Senile Dementia Senile Dementia

As people have begun to live longer, there has been a corresponding increase in the prevalence of chronic illnesses associated with old age. One disease which occurs among the elderly is dementia. This highly variable syndrome is primarily characterized by mental deterioration. In addition though, it may also present with a concomitant decline in patients' general physical functioning. One particular dementia, senile dementia of the Alzheimer type, mainly involves diminished cognitive capacity. The prognosis for different dementia patients varies depending on numerous factors. Treatment should generally occur through a multidisciplinary, team approach. Such a therapeutic framework facilitates the nurse's ability to deliver effective health care.

In recent decades, there has been growing interest in the pathologic syndrome known as senile dementia. This disease has a characteristically insidious onset and may present with a variety of initial symptoms and signs. Early dementia typically interferes with patients' ability to present themselves to the world in a "consistent coherent manner" (McLean, 1992, p. 1764). The first signs may be difficult to detect. They usually involve subtle changes in a person's normal behaviors. Such behaviors may range from routine daily activities such as housecleaning or auto maintenance, to changes in the ways that the patient relates to others.

Similarly, the course of senile dementia is also quite variab

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are much like apathetic patients. They lose interest in their surroundings and generally feel hopeless. In contrast, irritable patients may be prone to emotional outbursts. They may appear constantly annoyed and become upset over relatively minor problems or frustrations (McLean, 1992, p. 1762). Finally, disruptive presentations involve the infliction of distress upon others. Such patients may be aggressive, intrusive, or agitated. Aggressive patient often respond to minor provocations with threats or violence. These patients tend to be easily frustrated, resentful, and angry. In contrast, intrusive patients are selfpreoccupied. They may appear distracted and disorganized, and exhibit a rambling form of speech, with little regard for the people around them. Thirdly, disruptive patients can appear agitated. This restlessness may include such anxious behaviors as repeatedly voicing the same concerns. In addition, dementia patients may exhibit other problems as well. For example, they often present with various psychotic symptoms such as delirium or delusional ideation. Moreover, 94.3% of geriatric dementia patients also have associated physical complications (Hasegawa, 1990, pp. 2937). One form of this syndrome, seni

Category: Psychology - S