Essay Sample on Dementia: Symptoms & Challenges of Home-Based Care

Introduction

Dementia is considered a condition that reduces a person's mental abilities; for instance, one tends to have extreme challenges when trying to remember certain information and learning new things. This condition is usually developed by approximately 7% of the adults aged above sixty years across the country (Forbes et al., 2008). When the condition affects the old people living in home-based care, it presents itself using various symptoms. Some of these symptoms include; changes in personality, reduced ability to make various decisions, reduced ability to socialize, changes in the manner in which the old people display their moods, and the problem with understanding and speech. Dementia is usually caused by numerous factors, some of which include Parkinson's disease, vascular cognitive impairment, front temporal dementia, and traumatic brain damage or injury. There are usually four types of dementia that affect old adults; this includes Alzheimer's condition, which is perceived to be the most common (Cheng et al., 2014). Vascular dementia, Lewy body dementia, and the front temporal lobe dementia. The condition occurs among the old adults in seven stages, which include non-impairment, very mild cognitive decline, mild cognitive decline, moderate cognitive decline, and moderate cognitive decline, severe cognitive decline, very severs cognitive decline. Early detection of a specific type of dementia tends to be important since out helps to provide early diagnosis and care. Early treatment and diagnosis of the condition among the old people usually give friends and family enough time to connect and prepare with the appropriate resources in the community to maintain a high level of interdependence. This paper aims to provide an intervention plan that meets the needs of older people, such as John, who is seventy-five years suffering and from dementia.

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Interventions to Meet the Needs of the Older Persons with Dementia

Reminiscence Therapy

In most cases, the common sign of dementia is the impairment of the short term memory; however, the long term memory of the old people tend to remain fixed for quite some time. Reminiscence therapy is perceived to be an intervention that helps old people with dementia to tap into their long-term memory and revive the precious past perusable experiences. Reminiscence therapy is perceived to be the most effective non-pharmacological intervention that can be enjoyed and appreciated by the old people suffering from dementia, the healthcare providers, and the family of the affected person (Sperling et al., 2009). This type of intervention usually takes many forms, for instance, the life story work, both the general and the simple reminiscence, and the special or specific reminiscence. In most cases, life story reminiscence usually enables old persons to reflect on their lives. The general and simple reminiscence tends to focus on encouraging sociability and sharing common memories. The special and specific reminiscence is usually implemented by the closed and small membership groups. The environment in which reminiscence is implemented should be noise-free, safe, and free from any other interruptions. Reminiscence can promote confidence, enhance self-esteem, and enhance the quality of life. Reminiscence therapy also promotes a purposeful activity since the old people are able to share some of the common memories and the recreational and educational objectives.

Cognitive Stimulation Therapy

To promote total independence among the old patient suffering from dementia, we can use the cognitive stimulation therapy intervention method. These types of interventions usually support old people with both moderate and mild dementia cases. When using cognitive stimulation therapy, the patients with dementia are usually invited to take part in a therapeutic session with a well-qualified practitioner who is well trained on the various intrapersonal communication skills and dementia care. Each of the therapeutic session that the patient with dementia is involved intends to stimulate and engage the affected person. The therapeutic session usually engages the patient in different topics such as the use of cash, how to prepare food, and discussion on the current affairs. These cognitive therapy sessions are usually held at least twice every week. The trained practitioner usually engages the dementia patients in thirteen therapy sessions, which are usually followed by other twenty for therapy sessions. In most cases, cognitive stimulation therapy is usually focused on various factors such as involvement, respect, fun, inclusion, maximizing potential, choice, and maximizing full potential.

The Validation Therapy

This type of therapy is used to approach the old dementia patients with understanding and empathy. The intervention is usually focused on reassuring and comforting the people living with the dementia condition. The main idea in the validation therapy helps dementia patients in their late stages to solve their unresolved issues, which direct their emotions and behavior. The manner in which the health providers and the patents family members respond to the patient's emotions and behavior plays a key role in determining how worse their condition will be. In most cases, validation therapy is used to promote determination among the dementia patient since the health practitioners are able to encourage the patient to withstand the challenge or the situation they are experiencing. This intervention method focuses more on enabling people to work out their emotions and challenging behaviors. The dementia patients usually use these behaviors to communicate their emotions, particularly among people with confusion and memory loss. The health providers who use these intervention methods tend to use various techniques, which include using senses, using extremes, matching emotions, and reminisce.

Theories of Ageing That Influence the Intervention

The Programed Theory of Aging

The programmed theories usually indicate that the body is usually designed or created to age with time, and there is usually a specific biological timeline in which the body flows (Sperling et al., 2009). All the theories involved in the programmed theory usually share the basic agenda that aging is usually natural and founded or programmed in the human body (Jin, 2010). Some of the key theories that form the programmed theory include, first, the programmed longevity theory, which usually highlights that aging is triggered by the behavior of genes switching off and on. Secondly, the endocrine theory, which illustrates that the continuous changes in hormones usually control aging. Thirdly, the immunological theory, which usually states that the body immunity system is usually programmed or designed to reduce over a certain period, thus leaving people at risk of the disease. This theory usually influences in the dementia intervention strategy by indicating that most of the human body changes are usually biological; therefore, it is hard to alter them through therapies. The theories argue that one has to use biological components that will change the programed aging genes. The theories also claim that aging is natural and occurs as a result of various genes being switched over time, thus making it hard for the interventions to reverse the key components of aging.

The Error Theories of Ageing

These theories usually indicate that human aging is usually caused by various environmental damages within the human body system that usually accumulate over a certain period of time. There are various error theories that affect dementia intervention methods. Some of these theories include. First, the wear and tear theory usually indicates that the human tissues and cells usually wear out on their own. Secondly, the free radical theories that usually indicate that the natural environment usually damages the body cells and impair their functioning. Thirdly, the somatic DNA damage theory which states that the cell malfunctions usually makes the cells to have a malfunction. Fourthly, the cross-linkage theories, which usually sets that the accumulation of various cross-linked proteins usually damages the tissues and the cells, thus reducing the body process that cause aging. This theory usually hinder the dementia intervention method by stating that the body tissue and functioning usually tear and wear on their own. Therefore, it is usually hard to regain some of the key body components through the various types of therapy. For instance, the error theory state that once the one the gene for a certain behavior or emotion wears out, it will be hard to regain the gene by engaging the patient in a therapy session. However, in some cases, the patient tends to regain a small percentage of the gene.

Conclusion

Dementia is a condition that particularly affects the old people mainly by altering their mental capabilities. Some of the signs of the condition include reduced ability to make various decisions, reduced ability to socialize, and changes in the manner in which the old people showcase their moods. Dementia affecting the old usually occur in stages such as mild and moderate cognitive decline. To meet the needs of old people suffering from dementia, we can use various interventions. Some of these interventions include; first, cognitive stimulation therapy, which usually requires the patient with dementia, are usually invited to take part in a therapeutic session with a well-qualified practitioner. Secondly, the reminiscence therapy that helps the old people with dementia to tap into their long-term memory and revive the past perusable experiences. Validation therapy usually focuses on reassuring patients. Some of the aging theories that are likely to affect the interventions include the programed theories and error theories.

References

Cheng, S.T., Chow, P.K., Song, Y.Q., Edwin, C.S., Chan, A.C., Lee, T.M., and Lam, J.H., 2014. Mental and physical activities delay cognitive decline in older persons with dementia. The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 22(1), pp.63-74. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jagp.2013.01.060

Forbes, D., Forbes, S., Morgan, D.G., MarkleReid, M., Wood, J., and Culum, I., 2008. Physical activity programs for persons with dementia. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, (3). https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD006489.pub2

Jin, K., 2010. Modern biological theories of aging. Aging and Disease, 1(2), p.72. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2995895/

Sperling, R.A., LaViolette, P.S., O'Keefe, K., O'Brien, J., Rentz, D.M., Pihlajamaki, M., Marshall, G., Hyman, B.T., Selkoe, D.J., Hedden, T. and Buckner, R.L., 2009. Amyloid deposition is associated with impaired default network function in older persons without dementia. Neuron, 63(2), pp.178-188. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuron.2009.07.003