Dementia: Alzheimer’s Disease Diagnosis, Treatment, and Care
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LEARNING OUTCOME AND OBJECTIVES: Upon completion of this continuing education course, you will have increased your knowledge of diagnosis, treatment, and care for persons with Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Specific learning objectives to address potential knowledge gaps include:
- Describe the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease.
- Discuss pharmacologic and medical treatments.
- Outline management and care for individual’s with AD.
- Identify effective communication strategies for patients with AD.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Introduction
- Diagnosing Alzheimer’s Disease
- Pharmacologic and Medical Management
- Management and Care for the Person with Alzheimer’s Disease
- Managing Challenging Behaviors
- Communication Strategies
- Conclusion
- Resources
- References
INTRODUCTION
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is an irreversible, progressive, degenerative disease of the brain that damages and eventually destroys brain cells, leading to loss of memory and impaired judgment, language, orientation, and executive functioning. Over time, it causes behavior and personality changes and eventually loss of physical function. When the individual becomes incapacitated, death is usually caused by complications such as pneumonia, hip fracture, pulmonary embolism, cachexia, or dehydration (Rosenzweig, 2020).
The course of Alzheimer’s and the rate of decline vary from person to person. AD can be present for many years before there are clinical signs and symptoms of the disease. On average, a person with Alzheimer’s lives for four to eight years after diagnosis. However, some may live for as many as 20 years (Alzheimer’s Association, 2020).