Dementia

Dementia does not refer to a single medical condition. It is a general term that describes a wide range of symptoms associated with a decline in memory or other thinking skills that is severe enough to impair a person's ability to carry out daily tasks. Between sixty to eighty percent of cases are traceable to Alzheimer's disease. Stroke-related vascular dementia is the second most common form of dementia. However, dementia-like symptoms can be brought on by a wide variety of other conditions, some of which are treatable, like thyroid issues and vitamin deficiencies.

Dementia is frequently referred to incorrectly as "senility" or "senile dementia," reflecting the erroneous belief that severe mental decline is a normal part of aging.

Some of the major causes of dementia

• Vascular dementia:
  Dementia caused by the loss of brain cells due to conditions like stroke or other cerebrovascular disease is called vascular dementia. This disrupts blood flow, decreasing oxygen delivery to the brain. Traumatic brain injury is a leading cause of dementia later phase in life. Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) and Guillain-Barré syndrome (GSS) are examples of prion diseases, which are caused by specific proteins (Gerstmann-Straussler-Scheinker syndrome). Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) and Guillain-Barré syndrome (GSS) are examples of prion diseases, which are caused by specific proteins (Gerstmann-Straussler-Scheinker syndrome).
• HIV infection:
  HIV infection in this case is known as HIV-associated dementia. It is unclear how the virus causes damage to brain cells. Some dementias can be treated by correcting underlying causes like drug interactions, depression, vitamin deficiencies (like thiamine/B1 deficiency, which causes Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome, which is most commonly caused by alcohol abuse), and thyroid abnormalities.

Symptoms and indicators of dementia

• Loss of memory
• Having poor judgment
• Inability to think abstractly
• Misguided thinking
• Reckless actions
• Inability to communicate oneself
• Loss of sense of time and/or location
• Disorders of gait, motor function, and balance
• Ignoring one's own health and safety
•  Hallucinations, paranoia, and restlessness

Stages of dementia

First Stage: CDR-0 or No Impairment

Individuals at the initial stage,  experience no functional impairment. A score of 0 indicates that your loved one has no serious memory issues, is fully oriented in time and place, has  normal judgment, can function in the outside world, maintains a pleasant home life, and can take care of their own needs.

Second-Stage Impairment: CDR 0.5 or Doubtful

The CDR scale goes from 0 (perfect) to 1 (severe impairment) with 0.5 indicating the slightest impairment. You should be aware that your loved one may experience some memory lapses. There's a chance they have trouble with timing and finding solutions to complex problems. They may also be having trouble keeping their footing at work or in their personal relationships. However, they are still capable of taking care of themselves at this stage.
 

Mild Impairment (CDR-1) or Third Stage: 

Your loved one's performance is noticeably worse in each area with a score of 1, but the decline is still mild. Their day-to-day functioning is being hampered by a decline in short-term memory. As a result, they may have trouble following directions or finding their way around new areas.  They might start having problems going to and participating in things outside the house on their own. At home, they may need a nudge to get back to doing their chores or a reminder to take a shower.

Phase 4, Moderate Impairment or CDR-2

Your aging relative's condition is moderately impaired with a score of 2. As a result, they require assistance with personal hygiene. They need to be accompanied, but they are healthy enough to go out and participate in social activities or complete household chores.  This level of time and spatial disorientation is more severe than in earlier levels. They have trouble keeping track of time and finding their way around, respectively. Memory for recent events, such as the names of people they've just met, is severely impaired.

CDR-3 or Severe Impairment: Stage 5

Dementia is at its most severe in its fifth stage. Your family member now requires constant assistance just to get by. They have lost almost all of their memory. They are also completely disoriented in terms of both time and place. Even with help, going outside and doing regular things is extremely challenging. There is no longer any way to accomplish anything around the house, and you need assistance with even the most basic of tasks.

Diagnosis Process of diseases 

•  Assessing the history  
• Examining the Patient's Physical and Emotional State
• ECG
• Blood test 
• CT scan of the chest
• MRI

Some of the basic preventive measures 

• Blood pressure, glucose, serum lipid, and kidney/liver function should all be monitored regularly.
• Degeneration from STDs like syphilis, gonorrhea, and HIV can occur at a later date, so it's important to get tested and treated.
• Raise awareness that alcoholism is linked to early brain degeneration and dementia. In the hopes that it might inspire them to cut back on their alcohol consumption or give it up altogether.
• Spread the word about how important a healthy diet is for preventing cognitive decline at an early age.
• Patients suffering from degenerative diseases can be educated on how to recognize their condition early and treated it effectively.

Treatment Process 

• Caring for medical, psychological, and nursing support to those in need.
• Suppo for the patients and their loved ones emotionally.
• Control in the Nursing Environment
• Allow the patients to become acquainted with their own furniture (beds, cabinets, clothing, etc.).
• Provide patients with a large clock and a calendar with one large sheet of paper per day so they can keep track of the time.
• Patients should be encouraged to share personal details about him and their relatiothemips with him.
• Allow customers to learn its precise location.
• Applaud the patient's efforts when they bear fruit with a correct response.
• Checking in on the patient to see how they're doing with typical tasks
• Allow patients to have input into the types of activities that can be done with them.
• Assist the patient in carrying out the desired activities.
• Congratulate the patient if they are able to do things independently.
• Inquire as to whether or not the individual feels up to the task at hand.
• Patients to plan out their daily schedules.
• Time, people, and locations are discussed in the context of the patient's family.
• Insist that every household has a big clock and a visible calendar.
• Instruct loved ones to assist patients in accomplishing activities as they are able.
• Inspire praise from loved ones if the patient has followed the prescribed regimen.