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Quality of Life
overall enjoyment of life
Progressive
the way a disease advances
Paranoia
an extreme or unusual fear
Activity-based care
care focused on assisting resident to find meaning in his or her day, rather than doing activities just to keep the person busy
Alzheimer's Disease
is a progressive disease characterized by a gradual decline in memory, thinking, and physical ability, over several years
Behavior
how a person acts
Catastrophic Reactions
out-of-proportion, extreme responses to activities or situations
Onset
the time when signs and symptoms of a disease begins
Meaningful Activities
have value to the resident with dementia
Cognition
ability to think quickly and logically
Irreversible
disease or condition that cannot be cured
Confusion
inability to think clearly, causing disorientation and trouble focusing
Independence
ability to make decisions that are consistent, reasonable and organized; having the ability to perform activities of daily living without assistance
Wandering
moving about the facility with no purpose and is usually unaware of safety
Respect
treated with honor, show of appreciation
Sundowning
Increased agitation, confusion and hyperactivity that begins in the late afternoon and builds throughout the evening
Trigger
an event that causes other events
Delusion
a false belief
Dementia
usually progressive condition marked by development of multiple cognitive deficits, such as memory impairment, aphasia, and inability to plan and initiate complex behavior
Depression
a loss of interest in usual activities
Dignity
respect and honor
Doing Activities
activities that keep the person busy
Delirium
state of severe confusion that is reversible and occurs suddenly
Early Stage of Alzheimer's Disease
-Memory loss begins to affect everyday activities
-Difficulty remembering names of people, places, or objects
-Difficulty following directions
-Disoriented to time and place
-Increased moodiness, agitation or personality changes due to forgetfulness or embarrassment
-Has poor judgment and makes bad decisions
-Develops difficulty maintaining living spaces, paying bills and managing money
Middle Stage of Alzheimer's Disease
-Longest of three stages
-Increased restlessness during evening hours (sundowning)
-Increased level of memory loss; starts losing ability to recognize family members
-Requires assistance with activities of daily living
-Increased problems with communication, ambulation and impulse control
-Increased behavioral issues; may become violent at times
-Urinary and fecal incontinence
-May experience auditory or visual hallucinations and become suspicious of caregivers
-Requires full-time supervision
Late Stage of Alzheimer's Disease
-Considered terminal stage
-Loses ability to verbalize needs; may groan, grunt or scream
-Does not recognize self or family members
-Becomes bed-bound
-Total dependence for activities of daily living
-Body function gradually declines
-Death
What are the guidelines for caring for a Alzheimer's resident?
-Patience with resident
-Show interest in the subject
-Offer comfort and reassurance
-Listen for a response
-Avoid criticizing or correcting
-Avoid arguments with resident
-Offer a guess as to what resident wants
-Focus on the feelings, not on the truth
-Limit distractions
-Encourage non-verbal communication
Which of the following is a communication problem in the Alzheimer's resident?
a. inability to recognize a word, phrase
b. does not lose writing skills
c. can understand the meaning of words read
d. does not repeat self
a. inability to recognize a word, phrase
The nurse aide's role in communicating with an Alzheimer's resident includes?
a. if the conversation is interrupted start over from the beginning
b. obtain the resident's attention
c. slow down, do not acted rushed
d. all of the above
d. all of the above
When the resident tends to wander, what would you do to provide safety?
-Establish a regular route
-Provide rest areas
-Accompany the resident
-Provide food and fluid
-Redirect attention to other activities or objects
-Determine if behavior is due to environmental stress
