Frailty among the elderly population makes them more susceptible to dementia, particularly Alzheimer’s disease. Studies indicate that those who have higher levels of frailty are likely to experience brain changes and symptoms associated with cognitive capabilities ( Isaacson et al., 2019 ). Older adults diagnosed with the disease tend to struggle and adjust to a wide range of emotions as they become afraid of what they consider an uncertain future. Due to their weakness, they start experiencing episodes of memory loss and confusion. At this point, they become insecure and lose confidence in themselves because they know that they are no longer in control of their actions. Since people at this stage experience stigma and a sense of social demotion, it is essential for those around them to treat them with love and care so that this negativity can be reduced. Alzheimer’s disease reduces the physiological reserve of frail elders and makes the body vulnerable to neurological problems, thus decreasing its ability to cope with other pathological burdens ( Sabayan & Sorond, 2017 ). This is the main reason why other health problems also affect them at this stage.
A 68-year-old patient had been diagnosed with dementia because he had lost his ability to perform daily functions like taking medication, driving safely, and paying bills. The assessment process had to be carefully laid out to ensure the correct. The physician started by evaluating the pattern relating to the loss of function and skills. The examination would determine what his capabilities were at this point. His medical history review was also conducted, and symptoms analyzed after which, a physical examination was done. Cognitive, neurological test, and lab tests in conjunction with a brain scan were also conducted. His children and wife were also asked some questions regarding the symptoms he exhibited and the behavior as well. The treatment plan involved the prescription of medication to provide a temporary improvement in the symptoms. These include Cholinesterase inhibitors ( donepezil, rivastigmine, and galantamine) and memantine ( Seetlani et al., 2016 ). Occupation and physical therapy programs were also recommended to the patient to help in preventing accidents, managing behavior, and reducing confusion. The caregivers were educated on the proper means of taking care of their ones. Through the program, they got to understand the disease, how it can be treated, and how to cope with the changes that were about to take place as a result of this diagnosis.
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The patient’s care plan was effective because it focused on correcting reversible factors of dementia as it slowed down the irreversible ones. In addition to this, it also incorporated daily care by family members, something which helped the patient handle dementia well at home. In the future, I may recommend participation in Alzheimer's prevention trials such as the Alzheimer's Prevention Initiative (API), The Anti-Amyloid Treatment in Asymptomatic Alzheimer's Disease (A4) Study, and Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer Network Trials Unit (DIAN-TU) ( Mauricio at al., 2019 ). It is in these trials that progress has been made in understanding, slowing down, and reducing the effects of dementia, and as such, it is a promising initiative for the elderly population.
References
Isaacson, R. S., Hristov, H., Saif, N., Hackett, K., Hendrix, S., Melendez, J., ... & Bellara, S. (2019). Individualized clinical management of patients at risk for Alzheimer's dementia. Alzheimer's & Dementia , 15 (12), 1588-1602.
Mauricio, R., Benn, C., Davis, J., Dawson, G., Dawson, L. A., Evans, A., ... & Jones, D. N. (2019). Tackling gaps in developing life-changing treatments for dementia. Alzheimer's & Dementia: Translational Research & Clinical Interventions , 5 , 241-253.
Sabayan, B., & Sorond, F. (2017). Reducing the risk of dementia in older age. Jama , 317 (19), 2028-2028.
Seetlani, N. K., Kumar, N., Imran, K., Ali, A., Shams, N., & Sheikh, T. (2016). Alzheimer and vascular dementia in the elderly patients. Pakistan journal of medical sciences , 32 (5), 1286.
