Social Work with Dementia Patients

The beginning and symptoms of Alzheimer's are usually very slow and gradual. Alzheimer’s hardly ever occurs before the age of 65. It occurs (according to the AHAF) in the following seven stages: In stage 1 There are no impairment- Unimpaired individuals experience no memory problems and none are evident to a health care professional during a medical interview. Stage 2 Is a very mild decline- Individuals at this stage feel as if they have memory lapses, especially in forgetting familiar words or names or the location of keys, eyeglasses, or other everyday objects. But these problems are not evident during a

Dementia is a disease which causes mental debility and affects one’s way of intelligent, attentiveness, recollection and problem-solving (NHS, 2013). As a result of dysfunction of brain cells in some parts of the brain it affects the thinking process then dementia occurs and it usually comes with age (Ibid). It is estimated that 560

There are three stages in relation to understanding of the signs and symptoms of dementia. The first stage is the concept of early stage which is associated with overlooking of dementia because of the gradual onset. Common signs during this stage include forgetfulness, loss of track of the time, and lost in the familiar places. The second stage is the middle stage following clear and restricting signs of dementia. Some of the signs during this stage include forgetfulness of events and names, lost at home, communication difficulties, and changes in behavior such as repeated questioning. The final stage is known as the last stage. This stage is

This disease is broken down into three stages the first being preclinical Alzheimer's disease, then mild cognitive impairment and lastly, dementia. During the first stage, changes in the brain start to occur and symptoms such as confusion begin. In the second stage, an individual is likely to still perform daily tasks on their own although symptoms of the disease are becoming more noticeable. During the last stage, which is dementia, an individual is typically dependent on a caretaker at this point.

Alzheimer’s discovered by (ralf) “Alois Alzheimer on November 26th of 1901.” Alois Alzheimer’s identified this disease by brain cell abnormalities. Dr. Alois

Alzheimer’s disease is a chronic neurodegenerative disease that accounts for sixty to seventy percent of Dementia cases. It is characterized by the development of amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles, the loss of connection between neurons in the brain and the death of nerve cells. There are two types of Alzheimer’s Early on-set Alzheimer’s which occur from the ages of thirty to sixty is very rare and makes up less than five percent of the cases of Alzheimer’s . The second type is Late on-set Alzheimer’s which is the most common type and it is found in those of ages sixty and up. The progression of Alzheimer’s is a lengthy progress from the time of diagnosis the average life expectancy is three to nine years. In the early stages people have difficulty with short term memory loss as the disease progresses symptoms include difficulties with language, disorientation, mood swings, loss of motivation, loss of self-care and behavioral issues. As Alzheimer’s progresses a person slowly withdraws from family life and society due to the jumbled state of their memory. On a physical level the body’s physical function slowly degenerates and eventually leads to death.

In order to understand Alzheimer’s you should know about the three stages. All three stages have different symptoms and detection signs. There is the Early-Stage,

To be fully diagnosed with dementia an individual must be impaired with two core mental functions enough to interfere with daily life. There is no one test that can diagnose dementia, so doctors will most likely run several test to be sure. Neurological tests, brain scans, and laboratory tests can all be ran by a doctor to diagnose dementia.

First discovered by Alois Alzheimer (a German physician) who first discovered the disease in 1906. (Alzheimer’s and Dementia)

There are 3 main stages of Alzheimer’s, each more progressive. In stage 1 the person may experience short term memory loss, the inability to concentrate, the inability to find their way home, problems driving, disorientation, poor judgement and delusions. Stage 1 usually lasts about 1-3 years before the person is said to be in stage 2 of the disease. In stage 2 all of the signs and symptoms of stage 1 are still present. Stage 2 includes hallucinations, difficulty walking, wandering and pacing, and incontinence of the bowel and bladder. Other symptoms include sundowning which is increased disorientation in the late afternoon and evening hours, perseveration which is repeating an action, and aphasia which is problems with verbal communication. Stage 2 lasts between 2 and 10 years. A person in this stage may still be able to live at home. Stage 3 is the most progressive stage of the disease. In stage 3 a person will need total assistance with their activities of daily living which include eating, bathing, dressing and walking. A person in stage 3 is verbally unresponsive, totally incontinent, and has minimal

Alzheimer’s is an irreversible disease normally affecting the elderly population and is progressive in nature causing degeneration that leads to impairments in memory, reasoning, planning, and behaviour. It is a neurodegenerative disorder that adversely affects neurons in the brain, ultimately resulting in loss of memory and language, behavioural disturbances, and dependence on caregivers (Phillips, Baktir, Das, Lin & Salehi, 2015, p. 1047). Alzheimer’s has 3

Alzheimer’s Dementia has seven stages. Stage one is no impairment or normal function. Stage two is very mild cognitive decline. This stage can be the earliest signs of Alzheimer’s or age-related changes such as forgetfulness. Stage three is mild cognitive decline. This is when doctors can diagnose the beginnings of Alzheimer’s. Common stage three difficulties include trouble remembering names, greater difficulty completing or staying on task, and increased trouble with organizing and planning. Stage four is moderate cognitive decline. Symptoms in this stage become more clear such as forgetting recent events, becoming moody or withdrawn, and greater ability to perform complex tasks. Stage five is moderately severe cognitive decline or mid-stage Alzheimer’s. During this stage the patient may not be able to remember his or her address or telephone number and become confused about where he or she is and what day it is. The patient will still be able remember significant details about his or her family and past. Stage six is severe cognitive decline. During this stage memory continues to worsen and personality changes may begin to take place. This stage also includes wandering, changes in sleep patterns, incontinence, and remembering names of family members. The final stage is seven: very severe decline or late-stage Alzheimer’s. In this final stage the patient will lose his or her ability to respond, have a

Alzheimer’s disease is classified by three main stages: Early, Middle (moderate) and Late onset (severe). These different stages determine the estimated prognosis and estimated amount of help an individual will need to receive once diagnosed. Early, also referred to as mild onset Alzheimer’s, involve symptoms such as forgotten words or misplace of common household objects. Some individuals may begin to repeat a question multiple times even if previously answered. Middle, or moderate, onset may be recognized with more pronounced confusion, decreased abilities to complete tasks and requiring more assistance in things the individual has been doing they whole life such as choosing clothing or what to eat.

According to the Alzheimer’s Association, there are different stages of Alzheimer’s Disease and they are divided into three different categories; mild Alzheimer’s disease, moderate Alzheimer’s disease, and severe Alzheimer’s disease. All of the stages worsen over time, but they are separated into different stages because of the rate at which the disease worsens. The mild stage of Alzheimer’s disease is the earliest stage that a person can be diagnosed with. People who are affected by mild stage of Alzheimer’s disease, could be experiencing trouble with remembering words when having a conversation, forgetting names, recent conversations, and forgetting where they placed objects. Although this disease is not able to be cured or reversed at this

In the early stages, the most common symptom is recognized as not being able to remember what had just happened. When diagnosed with Alzheimer's, the diagnosis is usually made by evaluating behaviors and testing cognition, which it may be accompanied by a brain