Healthcare Discussion: Dementia Posts 1 & 2 - Analysis and Insights

This assignment presents an analysis of two discussion board posts related to dementia. The first post explores the concept of improving the lives of individuals with dementia, highlighting community initiatives such as dementia-friendly communities, support programs, and retirement villages. The post emphasizes the importance of sensitive staff, consultative approaches, and dementia-friendly environments within these settings. The second post focuses on depression in dementia patients, discussing its prevalence, impact, and various treatment options. These include antidepressants, talking therapies, and other complementary approaches. The post also highlights the importance of preventative measures such as good nutrition, physical activity, and social engagement to improve the quality of life for dementia patients. Both posts reference relevant research and literature to support their arguments.

Running head: DEMENTIA
DEMENTIA
Name of the Student
Name of the university
Author’s note

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Post 1
DEMENTIA-If you could change the world for the better…
Caring for people with dementia is totally different from the type of the care provided to an
elderly person (Amies, 2008). Although it is possible for many people with dementia to stay in
their own home with a proper home support, some initiatives from the community can really
make difference in their ways of living. In order to make this world a sustainable place for the
people suffering from dementia, many policies have been undertaken. The National frame work
for the Action on dementia (2015- 2019), was being released with the joint venture of the health
ministers of Australia. The different priorities of action were the increasing awareness and
reduction of the risks, development of the dementia friendly communities, support and resources
of the community programs for promoting social engagement. Other areas of priorities of care
were the appropriate and the consistent use of the diagnostic tools for the assessment, provision
of training to the dementia patients (National Framework for Action on Dementia 201 5 - 201 9,
2018). Other strategy includes 'The National Dementia Strategy’ that enables the dementia
patients to live in extra care housing facilities. Another initiative is the construction of
retirement village for the dementia affected people, which are similar to some residential care
units. The retirement villages provide shelter to population of retired persons in lieu of some
costs. The average age of entry is 74 years (DEMENTIA GUIDE FOR THE AUSTRALIAN
RETIREMENT VILLAGE INDUSTRY, 2018). Definitely these retirement villages are well
designed as per the retired life yet the industry is still not aware of much knowledge of dementia.
One of the better places of care for the dementia patients can be a retirement village that would
be exclusively made for the people having dementia. The staffs and the organizational policies
should be able to support a healthy ageing approach. Being physically and socially active, eating

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a proper diet, interaction with the peers can really reduce the risk of dementia. The staffs should
be sensitive and should try out a consultative approach in order to eradicate the perceived stigma
for the residents. There should be ambulatory care facilities. The designing of the room and the
premises should be dementia friendly and should be safe.

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References
DEMENTIA GUIDE FOR THE AUSTRALIAN RETIREMENT VILLAGE INDUSTRY.
(2018). Retrieved from
https://www.dementia.org.au/files/NSW/documents/AANSW_Dementia_Guide_for_the-
Australian_Retirement_Village_Industry.pdf
Mitchell, L. (2012). Breaking new ground: the quest for dementia friendly communities. London:
Housing Learning & Improvement Network.
National Framework for Action on Dementia 201 5 - 201 9. (2018). Retrieved from
https://agedcare.health.gov.au/sites/g/files/net1426/f/documents/09_2015/national-
framework-for-action-on-dementia-2015-2019.pdf

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Post 2
Topic- Depression in dementia patients
Dementia is associated with a more than one clinical comorbities, of which depression is
the one that goes under diagnosed in many of the cases with dementia and the adverse effects of
dementia in patients not only increase the burden over the caregivers and the family but also
results in declination of the cognitive and functional status (Scrutton & Brancati, 2016). It is one
of the most common types of clinical manifestation showed by the patients with dementia. The
intensity of dementia depends upon the type of dementia the person had been suffering from. A
person having dementia can be offered with a range of treatments such as antidepressants, self
talk and other complementary therapies (Kessing, 2012). Talking therapies such as cognitive
behavioral therapies, interpersonal therapies and counseling, reminiscence therapies, animal
assisted therapies, multisensory stimulations can be used to reduce the anxiety and depression in
patients with dementia (Scrutton & Brancati, 2016). According to Kessing, (2012) talking
treatment and strength based approach towards the dementia patients can be effective against
moderate depressions. According to researches dementia is caused by lower levels of
neurotransmitters in the brain. Acute clinical depression due to dementia can be treated by
antidepressants such as SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor) and SNRI (Serotonin nor-
adrenaline reuptake inhibitor). New drugs such as venlafaxine and cholineresterase inhibitors can
be more effective than the older medications as older ones can cause side effects in patients
suffering from one or more clinical comorbidities (Kessing, 2012). Depression can be prevented
by good nutrition, routined physical activities, participation in active social life and engaging
constructive activities. Physical activities have been found to be associated with the mental well
being of the patients as it helps to create opportunities for mitigating the feeling isolation. Proper

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medications, love and care by the caregivers or the family members can improve the quality of
life of the dementia patients (Kessing, 2012).

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References
Kessing, L. V. (2012). Depression and the risk for dementia. Current opinion in psychiatry,
25(6), 457-461.
Scrutton, J., & Brancati, C. U. (2016). Dementia and comorbidities. Ensuring Parity of Care,
The International Longevity Centre, London.[Google Scholar].