Ncfe Level 2 Certificate in the Principles of Dementia Care.

Dementia is a loss of brain function. If affects memory, thinking, language, judgement and behaviour. Dementia is progressive, so the symptoms will gradually get worse. In a later stage of dementia people will find it hard to carry out daily tasks and will come dependant on other people.

The term dementia describes a set of symptoms which include loss of memory, mood changes and problems with communication and reasoning. These symptoms occur when the brain is damaged by numerous certain diseases. Dementia is progressive, which means the symptoms will gradually get worse. How fast dementia progresses will depend on the individual person and what type of dementia they have. Each person is unique and will experience dementia in their own way.

Even diet or illness can affect their abilities or needs. One day a person with dementia will remember, and be quite able, to complete certain tasks but then may be incapable another. This is not their choice it is because the brain is a very complex organ and the chemical changes vary from person to person. The information is still in the memory but the neurotransmitters are able to send messages one day but maybe not the next. If an individual has a water infection they may be more confused and their needs go up whilst their abilities go down. Medication may produce more hallucinations or tremors therefore once again their needs are increased.

Some of the most common symptoms include a of loss inhibition (saying or doing things which are socially inappropriate), reduced empathy (problems understanding and responding to the needs of others), problems with planning and organising activities, increased distractibility, changes in food preference (a propensity to eat large quantities of sweet food) and a tendency to develop compulsive rituals (e.g. watching the same movie repeatedly).

Dementia is a term used to describe a collection of signs and symptoms that happen to the brain when it is affected by the progression of certain diseases such as vascular dementia (when brain cells die due to lack of oxygen) and Alzheimer’s disease (a specific brain disease). Some of the affects these diseases have are on a person’s memory, language and communication abilities, behaviour and ability to make rational judgements.

Visuospatial skills-problems judging distance or seeing objects in three dimensions; navigating stairs or parking become much harder.

Certain qualities are consistently observed in the Alzheimer’s victim. These dysfunction’s, though, are not exclusive to Alzheimer’s disease. Consequently, declaring Alzheimer’s by these parameters is a matter of degree rather than an absolute. Characteristic dysfunction’s have been noted in Alzheimer’s victims, but the degree and severity of these varies from patient to patient. Thus, evaluation of the patient’s mental status must be made based on the sum, rather than a single characteristic. Memory is one of the first noticed deficiencies, beginning typically with the recent and short term memory, and progressing from there as the disease grows more severe. In addition, deterioration in language skills, attention span, praxis (performance of an action), and visuospatial skills are commonly seen. Also observed are changes in the actions and personality of the Alzheimer’s victim. These include changes in mood, motor activities, activities of daily living, socialization skills, psychotic disturbances, vegetative symptomology, and rise in anxiety levels. Again, the

Dementia is a progressive illness that usually occurs over a period of time one of the earliest signs of dementia is problems with a persons memory, this can result in the individual behaving and communicating differently .

The definition of Dementia is “a general term for loss of memory and other mental abilities severe enough to interfere with daily life. It is caused by physical changes in the brain.” (Common Types of Dementia, 2012). The first manifestations of Dementia

The condition includes those known as Pick’s Disease, Frontal Lobe Degeneration and Dementia associated with Motor Neurone disease.

Lewy bodies develop gradually and gets more severe over the years, symptoms include memory loss, visual hallucinations, delusions, muscle stiffness. 3.3 Outline the risk factor's for the most common causes of dementia The risk factor's for Alzeheimers is age, family history and genes Vascular dementia is increasing age, history of heart attacks, strokes or mini strokes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and diabetes Lewy bodies is advanced age, it appears to affect more men than women, having a family member who's had it and a unhealthy lifestyle 3.4 Identify prevalence rates for different types of dementia The established prevalence rates for different types of dementia are 40-64yrs 1 in 1400 65-69yrs 1 in 100 70-79yrs 1 in 25 80+ 1 in 6 4. Understand factors relating to an individuals experience of dementia 4.1 Describe how different individuals may experience living with dementia depending on age, type of dementia, and level of ability and disability Depending on the form of dementia people's ability and disability will be different. People with

Vascular dementia symptoms include: increasing difficulties with tasks and activities that require concentrating and planning, memory loss, depression, personality and mood changes, low attention span, incontinence, seizures, physical weakness or paralysis, and hallucinations. risk factors include high blood pressure, history of stroke, diabetes, a lack of physical activity, excess alcohol and unhealthy diet.

Over three million people every year are diagnosed with a group of conditions, called dementia. Dementia is not a disease itself, but instead is a term that is used to describe a range of symptoms. Actual diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease and strokes, can cause dementia. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause for dementia; it accounts for sixty to eighty percent of all dementia cases. Incorrectly, dementia is sometimes called “senility.” This is incorrect because the term “senility” portrays dementia and its symptoms as normal signs of aging, which is not the case.

Furthermore, there are different types of dementia. The different types are Frontotemporal Dementia, Vascular Dementia, and Lewy Body Dementia. Frontotemporal Dementia causes anxiety, apathy, compulsive behaviors and anxiety. This disease occurs when the frontal or temporal lobes of the brain are damaged or shrink. Also, symptoms from Vascular Dementia include: memory loss, impaired judgment, decrease in ability to plan, and loss of motivation. This disease is caused by bleeding within the brain from a stroke causing brain damage. Lastly, Lewy Body Dementia symptoms are sleep problems, memory loss, hallucinations, and frequents swings in alertness. This disease is caused by abnormal

Dementia is a "clinical syndrome, or condition that presents several different symptoms of which memory problems and impaired intellectual functioning are the hallmark" (Lillrank). Dementia is actually a term used to describe a wide range of symptoms. Two of the most common types of dementia are: Vascular dementia and Alzheimer's. Some symptoms of dementia include loss of short-term memory. Other initial manifestations can include confusion,