Dementia and Elderly Issues

As we grow older, we are confronted with a variety of unique issues and problems.  One of the most significant is the issue of loss, whether it be job status, financial, declining health, independence, and/or death of loved ones.  Children are often confronted with the issue of parenting and providing for their elderly parents, including facing the difficult decisions regarding long-term care placement.

Dementia is a progressive brain dysfunction that leads to a gradually increasing restriction of daily activities. The most well-known type of dementia is Alzheimer's disease, but dementia may also be the result of strokes or other medical conditions.  Symptoms of dementia are often the result of medication side effects and depression, which means their effects are reversible if the underlying condition is managed.  Proper diagnosis is therefore important and involves a comprehensive medical and neuropsychological assessment.  Dementia not only affects patients, but also those surrounding them, as most patients require care in the long-term.

 

For further information, please see the resources below:

www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/dementias/dementia

www.dementia.com

www.medicinenet.com/dementia

www.helpguide.org/elder_care.htm

www.eldernet.com