The article , ' The Effects of a Recollection-Based Occupational Therapy Program of Alzheimer's Disease: A Randomized Control Trial' authored by Deokju Kim (2020), investigates and discusses the effects of using specific programs on a group of participants diagnosed with mild Alzheimer's disease. After tests for homogeneity were conducted, the participants were divided into two groups; the control and experiment groups. Scientists monitored the group progress through the use of various tools, including the Korean Mini-Mental Status Examination (K-MMSE), Functional Independent Measure (FIM), Subjective Memory Complaints Questionnaire (SMCQ), Short-Form Geriatric Depression Scale-K (SGDS-K), and Geriatric Quality of Life-Dementia (GQOL-D) (Kim, 2020). Results indicated that the experimental group members showed significant improvement after measuring memory deterioration by SMCQ while the control group exhibited no change. There was also a significant change between these two groups after the recollection-based occupational therapy. Similar results were also observed after the measurement of cognitive abilities by K-MMCE.
Furthermore, the program was designed to have five main categories where the participants were encouraged to try and remember certain moments and aspects of their lives (Kim, 2020). At the end of the study, the findings concluded that most participants could recollect their past lives because of the program's activities. The experimental group also exhibited reduced levels of depression, unlike the norm, where a recollection of the past can trigger anxiety and stress.
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Significance of the Nurses' Role In The Treatment and Management of Alzheimer's Disease
Alzheimer's disease is a known degenerative disease that affects the brain neurons and synaptic connections progressively, leading to dementia. One study showed that approximately 66% of the older demographic found with memory concerns have asked for a memory test at one point in their lives (Mahmood &Tayib, 2019) . However, around eighty-one percent stated that they would consult with their local practitioners to feel the need. However, the increase in the older demographic population has highlighted nurses' importance in managing and treating AD. Nurses have managed to bridge the complex gap of identifying, diagnosing, treating, and managing cognitive diseases like AD and dementia. Reports show that many people who have visited a general practitioner because of cognitive concerns could not receive the utmost care they should have because they are often misunderstood (Mahmood & Tayib, 2019) . Besides treating and administering patient care, nurses educate the families and caregivers of the affected on the necessary information about the disease's development on how to offer adequate support and care. Caring for an AD patient can be pretty overwhelming and exhaustive if there is no proper organization and team mobilization among the medical practitioners. Nurses are tasked with the obligation of customizing specific care programs due to the diverse magnitude of AD's impact on different patients' lives.
Care Environments
Over the years, research and new findings have enabled medical practitioners to understand AD's pathology, therefore, improving care treatments for patients. Because AD patients require close monitoring, hospitals and other care facilities have devised ways to make the patients comfortable while managing their condition. Patients who have Alzheimer's disease have been characterized by reduced physical and mental functionality, resulting in further medical issues and concerns like depression (Thornhill & Conant, 2018). Hence, hospitals and other care facilities like nursing homes allow patients to receive inpatient treatment while still accessing everyday items. Besides, several programs, including government-funded ones like Medicare and Medicaid, assist patients and families in paying for the management and treatment of diseases affecting the body's cognitive functioning (Thornhill & Conant, 2018). One of the main concerns of AD's treatment and management is the limited awareness of this disease. It is very easy for a patient suffering from AD and Dementia to be misunderstood and mishandled because not many people know about the disease. Therefore, one way to improve this condition in society is that AD and other cognitive disorders are rampant among the elderly to educate the masses. Because there is no effective treatment to cure AD and Dementia, identifying it in its early stages would give medics the advantages of managing it before adverse symptoms show.
Benefits Of Proper Care Treatments To Older Adults
Several indications show that the risk of suffering from Alzheimer's increases with age. The mild stages of AD are primarily memory loss. However, these symptoms escalate without proper treatment: repetition of statements, getting lost, wandering, and even behavioral changes (Thornhill & Conant, 2018). Diagnosing AD during its early stages enables the patient to be cared for appropriately, thus improving the quality of life. This prevents the disease's nature from escalating into more severe health issues, including depression and reduced will to live (Thornhill & Conant, 2018). The programs organized for such patients attempt to lessen the damage caused by AD and other cognitive diseases, therefore, prolonging and improving the quality of their lives as they experience some sense of control over their thoughts and actions.
Innovation
The advancement of technology has been used in various fields, including health and medicine, to improve living standards. Governments can set up awareness policies and campaigns that educate the masses about cognitive disorders in society. For instance, cognitive tests should be made mandatory when citizens attain a certain age as many aged persons are unaware of their condition until its advanced stages. Also, technological devices almost similar to the Apple watch should be developed to guide patients across their day-to-day activities with minimal physician supervision. It will also help those who find patients who have lost their way home with absolutely no recollection of where they are going or coming from if an emergency contact is listed in the device. Furthermore, voice reminders can be a great way of reminding loved ones of things they are likely to forget without interfering with their independence (Harrison et al., 2019) . This, in turn, would improve the quality of life for the elderly.
Conclusion
The risk of developing cognitive diseases like Alzheimer's disease and dementia increases with age. Scientists over the years have been able to come up with new findings from experiments investigating AD, its causes, symptoms, and management and care plans. For instance, participants from one study conducted to investigate the effects of a recollection-based occupational theory on patients diagnosed with mild AD showed significant improvements after the program. This means that healthcare workers, especially nurses, are vital for the progressive improvement of these patients. The nurse's primary role is to organize an effective care treatment plan that mobilizes other caregivers like doctors and family members in caring for the patient. Patients suffering from AD or any other cognitive diseases required proper diagnosing and immediate treatment, so there are several health care programs and facilities like nursing homes. The government has also played a significant role in treating and managing AD by having insurance programs like Medicare and Medicaid to assist families in covering the hospital bills. Early diagnosis and management of AD reduce brain damage as patients try to recollect segments of their lives that they had forgotten therefore improving the quality of life among the elderly.
References
Harrison Dening, K., Sampson, E. L., & De Vries, K. (2019). Advance care planning in dementia: recommendations for healthcare professionals. Palliative care , 12 , 1178224219826579. https://doi.org/10.1177/1178224219826579
Kim, D. (2020). The effects of a recollection-based occupational therapy program of Alzheimer's disease: A randomized controlled trial . https://doi.org/10.1155/2020/6305727
Mahmood, F., & Tayib, A. (2019). Healing environment correlated with patients' psychological comfort: Post-occupancy evaluation of general hospitals - Fouad Jalal Mahmood, Abdullah Yosif Tayib, 2021 . SAGE Journals. https://doi.org/10.1177/1420326X19888005
Thornhill, L., & Conant, R. (2018). Improving care through public policy . The Gerontologist, Volume 58, Issue suppl_1. https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/gnx181
