Communicating with a person with dementia is difficult and time-consuming so it is best to rush, move quickly, speak loudly, and get them to ER as soon as possible.
False.
In many cases, episodes of agitation can potentially be prevented, or the cause of the episode addressed with good communication.
Talk Tactics:
Take it slow
Ask simple questions
Limit reality checks
Keep eye contact
Name an agency or a program that can assist people living with dementia, their caregivers, and families.
LCO Aging & Disability Services and ADRC of the North
Dementia Care Specialist Program
True or False.
Alzheimer's disease and other dementias cost the nation more money than any other condition (cancer, diabetes, stroke, cancer, etc.)
True.
In 2023, AD and other dementias cost the nation 345 billion dollars. By the end of 2050, it will rise to more than 1 trillion dollars.
A type of dementia that affects primarily younger men and symptoms include loss of inhibitions, changes in personality, behavior, and judgment, speech and language, slowness in movements, difficulty walking.
What is Frontotemporal Dementia.
Why do some people with dementia believe that someone is stealing from them?
Their minds are trying to make sense of the world while their cognitive abilities are declining. People with dementia often feel anxiety, frustration, and a sense of loss. Those feelings, plus memory loss and confusion, can easily lead to paranoia.
Name at least 2 clues that someone with dementia might be wandering.
Inappropriate clothing
Shuffling walk
Walking the wrong way down a street
Walking down the middle of a street
Call from the caregiver
Failure to respond to initial greeting
What are the 3 communication elements when interacting with a PLWD?
Body Language/Facial Expressions
Words
Vocal Characteristics