Effects of Dementia 1

Effects of Dementia

Megan Canney

February 1, 2018

AAST

Effects of Dementia
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Dementia continues to affect more and more people every year. “It is estimated that

dementia has a global prevalence of 47.5 million individuals” (Maidment, Aston, Moutela, Fox,

& Hilton, 2017, pg 1). This condition does not only alter memory, but relationships, mood, and

quality of life. While dementia cannot be cured, the changes in life that are accompanied with it

can be improved. Education about dementia and its effects can better the quality of care a patient

receives (Caregiver’s Guide to Dementia Behaviors). This paper will discuss what dementia is

and how it affects the lives of the patients and carers.

Dementia

Dementia is not a disease; it is not contagious. It is a group of sign and symptoms. These

symptoms can include memory loss, lack of communication, and behavioral issues (Alzheimer’s

Association, 2018). People with dementia often suffer from sudden memory loss. They tend to

forget important dates and/or names, along with recent information. Other signs include

difficulty performing normal tasks such as normal household chores or responsibilities at work

(Alzheimer’s Association, 2018).

Diagnosis

There are no definitive tests to determine if a patient has a form of dementia. A doctor

can only assume with a large degree of certainty that a patient has dementia given sudden

memory loss and behavioral changes (Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer’s Disease Center,

2017). A neurologist can decide that the patient has no other medical issue with the use of brain

imaging, but this cannot diagnose the patient with dementia. Other procedures to evaluate

someone of suspected dementia include: a medical history of the patient and his/her family and

mental/mood testing (Alzheimer’s Association). After death, an autopsy can be performed to see
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the deterioration of the patient’s brain (Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer’s Disease Center,

2017). This is the only definitive way to diagnose someone with dementia.

Types of Dementia and Causes

Dementia is not caused by one particular substance or chemical, making it difficult to

properly diagnose the condition until after death. There are multiple types of dementia including

Dementia with Lewy-bodies, vascular dementia, and Alzheimer’s disease. All of these types are

accompanied by changes in the brain: vascular, chemical, or protein malfunctions. The most

well-known form of dementia is that of the Alzheimer’s type. This is caused by something, in the

neurological cells in the brain, not performing the right task. It leads to “breakups and

breakdowns in one system [that] cause problems in other areas” (Alzheimer’s Association 2018,

pg 3). Dementia with Lewy-bodies has similar signs to Alzheimer’s but is also accompanied by

difficulty sleeping, difficulty walking, and visual hallucinations. It is a result of clumps of

protein in the brain developing in the cortex of the brain (Alzheimer’s Association 2018).

Vascular dementia used to be known as post-stroke dementia. It is caused by a blockage in a

blood vessel. This leads to poor judgement and decision making and the inability to plan and

organize rather than significant memory loss (Alzheimer’s Association, 2018).

Attributes of Dementia

While the most noticeable effect of dementia is memory loss, there are also many other

issues that arise with the condition. These complications can include aggression, depression, and

low quality of life. The “Behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) have

received considerable research interest in the last decades...because of their high prevalence and

the psychological distress that they cause” (Nogales-González, Romero-Moreno, Losada,

Márquez-González, & Zarit, 2015, para. 1).

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Quality of Life

To determine how high or low a patient’s quality of life is, a doctor or caretaker uses a

scale that involves many categories. A few of the qualities include “restless tense behavior,

positive self-image, social relations, social isolation, feeling at home and having something to

do” (de Boer, Hamers, Zwakhalen, Tan, & Verbeek, 2017, pg 3). Low scores in any or all of

these categories can lead to an overall low score for quality of life.

Agitation

“Agitation refers to a range of behaviors associated with dementia, including irritability,

sleeplessness, and verbal or physical aggression” (Caregiver’s Guide to Understanding Dementia

Behaviors pg 1). Behaviors like agitation and anger tend to occur more often as the disorder

progresses. It can become worse as the patient’s memory begins to fade; triggers for the behavior

becomes more apparent. The most common trigger is when “control” is being taken from the

patient (Caregiver’s Guide to Understanding Dementia Behaviors). This can happen when a

caregiver is trying to aid the patient in activities of daily life.

Carers and Patient Relationships

The relationship between a caregiver and a patient can be complex, especially when the

carer is the next of kin to the patient. Frequent disruptive and depressive behaviors can affect the

carers life as well as the patient’s. Depending on the self-efficacy of the carer, the more often the

behaviors, the more stress is placed on the caregiver (Nogales-González et al, 2015). “Self-

efficacy [is] about one’s capability of managing a specific problem [and higher self-efficacy] is

related to better outcomes for that problem” (Nogales-González et al, 2015, pg 1028). Education

for communication and working with patients that have dementia is a common way to better the
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relationships between carer and patient (Caregiver’s Guide to Understanding Dementia

Behaviors).

Conclusion

Dementia as a whole, is very complex. There are many aspects that carers, patients, and

doctors have yet to understand. It is important that research is continued about dementia to

further understand the human mind and how it changes. But, educating oneself about what

dementia is and how it affects family and friends can create a better environment for the victims

of the condition.
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References

“Caregiver's Guide to Understanding Dementia Behaviors.” Edited by Beth Logan, Caregiver's

Guide to Understanding Dementia Behaviors | Family Caregiver Alliance, Family

Caregiver Alliance, 2016, www.caregiver.org/caregivers-guide-understanding-dementia-

behaviors.

“Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer's Disease Center.” Diagnosis & Treatment: Cognitive

Neurology and Alzheimer's Disease Center: Feinberg School of Medicine: Northwestern

University, Northwestern University, 2017,

www.brain.northwestern.edu/dementia/bvFTD/diagnosis.htm

de Boer, B., Hamers, J. H., Zwakhalen, S. G., Tan, F. S., & Verbeek, H. (2017). Quality of care

and quality of life of people with dementia living at green care farms: a cross-sectional

study. BMC Geriatrics, 17(1), 155. doi:10.1186/s12877-017-0550-0

Dementia | Signs, Symptoms & Diagnosis. (n.d.). Retrieved January 29, 2018, from

https://www.alz.org/what-is-dementia.asp

Maidment, I. D., Aston, L., Moutela, T., Fox, C. G., & Hilton, A. (2017). A qualitative study

exploring medication management in people with dementia living in the community and

the potential role of the community pharmacist. Health Expectations: An International

Journal Of Public Participation In Health Care And Health Policy, 20(5), 929-942.

doi:10.1111/hex.12534
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Nogales-González, C., Romero-Moreno, R., Losada, A., Márquez-González, M., & Zarit, S.

(2015). Moderating effect of self-efficacy on the relation between behavior problems in

persons with dementia and the distress they cause in caregivers. Aging & Mental Health,

19(11), 1022-1030. doi:10.1080/13607863.2014.995593