Services for People with Dementia and Their Caregivers

This article discusses the impact of age, mental exercise, and cultural diversity on dementia. It also explores the challenges faced by caregivers of people with dementia and the services and programs that can help them. Dementia Australia provides counseling, living with memory loss group programs, carer support groups, home and community care, and cognitive dementia and memory service.

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Nursing
Student’s Name
Institutional Affiliation

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Introduction:
Dementia is not a specific disease but a general term that describes a group of symptoms
which are related to loss in memory serious enough to reduce the ability in which an individual
can do familiar tasks. It is caused by impairment of nerve cells in the brain which can happen in
several parts of the brain. This impairment interferes with the ability to communicate with each
other. Dementia affects people differently depending on the part of the brain affected and the
most common type of dementia is the Alzheimer’s followed by vascular dementia which is as a
result of stroke. Depending on the cause some symptoms of dementia can be reserved. For
instance, dementia as a result of vitamin deficiencies might improve with treatment. Individuals
who are affected may become apathetic in their normal operations, lose interest in socialising
and lose the ability to remember events or understand their surroundings.
What are the main issues in this case study? Explain how these may impact
people with dementia and/or their family. Support your explanation with
scholarly literature.
Issues that could be identified from the case study include age, mental exercise and
medication that can positively or negatively affect people with dementia. Exercise results in a
healthier brain and also better health to other body parts (Forbes et al., 2015). Physical activity
along with exercise enhances cognitive performance and reduce cognitive decline. Consistent
aerobic exercise promotes cognitive functions, healthy alterations in expression of genes in the
brain and healthy forms of neuroplasticity (Hendrikse, Kandola, Coxon, Rogasch & Yücel,
2017). Long-term impacts of exercise encompass of increased development of neuron and
neurological activity like c-Fos signalling and advancements in functional and structural brain

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pathways and tissues related to cognitive control and memory (Hendrikse, Kandola, Coxon,
Rogasch & Yücel, 2017). Stanislaw and his wife Matylda are active members of the community,
and this affects Stanislaw positively. Moreover, Stanislaw walked one kilometre away every day
to meet his great-grandchildren at the bus stop and walk them home, and this exercise might
have reduced the progression of his condition.
Mental exercise causes stimulation which increases the strength and number of
connections between the brain cells (Katz, 2014) Hence reducing the progression of dementia.
Exercising the brain can enhance the thinking capability of individuals with dementia or slow the
rate of cognitive decline. However, individuals with dementia should be encouraged to keep their
operations along with hobbies. In the case study, Stanislaw and Matylda are active and share
interests like bowls, Lions club, and gardening. When Stanislaw refuses to go back to the Lions
club his wife Matylda should encourage him so that he may understand the benefits that may
come as a result. Although changes may be required as dementia progresses, staying mentally
active and socially involved may be essential for daily functioning, mental health, and cognition
of a person with dementia (Leung, Yates, Orgeta, Hamidi & Orrell, 2017).
In view of aging process, several adjustments do occur in the brain (Samanez-Larkin &
Knutson, 2015). The part of the brain that is responsible for cognitive functioning eventually
show less coordination, certain brain parts become inactive and individuals are affected by aging
even if they do not have underlying problems (Samanez-Larkin & Knutson, 2015). As one age
the cognitive functioning declines and symptoms worsen and the possibilities of developing
dementia increases substantially. Stan is 83 years old, and he is at greater risk in the progression
of his condition hence the increase in age affects him adversely.

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Moreover, culturally and linguistically diverse older people with dementia together with
their loved ones face several unique difficulties and unique needs. One of the difficulties is the
reversion of language which emanates from dementia (Tipping & Whiteside, 2015). In the case
study, Stanislaw and his wife Matylda who immigrated from Poland face the challenge of
language reversion since sometimes he finds himself speaking polish.
What can your chosen services provide to help Stan and Matylda address
these issues? Give reasons as to why these services are required and how they
can help.
Dementia Australia provides services like counselling, living with memory loss group
program, carer support groups, home and community care (HACC) and cognitive dementia and
memory service (CDAMS) (Jeon, McKenzie, Krein, Flaherty & Gillespie, 2017). Individuals
who benefit from dementia counselling are the individuals in the untimely phases of dementia,
caregivers of persons with dementia and family like partner or children. Dementia counselling
helps people and families through arranging how to control the disease in years to come in case
of the dementia alterations, gaining knowledge of the effects of dementia and recognizing
approaches for surviving and existing with dementia (Jeon, McKenzie, Krein, Flaherty &
Gillespie, 2017). Furthermore, it assists families in reaching their agreement on dementia care
issues; deal with sensation of anxiety and combination of feelings along with making referrals
for appropriate assistance. Counselling could be helpful to Matylda to know how to cope with
Stan's situation and how to take care of him despite his emotions.
These groups living with memory loss are mainly planned for individuals in the
premature periods of dementia and their pillar person (Marshall et al., 2015). In each program,
the opportunity to separate and discuss important issues is provided for individuals living with

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dementia and their family. These services are undertaken in local and municipal orientations to
the members without paying fee and underway aid alternatives are convenient after the end of
the service (Marshall et al., 2015). The benefit of this program is that participants have the
opportunity to focus on retaining and improving abilities and skills, acquire data, have queries
replied and analyse ways of controlling at the moment and hereafter. Moreover, they can come
together and speak privately with others in the same condition and examine encounters along
with demonstrating emotions in a safe surrounding (Marshall et al., 2015). Stan will gain much
from this program and understand that with a positive attitude the disease can be managed and
also gain knowledge on how to handle it by using medication appropriately.
The carer support groups meet in a broad variety of locations all over Australia and bring
together carers, friends, and partners of people with dementia and sometimes with a facilitator
(Lauritzen, Pedersen, Sørensen & Bjerrum, 2015). They allow carers to enjoy the benefits of a
social outing and learn coping mechanisms along with techniques like relaxation and stress
management. Also, carers are entitled to acquire aid and come together with persons in the same
condition, learn on how to survive with problems like resentment, loss and grief, anger, relief,
guilt along with other emotions which may arise (Lauritzen, Pedersen, Sørensen & Bjerrum,
2015).
In the case of Stanislaw and Matylda, Matylda says that Stanislaw will not let her get
anyone in to mow the lawn and gets cross at her for nagging him all the time. Through this
program, she will learn how to deal with emotions of Stanislaw every time they arise. They also
acquire significant dementia data and teaching, share management hints and capabilities along
with ideas with other carers and learn about local community services for individuals with
dementia and their caregivers (Lauritzen, Pedersen, Sørensen & Bjerrum, 2015).

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Cognitive Dementia and Memory Service is a specialist service which assists persons
with a change to their thinking or memory loss and spouses who support them (Osborne, 2016).
They provide information about appropriate medications, information on how to deal with daily
operations, the direction in planning for the future along with an expert clinical diagnosis. Also,
they provide links for individuals with dementia and their carers to other services, and
community supports together with providing education, support, and information (Osborne,
2016).
The Home and Community Care program trains and educate service providers who work
with people with dementia (Lewis, Peiris & Shields, 2017). This service funds café style support
services which provide social support to an individual with his caregiver at the same time, same
place, in a community-based setting together with pleasant social surroundings like a café or
similar community venue. Furthermore, it supports people who have dementia through the
provision of respite, data, and counseling, social opportunities along with operations of every day
like cleaning and other hose chores (Lewis, Peiris & Shields, 2017). This program addresses the
importance of exercise and helps Stanislaw to reduce the progression of his condition by
continuing being active in community activities as before.
Conclusion
Dementia can be progressed by various factors which may include age, mental exercise
and even cultural and linguistically diverse communities. Caregivers of individuals with
dementia face several challenges like stress, being shouted at at no apparent reason, they get
distressed but they have to understand those people that there brain cells are damaged and they
might not be aware of whatever they are doing. Dementia Australia provide services and
programs that help the people with dementia along with their caregivers, partners or friends to

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understand how to handle the syndrome now and even in future. Also, the services help
caregivers to have a break to feel relieved for some time
.

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References
Forbes, S. C., Forbes, D., Forbes, S., Blake, C. M., Chong, L. Y., Thiessen, E. J., ... & Rutjes, A.
W. (2015). Exercise interventions for preventing dementia or delaying cognitive decline
in people with mild cognitive impairment. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews,
(5).
Hendrikse, J., Kandola, A., Coxon, J., Rogasch, N., & Yücel, M. (2017). Combining aerobic
exercise and repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation to improve brain function in
health and disease. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews.
Jeon, Y. H., McKenzie, H., Krein, L., Flaherty, I., & Gillespie, J. (2017). PREFERENCES,
CHOICES, AND DECISION-MAKING: A QUALITATIVE STUDY ON THE
EXPERIENCES OF FAMILY CARERS AND PEOPLE WITH ADVANCED
DEMENTIA. Alzheimer's & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer's
Association, 13(7), P1248-P1249.
Katz, L. (2014). Keep your brain alive: 83 neurobic exercises to help prevent memory loss and
increase mental fitness. Workman Publishing.
Lauritzen, J., Pedersen, P. U., Sørensen, E. E., & Bjerrum, M. B. (2015). The meaningfulness of
participating in support groups for informal caregivers of older adults with dementia: a
systematic review. JBI database of systematic reviews and implementation reports, 13(6),
373-433.
Leung, P., Yates, L., Orgeta, V., Hamidi, F., & Orrell, M. (2017). The experiences of people
with dementia and their carers participating in individual cognitive stimulation
therapy. International journal of geriatric psychiatry, 32(12), e34-e42.

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Lewis, M., Peiris, C. L., & Shields, N. (2017). Long-term home and community-based exercise
programs improve function in community-dwelling older people with cognitive
impairment: a systematic review. Journal of physiotherapy, 63(1), 23-29.
Marshall, A., Spreadbury, J., Cheston, R., Coleman, P., Ballinger, C., Mullee, M., ... & Bartlett,
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Osborne, S. (2016). The lived experience of risk for a person with a recent diagnosis of dementia
(Alzheimer's type): a longitudinal phenomenological study (Doctoral dissertation,
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Samanez-Larkin, G. R., & Knutson, B. (2015). Decision making in the aging brain: changes in
affective and motivational circuits. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 16(5), 278.
Tipping, S. A., & Whiteside, M. (2015). Language reversion among people with dementia from
culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds: the family experience. Australian
Social Work, 68(2), 184-197.