Alzheimer’s Dementia is diagnosed the most of all the dementia’s, and Alzheimer Dementia is one of the main causes of death in the United States. It is this dementia that will be focused on in this information about dementia.

           

Dementia is evidenced by observations of differences in an individual who, previously,did not have any impairments in their cognitive functioning. This individual will demonstrate progressive impairments in every area of their functioning:physically, there will be an increasing inability to perform self-care; emotionally, there will be an increasing emotional instability; intellectually, there will be difficulty in communicating, with worsening memory impairment; and socially, there will be disturbances with relationships. Family members and caregivers will realize that not only does the individual demonstrate behaviors that are deteriorating, there is also a progressive impairment cognitively with learning and memory.

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Signs and Symptoms of Dementia:

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Stage 1: Early ( about 2 to 4 years):

• Depression

• Apathy

• Tires easily

• Forgetful

• Disorientation to time

• Loses items

• Gets lost in familiar surroundings

• Decreased ideas

• Self-care still intact

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Stage 2: Middle ( about 2 to 10 years):

• Agitation

• Psychosis

• Irritability

• Wandering

• Combative

• Sundowning

• Paranoia

• Mood swings

• Requires increased supervision with self-care

• Social behaviors becoming more inappropriate

• Behaviors without purpose

 

Stage 3: Late ( about 1 to 3 years)

• Trouble walking

• Trouble swallowing

• Incontinent

• Seizures

• Becoming mute

• Becoming bedbound

• Person needs total care with 24/7 supervision

• Does not recognize self in a mirror

• Can no longer care for self

• Coma

• Death

 

 

Common Populations/Who is at Risk and Vulnerable to Dementia:

• People over 65 years of age

• People over 80 years: 20 % will develop dementia

• Women develop dementia slightly more often than men

• Elderly, especially with advancing age

• Multiple illnesses

• Poor nutritional status

• Low educational achievement in life

• Alcoholism

• Smokers

• Depression

• Sleep apnea

• Multiple Sclerosis

• ALS

• Parkinsons Disease

• History of CVA ( stroke)

• Some brain cancers

• Meningitis

• Vitamin deficiencies: B1; B6; B12

• Thyroid deficiency

• Traumatic brain injuries

• Delirium

• Complications from other illnesses

• People with Downs Syndrome often develop early onset dementia

• Family history of dementia

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Berks County Resources:

• Services, Access & Management of Berks County: Mental health services, crisis and emergency care. Call 610-236-0530

• The Greater Reading Mental Health Alliance (An affiliate of Mental Health America) for support groups. Call 610-775-3000.

• Berks County Area Agency on Aging, 633 Court Street, Reading, Pa. Call 610-478-6500.

• Alzheimer’s Association Support Group @ Lutheran Home @ Topton, 1st Thursday of the month at 6:30 to 8:30 pm. Call 610-375-4990.

• Alzheimer’s Support Group @ Chestnut Knoll Residential & Memory Care & at Home Services, Boyertown, Pa., 3rd Thursday of the month at 6:00 to 7:30 pm. Call 610-473-8066.

• Alzheimer’s Support Group @ Phoebe Berks Healthcare & Village, Wernersville, Pa., 2nd Tuesday of the month. Call 610-927-8200.

• Memory Café @ Elmcroft of Reading, 9 Colin Court, Reading, Pa., 3rd Thursday of the month. Call 610-370-2211.

 

Greater Lehigh Valley Resources:

• Services, Access & Management of Lehigh and Northhampton Counties for mental health services, including crisis and emergency services.  Call 610-419-9102.

• National Alliance on Mental Illness ( NAMI). 802 W. Broad Street, Bethlehem, Pa., Education, information and support for family & friends with mental illness. Call 610-882-2102.

• Aging and Adult Services, Govt. Center, Room 230, 17 South 7th St., Allentown, Pa., Call 610-782-3034.

• Caregiver Support Program @ Aging & Adult Services, Allentown, Pa., Call 610-782-3034.

• Brain Fitness Center @ Terrace at Phoebe Allentown. Call 610-794-MIND.

• Mental Health Services @ Phoebe Allentown. Call 610-794-MIND.

• Lehigh County Senior Citizens Center: www.lehighseniors.org

 

Web Site Resources:

• Dementiamentors.org/Call 352-345-6270. Email: dementiamentors@gmail.com

• Dementiadaze.com. A blog about dementia.

• Alz.org ( Alzheimer’s Association).

• Alzfdn.org ( Alzheimer’s Foundation of America)

• www.webmd.com/alzheimers/tc/dementia-symptoms

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dementia

• www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/dementia/home

 

Caregiver Resources:

• Commonsensecaregiving.com. Call 352-345-6270.Email: us41books@bell-south.net

• www.alzheimerstreatmentoption.com

• www.caregiver.org ( Family Caregiver Alliance)

 

Book Resources:

• Still Alice by Lisa Genova

• The 36 Hour Day: A Family Guide to Caring For People Who Have Alzheimer’s Disease,Related Dementia, and Memory Loss by Nancy Mace.

 

Dementia Hotline:

24/7 Helpline: 800-272-3900 ( Alzheimer’s Association 24/7 Helpline)

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References:

1. American Psychiatric Association: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition. Arlington, VA, American Psychiatric Association, 2013.

2. Henshaw, S. (2017, April 9). The good fight. Reading Eagle,pp. A1,A4,A5.

3. Klebanoff, N.A., & Smith, N.M. ( 1997).Behavior management in home care.Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott-Raven Publishers.

4. Pierce, A.L., & Kawas, C.H. ( 2017). Dementia in the oldest old:Beyond alzheimer’s disease. PloS Medicine, 14(3), 1-4.

5. Rawlins, R.P.,Williams, S.R., & Beck, C.K. ( 1993). Mental health-psychiatric nursing a holistic life-cycle approach (3rd ed.). St. Louis, MO: Mosby-Yearbook, Inc.