[If students viewed the recommended videos or completed readings on dementia or Alzheimerís from the Resources below:] Discuss whether Mrs. Snyder could be showing signs of early-stage dementia. What specific things lead you to your conclusion?
Emelia coordinated a Meals on Wheels Program for the elderly, and supervised 10 volunteers who delivered the meals. One day, when Emelia filled in for a volunteer and delivered a meal to the Snyders, she found Mr. Snyder very agitated and worried because Mrs. Snyder was missing. Apparently she had wandered off before. Because it was cold outside and they lived two blocks from a busy street, Emelia was alarmed and struggled with how to respond to this unexpected situation. As she tried to prioritize her responsibilities, she began to wonder if her volunteers were communicating with her and if they were well-trained for their responsibilities.
According to Mr. Snyder¥s report, she has been leaving the house without telling him where she is going and has been hiding in places nearby. She may not be preparing herself for the cold before she leaves the house. This behavior could be due to cognitive dysfunction. However, Emelia has not been able to determine some important information, such as how often she has done this in the past or whether she has a rational explanation for her behavior. In her last assessment, Emelia did not indicate that she observed any symptoms of cognitive dysfunction.
If Mrs. Snyderís reports about her behavior were correct, then it was possible that Mrs. Snyder was suffering from cognitive dysfunction. Wandering, disorientation, forgetfulness, and confusion may all be signs of cognitive dysfunction. However, a diagnosis of dementia should not be made without a comprehensive evaluation. Dementia would be very difficult to diagnose. Symptoms of cognitive dysfunction could be caused by multiple factors. Once the immediate crisis was under control, it would be essential to have a comprehensive evaluation by a specialist in geriatrics. Some of the factors that could contribute to Mrs. Snyder?s reported behavior were: reaction to a medication or a combination of medications (older adults tend to respond more sensitively to changes in medication); problems with digestion and absorption of medications and food; emotional and physical stress; disrupted sleep, changes in environment; cardiac and circulation problems; other health problems. These should all be eliminated as factors before a diagnosis of Alzheimer?s disease or another type of dementia could be made. Skilled geriatric physicians could bring about substantial improvement in the cognitive status of older adults by providing sensitive titration of medications and stabilizing contributing medical conditions.
You might also like to view...
Many middle-class progressives established settlement houses in the East and Midwest so that they could live among the immigrants
Indicate whether the statement is true or false
The population in prisons and jails across the country has sky-rocketed, primarily due to sharp increases in
a. violent crimes. b. violent juvenile offenses. c. drug-related offenses. d. domestic terrorism.
Which of the following is a true statement regarding the social work helping process:
a. It was originally developed by Jane Addams b. It has three major phases: contact phase, contract phase, and action phase c. It focuses on diagnosis and treatment d. It forms the basis for the ecological/systems framework
Which of the following is (are) among suggestions for getting a new program off the ground during the implementation phase?
A) ?Nurture participating staff's support. B) ?Consider starting out with as large a population of clients as possible. C) ?Avoid trial runs as they take too much time and energy. D) ?All of the above