PSYC Dementia and Care Strategies

These flashcards encompass key terminology and concepts related to various types of dementia and care strategies discussed in the lecture notes.

Disorientation

Confusion about time, place, or identity, which can be temporary and often a symptom of another condition.

Delirium

A sudden, acute, often reversible disturbance in mental function with symptoms such as confusion and fluctuations in alertness.

Dementia

A chronic, progressive loss of brain function that affects memory, reasoning, language, and judgment, typically irreversible.

Alzheimer’s Disease

The most common form of dementia, involving gradual destruction of brain cells with key symptoms like short-term memory loss and mood swings.

Communication Challenges with Dementia

Issues faced by dementia patients such as difficulty finding words, repetition, misinterpretation of non-verbal cues, and understanding instructions.

Safety Challenges with Dementia

Risks such as wandering, forgetting to turn off appliances, and poor balance that contribute to increased fall risk.

Validation Therapy

A therapeutic approach that accepts a client’s reality instead of correcting them to reduce anxiety.

Person-Centered Care

Care that focuses on the individual’s history and preferences, particularly important for clients with Alzheimer's.

The 8 A’s of Dementia

Key cognitive impairments associated with dementia: Agnosia, Aphasia, Apraxia, Amnesia, Altered Perception, Apathy, Anosognosia, and Attention Deficits.

Early-Onset Dementia

Dementia that occurs in individuals younger than 65 years, presenting unique challenges for the individual and their families.

Responsive Behaviours

Actions caused by the client’s environment, emotions, or unmet needs, including aggression, pacing, or shouting.