Dementia Care and Nursing Perspectives

This assignment delves into the complexities of dementia care from a nursing perspective. It recounts the experience of caring for Amanda, a 75-year-old woman with Alzheimer's disease, highlighting her challenges and the importance of person-centered care. The paper explores various aspects of dementia management, including interdisciplinary units, rehabilitation strategies, and the crucial role nurses play in providing holistic care to individuals living with this chronic illness.

Dementia
I discuss here the case of Amanda, a 75 year-old female diagnosed with chronic Alzheimer’s disease-
related dementia. She was subjected to MRI and CT for the confirmation of the presence of plaques
of amyloid beta protein. She presented with loss of memory, insomnia, inability to walk and read. It
was a particularly trying case in the duration of my practice as a registered nurse. I believe her
inability to perform her daily activities was particularly disturbing to me and made me worry about
her getting around in her everyday life. Amanda was given antiamyloid therapy initially and was
referred to several interdisciplinary help units such as speech therapy and activities of daily life.
Dementia is an important chronic illness due to its prevalence globally [1]. It is a critical illness of
long-term morbidity in the geriatric population [1]. It has a high degree of effects on the lifestyles of
the individuals and their qualities of life [2]. Dementia directly affects the social existence and life at
home of the individuals with dementia [2]. Dementia is characterized by a progressive degeneration
of brain functionality due to physiological plaque formations in the brain [2]. Dementia is of several
types of which vascular dementia, Alzheimer’s disease-related dementia, and dementia with Lewy
bodies are widely recognised forms of dementia [2].
Chronic nature of dementia and implications for health care: Dementia is a chronic disorder and
can occur at early stages of life due to physiological reasons in an individual [3]. However, the
disease does not clinically manifest itself until later years of life [3]. At the stage where the disease
presents during the later stages, it is at a developed stage and is usually irreversible [3]. Due to the
degeneration of the cognitive functionality of the brain, there is a physical loss of memory and
intelligence [3]. Thus, the adaptability of the individual to the society is largely deteriorated [3]. The
individual is then not disposed to take care of basic mobility and daily activities such as walking,
washing, etc [3].
Health care providers are often disposed to enable the individual to carry out their everyday
activities [3]. Several interdisciplinary units of health care are present to take care of the patient’s
speech, cognition, and everyday activities [3]. The individual needs to be empowered to live at home
and care for themselves [3]. Several times, there are familial carers who care for the patient at home
following the discharge of the patient from the hospital unit [3]. Since the disease is diagnosed at a
late stage, care and palliation are essential aspects of dementia treatment [3].
Nursing and dementia care: Dementia essentially entails several stages right from the onset of the
disease to the initial diagnosis to the end of life, it is essential to provide as much information as
possible. Considerations such as the diagnosis at the time of initial presentation, treatment plan and
advance mapping, health care considerations, concerns relating to social behaviour and basic
cognitive functions necessary for everyday activities, palliation, and care till the end of life are crucial
whilst nursing for dementia [3]. I was particularly mindful of every patient-related communication
with Amanda as that information was crucial for her after-care.
Person-centered care: Person-centered care is a fast-evolving concept globally and is given much
importance in dementia care [3]. The four primary strategies include: moral value base for the
provision of basic and fundamental rights for persons with dementia [3]. The consideration of the
unique value of each individual, empathy to the individual’s thoughts and perceptions of his or her

surroundings, and finally the system of health care that provides for the emotional needs of the
patient [3]. Amanda was exposed to person-centered care and we found it particularly helpful.
Interdisciplinary units and rehabilitation: As discussed previously, it is essential for the individual to
be able to carry out daily activities [3]. Therefore, interdisciplinary care units such as speech therapy,
psychology and social help units, behavioural therapists, etc are intertwined and form an essential
network for the care of patients of dementia [3].

References
1. Joan , L. & Lori, A. 2004. Dementia/Alzheimer’s Disease. Women’s Health Surveillance report,
4(Suppl 1): S20
2. Hinton, L., Franz, C.E., Reddy, G., Flores, Y., Kravitz, R.L., & Barker, J.C. 2007. Practice constraints,
behavioral problems, and dementia care: primary care physicians perspectives. J Gen Intern Med,
22(11):1487-1492
3. Callahan, C.M., Boustani, M.A,. Unverzagt, F.W., et al. 2006. Effectiveness of collaborative care
for older adults with Alzheimer Disease in primary care: a randomized controlled trial. JAMA,
295:2148–57
4. Crooks, E.A., & Geldmacher, D.S. 2004. Interdisciplinary approaches to Alzheimer’s disease
management. Clin Geriatr Med., 20(1):121–139.