Strategies addressing a variety of challenges that persons with dementia-related psychosis and their caregivers encounter have been highlighted by a clinical workgroup of experts.
Dementia - Types, Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment
Dementia has become a very big concern as we have an aging population across the world. Dementia is also terrifying to us because of its disturbing symptoms and limited treatment options.
Dementia has become a very big concern as we have an aging population across the world. Dementia is also terrifying to us because of its disturbing symptoms and limited treatment options.
‘Strategies addressing a variety of challenges that persons with dementia-related psychosis and their caregivers encounter during moves through different health care settings have been highlighted by a clinical workgroup of experts. It emphasizes the need for a team-based approach for patient care along with additional education for staff, as well as surveyors, which could help enhance resident quality of life, especially in long-term care settings.’
"When left untreated, the hallucinations and delusions that frequently occur in patients with dementia can cause the significant patient and caregiver distress and often lead to institutionalization. There is a pressing need for greater awareness of the condition and more effective diagnostic and treatment strategies", says Gary W. Small, MD, FGSA, chair of psychiatry at Hackensack University Medical Center and the physician in chief of behavioral health at Hackensack Meridian Health. Almost 2 million Americans with dementia experience delusions (false beliefs) and hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that others do not see or hear), otherwise termed as dementia-related psychosis. It is often undetected in people who reveal overlapping symptoms of other complex behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia.
Care to be Taken in Dementia-related Psychosis
Delusions Types, Causes, Diagnosis and Treatment
Delusions are firm beliefs by the person of something that is not logically or practically possible. The cause of delusions is believed to be unrealistic expectation and reasoning of a situation.
Delusions are firm beliefs by the person of something that is not logically or practically possible. The cause of delusions is believed to be unrealistic expectation and reasoning of a situation.
"Primary care needs full support to be able to better identify and care for these patients, both in terms of education about dementia-related psychosis and its management, and also by providing enhanced access to expert and specialty care, particularly for providers in rural communities. We need to not only formalize and expand the education of trainees and providers on this disease, but enhance care coordination opportunities through collaborative models and telehealth platforms -- to ensure that providers not only have an understanding of dementia-related psychosis, but the resources to adequately care for these patients", says Alexis Eastman, MD, the medical director in the Division of Geriatrics at UW Hospitals and Clinics and an assistant professor at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, who also served on the workgroup.
Advertisement
ICU Delirium - Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment
ICU delirium is the most dreaded and least diagnosed complication of an illness which requires treatment in the critical care unit.
ICU delirium is the most dreaded and least diagnosed complication of an illness which requires treatment in the critical care unit.
Source-Medindia
Diseases Related to Old Age
Ageing is referred to the accumulation of changes that brings a person closer to death.
Ageing is referred to the accumulation of changes that brings a person closer to death.
