People with dementia have been shown to commonly experience social isolation and this can put them at risk of becoming lonely2.
A new publication released by the Alzheimer's Society today reports that 38% of people with dementia say that they are lonely, with a further 12% reporting they do not know if they are lonely. More than two-thirds (70%) of people with dementia have stopped doing things that they used to do after diagnosis.
Build quiet times into the day, along with activities. Keep well-loved objects and photographs around the house to help the person feel more secure. Remind the person who you are if he or she doesn't remember, but try not to say, “Don't you remember?” Encourage a two-way conversation for as long as possible.
Individuals with dementia often have anxiety which can make them feel nervous, worried, or cause them to not want to be left alone or out of sight of their caregivers.
Boredom in Alzheimer's is linked to several other concerns, including depression, anxiety, apathy, wandering, agitation and more. Anecdotal evidence would indicate that the prevalence of boredom for people who have dementia is quite high, although there are few studies that specifically measure boredom.
I'm going to discuss five of the most basic ones here: 1) Don't tell them they are wrong about something, 2) Don't argue with them, 3) Don't ask if they remember something, 4) Don't remind them that their spouse, parent or other loved one is dead, and 5) Don't bring up topics that may upset them.
In stage 6 of dementia, a person may start forgetting the names of close loved ones and have little memory of recent events.
You and your family may worry about how long you can look after yourself, particularly if you live alone. Everyone experiences dementia differently and the rate at which symptoms become worse varies from person to person. But with the right support when you need it, many people live independently for several years.
The few studies available agree that boredom is a serious problem affecting institutionalised elderly people with dementia because it increases episodes of agitation and violence, cases of delirium and hallucinations, and feelings of loneliness.
It finds that people with Alzheimer's and other types of dementia retain a sense of self and have a positive quality of life, overall, until the illness's final stages.
Administration: The examiner reads a list of 5 words at a rate of one per second, giving the following instructions: “This is a memory test. I am going to read a list of words that you will have to remember now and later on. Listen carefully. When I am through, tell me as many words as you can remember.
Lying to dementia patients can be the right way to care for them because: They don't remember the truth and repeatedly telling them or insisting on facts will only cause them distress and pain, especially when it comes to something emotional.
Often when a person with dementia asks to go home it refers to the sense of 'home' rather than home itself. 'Home' may represent memories of a time or place that was comfortable and secure and where they felt relaxed and happier. It could also be an indefinable place that may not physically exist.
other long-term health problems – dementia tends to progress more quickly if the person is living with other conditions, such as heart disease, diabetes or high blood pressure, particularly if these are not well-managed.
Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease causes a type of dementia that gets worse unusually fast. More common causes of dementia, such as Alzheimer's, dementia with Lewy bodies and frontotemporal dementia, typically progress more slowly.
Rapidly progressing dementia is a type of dementia that progresses much faster than is typical of more common dementias, such as Alzheimer's disease. It typically occurs because of an underlying illness, such as prion disease, an autoimmune disease that attacks the brain, infection, or cancer.
A person in the later stages of dementia is likely to have a weak immune system. This means they have a higher risk of getting infections, which in some cases can last for a long time. One of the most common causes of death for people with dementia is pneumonia caused by an infection.
Avoid asking too many open-ended questions about the past, as it could be stressful for a person with dementia if they can't remember the answer. While it might seem polite to ask somebody about their day, it's better to focus on what's happening in the present.
Receiving a life-changing dementia diagnosis doesn't strip a person of their humanity or personhood. People with dementia think about the same things that any human thinks about — emotions, relationships, daily life, tasks to accomplish, and more.
People with dementia begin to feel lost, confused, and insecure. Attention-seeking behavior displayed by needy elderly people with dementia is their way of asking for help.
Sleeping more and more is a common feature of later-stage dementia. As the disease progresses, the damage to a person's brain becomes more extensive and they gradually become weaker and frailer over time.
The average life expectancy figures for the most common types of dementia are as follows: Alzheimer's disease – around eight to 10 years. Life expectancy is less if the person is diagnosed in their 80s or 90s. A few people with Alzheimer's live for longer, sometimes for 15 or even 20 years.