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.…
“Alive Inside” allows the audience to have an insight into the lives of Nursing Homes. The entire documentary is based on Dan Cohen, a social worker, who began a new organization called Music and Memory. When watching the documentary, I constantly compared the techniques used in the nursing homes to those discussed in class. In class, we discussed the elderly and Geriatrics. The lectures dealt with elderly who had neurological disorders like: Depression, Alzheimer’s, Dementia, Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder, etc.…
As I opened my computer, I spotted the email I had been waiting for, “Congratulations! You have been chosen to complete your fieldwork at a skilled nursing facility (SNF).” I read the sentence again. “Congratulations?” I thought as I closed my computer. “There must be a mistake.”…
There is a mother out there who does not recognize her own children. She does not even realize that she has grandchildren, possibly even great-grandchildren. She has forgotten that her husband has passed away. She spends her days wandering around aimlessly. She knows she has somewhere she needs to be, though she is unsure of where that is.…
Music has the power to transporting us back to a particular experience, memory, or era without that being its intended purpose. The documentary, Alive Inside, provided a look into how the brain’s reaction to music for nursing home residents with dementia provided an alternative therapy by allowing them to temporarily regain the memories and movement of their younger years. At the suggestion of Dan Cohen, social worker, nursing home volunteer and non-profit organizer of Music & Memory, the film’s director followed him for a day and what he discovered that day of the extent of influence that music had on these individuals, he decided to continue to follow Cohen for three years to document the phenomenal effects that this type of therapy. Through…
Individuals with dementia always need support. Legislation and frameworks are one way that people support these individuals with dementia. The health and quality of life of these individuals is improved by health and social care workers. They do this as part of a team, involving the work from many professionals. Finally, there are many different approaches to caring for people with dementia.…
Alexxis, After reading this summary, I think listening to this podcast would really benefit me! My grandmother that moved in with us about six months ago has Alzheimer's Disease. It's really challenging for her to keep up with her medications and we've found that recently she looks for every excuse to avoid going to the doctor even when she clearly knows she needs to. I think a big component of that is the fact that she recognizes she has trouble remembering things and it must be really discouraging for her. I think the point you made about having them write down main questions that need to be addressed would help her feel like she has some control and ensure she gets the answers she needs.…
My papw has had Alzheimer’s longer than I can remember. When I was younger, I spent much of my time at my mamaw and papaw’s house. I remember the front door’s white paint being so old and cracked it resembled the bark of a river birch tree, and stepping into the house you could smell the thick aroma of whatever my papaw was cooking that day. One day in particular I was looming over my papaw’s shoulder as he began to cook a breakfast of fried eggs for my mamaw. He positioned himself to where I could watch and learn how to cook the meal myself.…
This experience will greatly benefit me in a medical office setting. I now have some slight experience working with dementia patients and the older population. I know that when working with them I need to be understanding. I need to understand questions can happen over and over again. Also, I know dementia comes in many different forms, and I can’t tell who has it.…
I chose to take this role to learn more about dementia after discovering that a late uncle had the condition which was kept secret due to the stigma associated with the disorder. This position was arguably the most out of my comfort zone leaving me responsible for another human life but working closely with an interdisciplinary team of dietitians, physical therapists, and nurses helped me gain invaluable practical experience and the confidence to help look after those in more vulnerable conditions. Volunteering as a meal companion gave me access to numerous seminars and workshops aimed at better understanding dementia and improving interactions with patients as well as my own knowledge. By being consistent and making proper use of allocated…
Elderly people with dementia may suffer from harm, abuse and neglect. (Society, 2017) they are at a higher risk due to their disabilities, poor health and increased frailty. (de Chesnay and Anderson, 2008). They are also vulnerable to abuse as they may find it hard to share their feelings and experiences or recall what happened to them.…
The first time I witnessed or a firsthand encounter with anyone that was in late adulthood/Death and dying was with my great-grandmother. She had Alzheimer’s disease. I see her go from cooking extravagant meals for the family to not being able to read and becoming incontinent. My family chose not to send her to a nursing home. So, her house was rearranged to suit her needs.…
I'll start this story at the beginning of middle school when i became what i would call myself,”the swan” ...see i had this disease that would make my mind addicted to one thing.this would ruin my entire image until freshman year...but won't be until then when i'm going to become the worst person the middle school will ever know. This was known as ADHD because it would make my mind try to be like whatever the object was,in the case a swan. I myself personally regret this time in my life simply because i could've stopped this madness,but i chose not to. Freshman year for me was the most difficult time for me because of rude seniors,annoying juniors and a bunch of idiot sophomores,i mean it's typical for angola high school.…
The sickness that I live with is one that some would find excessively appalling, making it impossible to talk about; so I kept it to a whisper. This sickness I thought was to embarrassing to talk about, making it impossible to seek help, left me feeling alone in the dark. This sickness ruined friendships, without me realizing it. This sickness that made getting out of bed a struggle for me. This sickness made it impossible for me to see a positive future, until the day I stopped calling myself “crazy” and began to grow from what we all call, depression.…
The challenges of coping with aging and dementia in Singapore Dementia is a clinical syndrome caused by a number of organic brain disorders that affect memory, thinking and behaviour. This disease of being ’forgetful’ is a leading contributor to disability and need for care among older people, resulting in increased cost to the society. Therefore, dementia has an enormous economic impact on health care and social service systems ($2.4 billion spent in Singapore for 2014) (Paul et al., 2016). Thus, the purpose of this essay is to provide an insight on how Singapore is coping with dementia, in terms of treatment and providing care for the patients. Next, a brief discussion is made on possible challenges faced by caregivers while taking care of…