Dementia is a degenerative disease that slowly destroys a person’s ability to live independently. There are many types of dementia, although Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type. Delirium and depression can be confused with dementia and a thorough evaluation should rule out other causes of cognitive loss prior to making a diagnosis of dementia.
Although people with dementia often exhibit behaviors that are challenging for family and professional caregivers, the behaviors are caused by damage to the brain and are not intentional. Challenging behaviors can be caused by unmet needs and may be a means of communication. By carefully observing what comes directly before and after a behavior, the caregiver may be able to determine the underlying need and learn how to alleviate the challenging behavior.
People with dementia need to be treated with kindness and with the knowledge that they can still enjoy life. Physical and chemical restraints should be used only as a last resort. There are many proven alternatives to physical and chemical restraints that are the mainstays of individualized care.
Activities of daily living are disrupted in those with dementia. As dementia progresses, family members and caregivers must step in and assist with personal care and household management. Caregiver training is an essential component for anyone caring for a person with dementia. Family caregivers play a critical and often-overlooked role in the care of loved ones with dementia—especially in the early-to-moderate stages. Caregivers often experience stress, which does not abate simply by placing their family member in a care facility. In a facility, professional caregivers must be trained to view the person in the context of a family.
Facilities built around a philosophy of person-centered care can have a profound and positive effect on challenging behaviors associated with dementia. Providing a safe, clean, home-like environment in which residents and staff work together has been shown to improve outcomes in those with dementia.
Simply put, good dementia care must be flexible. Dementia is not a one-size-fits-all disease.
Resources
Brain Initiative, The
The BRAIN Initiative aims to accelerate the development and application of new technologies to produce dynamic pictures of the brain that show how individual brain cells and complex neural circuits interact at the speed of thought. These technologies will open new doors to explore how the brain encodes, stores, and retrieves vast quantities of information, and shed light on the complex links between brain function and behavior.
http://braininitiative.nih.gov/
CJE Senior Life
CJE Senior Life provides caregivers with educational materials and resources that are applicable to many different caregiving situations. They address the risk of caregiver burnout by sharing expertise in dealing with the older adult population.
www.cje.net/
Family Caregiver Alliance (FCA)
FCA provides information, education, services, research, and advocacy for families caring for loved ones with chronic, disabling health conditions. They provide caregiving tips in person and online, with resources listed by state.
www.caregiver.org
National Council of Certified Dementia Practitioners/International Council of Certified Dementia Practitioners
National Council of Certified Dementia Practitioners is open to all healthcare professionals, front line staff and First Responders who qualify for CDP® certification and are interested in learning comprehensive dementia education, who value dementia education training, who are committed to ending abuse and neglect, and who value Certified Dementia Practitioner® CDP® certification.
www.nccdp.org
Nuffield Council on Bioethics
The Nuffield Council on Bioethics is an independent body that examines and reports on ethical issues in biology and medicine. It was established by the Trustees of the Nuffield Foundation in 1991, and since 1994 it has been funded jointly by the Foundation, the Wellcome Trust, and the Medical Research Council. Their comprehensive report Dementia: Ethical Issues is a must-read for healthcare and family caregivers.
http://nuffieldbioethics.org/project/dementia/
Share the Caregiving
Share the Caregiving is dedicated to educating the caregiving communities about the effectiveness of the Share the Care model. Share the Care encourages ordinary people to pool their efforts to help ease the burden on family caregivers and help those without family nearby.
http://sharethecare.org/
Strength for Caring (SFC)
SFC is a comprehensive website designed to provide family caregivers with a broad range of expert content and information, an emerging online community, daily inspiration, and much needed support.
http://www.strengthforcaring.com/
Today’s Caregiver
Caregiver Media Group provides information, support, and guidance for family and professional caregivers. It publishes Today’s Caregiver magazine, the first national magazine dedicated to caregivers, presents Fearless Caregiver conferences, and offers a website that includes newsletters, online discussion lists, articles from Today’s Caregiver, chat rooms, and an online store.
http://caregiver.com/
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