What is Dementia?
Published: 07 September 2022
Published: 07 September 2022
Dementia is the term used for a collection of symptoms that are caused by disorders affecting the brain - it is not one specific disease.
Dementia should not be considered a ‘normal’ part of ageing. Although it’s more common after 65 years of age, it can happen to anybody (Dementia Australia 2017a; ABS 2020).
Under the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), there are six main cognitive domains that may be affected by dementia. They are:
(Dementia Australia 2017b)
It’s essential that you have an awareness of dementia, as it is a growing epidemic in Australia. There are an estimated 487,500 cases of dementia in Australia, and this is only expected to increase in the future (Dementia Australia 2022).
This article will outline types of dementia; signs and symptoms; presentation; treatment; and prevention, and will provide you with material for further research.
(Dementia Australia 2022; AIHW 2021)
(Better Health Channel 2014a)
There is a generally recognised trajectory to the progression of dementia. It is characterised by the following three stages:
A person is able to carry out daily tasks without assistance, but a number of areas within personal care and memory are observed as showing deficits.
These deficits have become more obvious and severe, and the level of assistance needed to function in and out of the home is steadily increasing.
By this stage, the person is almost completely dependent on the care and supervision of other people.
(Dementia Australia 2017c)
(Dementia Australia 2017a; Better Health Channel 2014b; Clark 2015)
Beyond these signs, look for more subtle red flags such as frequent falls or trouble maintaining balance; or unexpected deterioration of an existing condition (Clark 2015).
Dementia may present similarly to many other conditions and symptoms, including vitamin or hormone deficiency, depression, medication side-effects, infection or brain tumour (Dementia Australia 2017a).
Diagnosis may involve:
(Better Health Channel 2014b)
Some people are at increased risk of developing dementia for reasons that are out of their control, such as age, genetics or incurring a brain injury.
There are, however, many modifiable risk factors that can be changed. These include:
(Dementia Australia 2019; Alzheimer Society of Canada 2021)
Ongoing support is critical for people living with dementia. As a care worker or healthcare professional, you are in a unique position to empower patients and their loved ones with relevant information that will help them to understand and manage the condition, for both the immediate and distant future. Your intervention could considerably improve their quality of life (Woodward 2015).
Pharmacological therapies may be available to patients. Additionally, referral to non-pharmacological therapies may be appropriate. Examples include:
(Woodward 2015; Healthdirect 2020)
While there is no known cure for dementia, there are medicinal options that are able to slow the progression of the illness and, in some cases, ameliorate the symptoms (Woodward 2015).
Early diagnosis is crucial as it ensures early access to support, information and medication (Dementia Australia 2017a).
Question 1 of 3
How much more likely are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples to develop dementia than non-Indigenous Australians?