Dementia resident survival guide

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Moises Romo, M.D.

Overview

Dementia is the progressive decline in cognitive function due to damage or disease in the brain beyond what might be expected from normal aging, it should be diferianted from delirium which involves an acute onset, and usually is reversible. Dementia may affect several cognitive areas, such as memory, attention, language, and problem solving. In advanced stages of the condition, affected persons may be disoriented in time, in place, and/or in person. The diagnsosis of dementia is primarly clinical and by ruling-out other conditions by imgaing and laboratory tests. It is important to always screen for depression, especially in older people, since this may be the underlying problem.

Life Threatening Causes

There are no identified life-threatening causes in dementia that may lead to death within 24 hours, since all conditions are chronic.

Common Causes

• Alzheimer's Disease
• Parkinson's Disease
• Binswanger's Disease
• Dementia with Lewy bodies
• Thiamine deficiency
• Vascular dementia
• Marijuana abuse
• AIDS
• Neurosyphilis
• Normal pressure hydrocephalus
• Vitamin B12 deficiency
• Vitamin B6 deficiency

Diagnosis

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Treatment

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Do's

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Don'ts

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