Dementia
Dementia is a general deterioration of mental abilities. It affects memory and speaking skills, couses understanding confusion in the local and time orientation.
It can sneak slowly and imperceptibly, and it can take months and years before it develops. It`s different, like in the case of stroke or serious injury where signs can occur more rapidly. The most common causes of dementia are Alzheimer's disease and stroke. There are many other, more than two hundred different diseases, which can lead to dementia. Dementia is a chronic, progressive disease for which there is no cure. It applies as a disease of the elderly.
At the beginning, people have memory problems they forget things. People forget the events of the last days, months, but memory from a young age remains unchanged, at least in the initial stages. I do not remember what date we are today. It is interesting that they can tell the exact date of birth, but do not know how old they are. They don`t remember new information. Therefore, it is very important to talk to people with dementia, at least in the initial stages, about their past and childhood, in which the memory is still preserved. This problem prevents them from living independently.
Gradualy, problems occur with the expression, speech, which is intensified. In the early stage problems arise in naming familiar objects, because they cannot remember anymore, later their ability to communicate reduces, they do not understand the composite longer phrases, they talk less, and only repeat individual words and phrases or form new words. Their verbal communication becomes incomprehensible. In the last stage, they are no longer able to verbally communicate, because they do not understand the conversation anymore. They remain receptive to facial expressions, non-verbal communication and mood.
Typical problems for them are local and time orientation. In time orientation, they do not know how to assess the time, they can be confused about decades and they think that we are in the year of their birth. They do not know what day of the week it is or what time of year it is. In the local orientation, they do not know where they are and how they got there. They do not know the way back. They can go the store, on the bus, but do not know which path to take or which way. In later stages, they are also lost in their familiar home environment like their own apartment.
Very common and particularly painful for close relatives are allegations of theft of things to which the person with dementia forgotten or mislaid. This can be joined by hallucinations and hearings. In the final stage, people with dementia can no longer identify their loved ones or replace them for another person, often for a deceased close relatives, especially parents.
There are markedly changes in behavior, emotion, personality changes, lose the will to work, lose interests and activities that they previously liked. They can change the way they feel, they become labile, their mood quickly changes from anger to joy for no apparent reason in a very short time. They can express inappropriate emotions, they laugh when they hear the sad news, or do not show emotions, only a blank stare. Personality changes in persons with dementia may be very pronounced. Typically, a particularfeature is further amplified, for example. Precise person becomes even more fastidious and pays attention to every detail. It is also possible that personal characteristics of person with dementia disappear and new, previously uncharacteristic for that person occurs. They can become introverted, fraudulent, violent, fearful, hostile, etc..
All described changes do not cause physical immobilisation. They can move, but are, also due to all of the above changes, especially in the last stage, completely dependent on others and need constant supervision. They can not get dressed, prepare food, they can not hold urin, losing their sense of hunger, etc.. Often they get very little sleep at night and can many times wander around in unknown places. They are becoming more passive. In the end, they are tied to the bed, where increased opportunities for various diseases and inflammation appear.