Essential dementia awareness: describing dementiaEssential dementia awareness: describing dementia

Welcome

Introductions

Group Agreement

What will be achieved from this session?

South West Dementia Partnership Essential dementia awareness: describing dementia

Main Talking Points

how to describe dementia the symptoms of dementia the different types of dementia the differences between dementia, depression and

delirium

Myth: ‘dementia means you will become incapable of living life with any meaning’

South West Dementia Partnership Essential dementia awareness: describing dementia

What is dementia?Dementia is a term used to describe a group of symptoms.

South West Dementia Partnership Essential dementia awareness: describing dementia

Memory difficulties

It becomes very hard to remember what has happened recently

It becomes difficult to learn new things Memories from the past can become more ‘real’

Can you think of any examples where a person with dementia has difficulties with memory?

South West Dementia Partnership Essential dementia awareness: describing dementia

A combination of symptoms

Dementia is more than just difficulties with memory: Cognitive Difficulties: difficulties with thinking Functioning Difficulties: difficulties with doing

everyday tasks Communication Difficulties: difficulties with

language and comprehension

MYTH: Dementia is when a person just loses their memory

South West Dementia Partnership Essential dementia awareness: describing dementia

Thinking difficulties

It becomes hard to work out how to organise thinking to do everyday tasks

It becomes hard to concentrate and focus on tasks Losing track when undertaking a task with multiple

stages

South West Dementia Partnership Essential dementia awareness: describing dementia

What causes dementia?

Dementia is the result of brain cells being damaged in an ongoing way

This happens as a result of a number of different diseases, sometimes referred to as ‘types’ of dementia

It is not a normal part of ageing.

MYTH: getting older means you will get dementia.

South West Dementia Partnership Essential dementia awareness: describing dementia

Main diseases that cause dementia

There are 3 main diseases that cause dementia: Alzheimer’s Disease Vascular Dementia Lewy Body Dementia

There are lots of others

South West Dementia Partnership Essential dementia awareness: describing dementia

10%

17% 62%

4%2% 2%

3%

South West Dementia Partnership Essential dementia awareness: describing dementia

Diagnosing dementia

Tests, for example the Mini Mental State Examination + Scans, for example a CT Scan (computerized axial

tomography) + Personal history from person and the person’s relatives

Discuss: why is it important for a person to have a diagnosis?

South West Dementia Partnership Essential dementia awareness: describing dementia

The Dementia Journey

AwarenessOf

Difficulties

AssessmentDiagnosis

Living with DementiaSupport for :

Person with DementiaSupport for Carers

End of life care

South West Dementia Partnership Essential dementia awareness: describing dementia

Changes through dementia

Awareness - a person may begin to notice problems, for example, forgetting things. Other people might notice the person not managing their life in the usual way.

Assessment/Diagnosis - a person may start to struggle with everyday living, needing prompts and reminders. As it becomes more evident that the person is having difficulties this leads to assessment and a diagnosis.

South West Dementia Partnership Essential dementia awareness: describing dementia

Living with dementia

Living with dementia.– a person will need increasing ongoing support in a number of areas around everyday living.

Enabling a person to live well with dementia by focussing on a person’s strengths and well being is important throughout the course of the illness.

It is also essential to provide support, guidance and education about dementia to the carers who are living with the person.

South West Dementia Partnership Essential dementia awareness: describing dementia

Effect on feelings and emotions Each person with dementia will respond to the

difficulties they experience in an individual way depending on a person’s personality.

For some people having a range of difficulties in memory and thinking can result in a person feeling:

….Frustrated….Angry….Upset

….Distressed….Alone

….FrightenedSouth West Dementia Partnership Essential dementia awareness: describing dementia

Person Centred Approaches

Working in a person centred way with people with dementia will:Promote well beingUse a person’s strengthsEncourage positive communication

(Refer to bite sized presentation ‘Person Centred Approaches’)

South West Dementia Partnership Essential dementia awareness: describing dementia

Other causes of confusion

Delirium: Sometimes called ‘Toxic Confusional State’ A person who has delirium can often show similar

symptoms to a person who has dementia. Delirium often develops quickly and is usually

reversible.

South West Dementia Partnership Essential dementia awareness: describing dementia

Possible causes of delirium

Anaemia. Low blood sugar, hormone imbalance. Diarrhoea / Constipation Intolerance to medication. Infection: Chest Infection/ Urinary Tract Infection. Period after major operation.

South West Dementia Partnership Essential dementia awareness: describing dementia

What happens:

Hallucinations and Delusions are often present and come on quickly

Thinking and reasoning are usually affected severely Severe confusion is often present.

Important note: A person may have dementia and also have delirium

South West Dementia Partnership Essential dementia awareness: describing dementia

Depression

A person who is depressed can often show similar symptoms to a person who has dementia.

This is because depression affects: Concentration Motivation Ability to manage everyday tasks

South West Dementia Partnership Essential dementia awareness: describing dementia

Myth: A person with dementia does not get depressed

Important note: A person may have dementia and also be depressed.

Treatment options need to be explored for depression and delirium.

South West Dementia Partnership Essential dementia awareness: describing dementia

Main Talking Points re-visited Any questions?

Describe dementia Name the symptoms of dementia Name 3 different types of dementia Describe what happens when a person has

delirium and depression

South West Dementia Partnership Essential dementia awareness: describing dementia