Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is neurodegenerative disease that affects patient's cognitive abilities (Tabloski, 2014). AD is the most common type of dementia, accounting for eighty percent of all dementia diagnosis (Tabloski, 2014). AD is irreversible, progressive, and there is no cure (Biercewicz, Filipska, & Kedziora-Kornatowska, 2016). The purpose of this post is to describe what I have learned after watching, the Frontline documentary, Living Old. I will discuss what I did not previously know, what I found surprising, and what piece of information I will take back to my nursing practice.
I have not taken care of patients with AD since I first became a nurse twenty years ago. Therefore, one thing I learned that I did not previously know …show more content…
Just watching the video gave me feelings of extreme sadness, I cannot imagine how hard it was for them to tell their story. Losing a loved one is an indescribable pain, but their loved one is still there physically. That has to be unbearable. As the nurse, we need to recognize that the caregiver may need care as well. What I will take back to my nursing practice is the need for family and caregiver support. Taking care of someone, a loved one, with a cognitive impairment is a difficult challenge for the family and relatives (Biercewicz et al., 2016). It requires patience, calm, and dedication. Family and relatives also require nursing interventions such as support and education (Biercewicz et al., 2016).
In conclusion, AD is a devastating diagnosis for the patient and their family. Nursing care must focus on assisting with daily activities, preservation of memory and communication, and caregiver support. Patients with AD should maintain active rehabilitation and cognitive function exercises to slow the disease process (Biercewicz et al., 2016). As the nurse, we can implement these interventions for patients with AD to improve their overall quality of
I have not taken care of patients with AD since I first became a nurse twenty years ago. Therefore, one thing I learned that I did not previously know …show more content…
Just watching the video gave me feelings of extreme sadness, I cannot imagine how hard it was for them to tell their story. Losing a loved one is an indescribable pain, but their loved one is still there physically. That has to be unbearable. As the nurse, we need to recognize that the caregiver may need care as well. What I will take back to my nursing practice is the need for family and caregiver support. Taking care of someone, a loved one, with a cognitive impairment is a difficult challenge for the family and relatives (Biercewicz et al., 2016). It requires patience, calm, and dedication. Family and relatives also require nursing interventions such as support and education (Biercewicz et al., 2016).
In conclusion, AD is a devastating diagnosis for the patient and their family. Nursing care must focus on assisting with daily activities, preservation of memory and communication, and caregiver support. Patients with AD should maintain active rehabilitation and cognitive function exercises to slow the disease process (Biercewicz et al., 2016). As the nurse, we can implement these interventions for patients with AD to improve their overall quality of