Dementia, A Family Case Study
Dementia is derived from the late 18th Century Latin, that simply translates to “out of one’s mind” (“Definition”, 2016). It is described as a group of symptoms that impair thinking, memories and reasoning (“ Disorder”, 2013). It is not an actual disease, as it is now classified as Neurocognitive disorder. It can range from minor to major, depending on the severity of the cognitive decline (“Dementia”, 2016). The impact of this disorder can be witnessed in the patient as their cognition deteriorates, but they are not always the only ones that suffer, as their families are suffering along with them (Ogden, 2005). Patient (and family) Sophie was a talented journalist and talk-back host to a radio …show more content…
The psychologist administered several assessment test, such as the revised Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, the Wechsler Memory Scale and the Rey Complex Figure. The psychologist determined that Sophie’s rating was in the average range in regards to the first two tests and fell short two standard deviations (SD) below the average for the Rey Complex Figure. The lower score was attributed to fatigue and anxiety and it was determined that Sophie had no reason for concern. Due to the lack of expertise in neuropsychology, the psychologist failed to realize that Sophie’s score of “average” was not the equivalence of normal and therefore misdiagnosed the seriousness of her symptoms. After 18 months, her symptoms progressed and her family became more concerned as it was now apparent that she was declining. Sophie then consulted with a geriatrician that administered a Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE), her score fell into the moderately impaired range. More inclusive tests were then administered, including several medical tests, in order to rule out any reversible causes that could be treated. All the physical test results were normal except for a CT scan of her brain that concluded the lateral ventricles appeared slightly larger than normal. Since there was no history of medical conditions or medications that could have …show more content…
Each one was interviewed to give insight on their perceptions of her diminishing behavior. They described her gradual decline of memory, inability to articulate properly, and most recently, unable to find her way. Sophie also exhibited signs of depression due to her awareness of her present state. Additional tests were given to access the extent of her condition as well as comparison of her previous neuropsychological tests. It was concluded at that time, that the previous tests administered by the clinical psychologist were misdiagnosed. It was apparent that Sophie had been displaying symptoms of of verbal and visuospatial memory impairment and word finding memory problems. At that point the National Adult Reading Test (NART) was administered and it was verified that with Sophie’s level of intelligence, the results were below what was considered average. She also has a slower response on the digit Symbol subtest and struggled with simple word definitions. It was noted that there was a dramatic deterioration when the specialist compared the drawings of the Taylor Figure to the one just 18 months earlier. As she struggled to complete the drawing, her demeanor demonstrated distress as she cried and questioned her performance. Her becoming upset with her inabilities, caused the administrator to stop additional testing. It was then assessed that her difficulties stemmed from frontal
Dementia is derived from the late 18th Century Latin, that simply translates to “out of one’s mind” (“Definition”, 2016). It is described as a group of symptoms that impair thinking, memories and reasoning (“ Disorder”, 2013). It is not an actual disease, as it is now classified as Neurocognitive disorder. It can range from minor to major, depending on the severity of the cognitive decline (“Dementia”, 2016). The impact of this disorder can be witnessed in the patient as their cognition deteriorates, but they are not always the only ones that suffer, as their families are suffering along with them (Ogden, 2005). Patient (and family) Sophie was a talented journalist and talk-back host to a radio …show more content…
The psychologist administered several assessment test, such as the revised Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, the Wechsler Memory Scale and the Rey Complex Figure. The psychologist determined that Sophie’s rating was in the average range in regards to the first two tests and fell short two standard deviations (SD) below the average for the Rey Complex Figure. The lower score was attributed to fatigue and anxiety and it was determined that Sophie had no reason for concern. Due to the lack of expertise in neuropsychology, the psychologist failed to realize that Sophie’s score of “average” was not the equivalence of normal and therefore misdiagnosed the seriousness of her symptoms. After 18 months, her symptoms progressed and her family became more concerned as it was now apparent that she was declining. Sophie then consulted with a geriatrician that administered a Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE), her score fell into the moderately impaired range. More inclusive tests were then administered, including several medical tests, in order to rule out any reversible causes that could be treated. All the physical test results were normal except for a CT scan of her brain that concluded the lateral ventricles appeared slightly larger than normal. Since there was no history of medical conditions or medications that could have …show more content…
Each one was interviewed to give insight on their perceptions of her diminishing behavior. They described her gradual decline of memory, inability to articulate properly, and most recently, unable to find her way. Sophie also exhibited signs of depression due to her awareness of her present state. Additional tests were given to access the extent of her condition as well as comparison of her previous neuropsychological tests. It was concluded at that time, that the previous tests administered by the clinical psychologist were misdiagnosed. It was apparent that Sophie had been displaying symptoms of of verbal and visuospatial memory impairment and word finding memory problems. At that point the National Adult Reading Test (NART) was administered and it was verified that with Sophie’s level of intelligence, the results were below what was considered average. She also has a slower response on the digit Symbol subtest and struggled with simple word definitions. It was noted that there was a dramatic deterioration when the specialist compared the drawings of the Taylor Figure to the one just 18 months earlier. As she struggled to complete the drawing, her demeanor demonstrated distress as she cried and questioned her performance. Her becoming upset with her inabilities, caused the administrator to stop additional testing. It was then assessed that her difficulties stemmed from frontal