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Dementia and Your Practice

Learn about dementia, its impact on the aging population, and how to effectively support clients who have dementia in your practice. Discover the importance of early detection, preventative measures, and creating a care plan. Gain insights into legal considerations, client support, and handling difficult situations.

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Dementia and Your Practice

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  1. Dementia and Your Practice • Rev Jamie Wilson Headley, CDP, CDI, CSA, MBA • Dementia Services Group

  2. Dementia and Your Practice • What percentage of your client base is 65 or older? • How long is your typical client relationship? • Over the course of your practice what is the likelihood that you will deal with clients 65 - 90 years of age?

  3. Dementia and Your Practice • Why does this matter? • 14% of those over 65 have some cognitive impairment • 50% of those of 85 have some form of cognitive impairment • 10K Baby Boomers are turning 65 every day • There is no cure for Alzheimer’s or most other irreversible dementias • So - you will most likely encounter someone with dementia either professionally or personally • Dementia care currently costs from $3000 - $10,000 per month

  4. What is Dementia? BRAIN FAILURE

  5. Dementia Defined • Dementia is not a disease, it is an umbrella term for a group of symptoms or a condition Reversible dementia • Medications • Depression • NPH Irreversible dementia • Alzheimer’s is the most common • Lewy Body • Vascular dementia • FTD

  6. The Brain

  7. “If the human brain were so simple that we could understand it, we would be so simple that we couldn’t” Emerson Pugh, The Biological Origin of Human Values (1977)

  8. Say The Color Blue Purple Aqua Tan Black White Green Yellow Red

  9. Why This Was Difficult This is difficult because it produces a left/right brain conflict. The right brain tried to say the COLOR and the left brain tried to READ the color

  10. Early Signs • Memory Loss • Repetition • Decreased judgment • Loss of initiative • Decline in finding words • Misplacing things • Changes in personality, mood or behavior • Problems performing familiar tasks • Difficulty with abstract thinking

  11. Moderate Presentation • Increase in early symptoms • Reduced memory of personal history • Needing help with ADLs • Hygiene issues/incontinence • Personality changes and behaviors • Paranoia • Loss of place and surroundings • Lack of insight

  12. End Stage Presentation • Short and long term memory loss • Assist with all ADLs • Loss of familiar tasks such as bathing • Loss of person and recognition of family • Hallucinations • Behaviors • Physical loss • Swallowing • Death

  13. Brain with Alzheimer’s

  14. What To Expect • Alzheimer’s presents uniquely in each person • Stages are considered artificial benchmarks • Functionality can come and go from day to day, hour to hour until it is eventually lost all together • Lack of insight • Changes in personality and behavior which may seem intentional • Regression in emotional and logical thinking • Possible depression • Hallucinations and delusions

  15. What Is Normal Aging? • A normal person forgets, remembers that she forgot and later remembers what she forgot • A person with Alzheimer’s forgets, forgets that she has forgotten and couldn’t care less five minutes later • Normal aging • Occasional word loss • Slower learning curve, “less bandwidth” • Loss of source of learned material

  16. Risk Factors • Age • 10% of those 65 and older • 50% of those 85 and older • Genetics • Environment • Stress • Lifestyle

  17. Preventative Measures • Stress • Exercise • Diet • Cognitive retention • Inflammation • Drugs/alcohol

  18. Keys to Planning • Get a diagnosis - See a geritrician or neurologist • Understand the disease and its progression • Get legal documents in order - POA, HCPOA, Living Will • Get an understanding of finances • Establish a care plan • Get help to execute that plan • Ask for help along the way

  19. Important Considerations • Driving • Home safety • Wandering • Medications • Fraud/Predators • Personal habits • Smoking • Gambling • Alcohol

  20. Practice Considerations • Legal • Privacy • Ethics • Risk • Consider creating a protocol

  21. Supporting Your Client • Require a POA to be identified • Request POA or advocate to be present • Suggest a meeting with a physician • Get some education • Be aware of resources • Call APS if you suspect abuse

  22. Things to Remember • Do not argue • Don’t take anything personally • Ask questions • Listen • Ask for help • Don’t ignore it!

  23. Questions??? Dementia Services Group, LLC

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