Understanding

Alzheimer’s Disease

Presented by
Greater Wisconsin Chapter
 Objectives
• What is Dementia
• Understanding of reversible and irreversible dementias;
Alzheimer’s
• Effects of dementia and stages
• Communication
• Life Story
 Dementia
• NOT a normal part of aging
• Progressive loss of intellectual abilities such as
thinking, remembering & reasoning that interfere
with daily living
• Interferes with ability to care for oneself, socialize,
plan for the future
• Can accompany or be part of many diseases and
physical conditions
• Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of
dementia
 What are the Reversible Causes of
Dementia?

Infection
Drugs
Emotional changes (Depression)
Blood Sugars (Hypo/hyperglycemia)
Eyes & Ears
Nutrition
Tumors
Alcohol
 Irreversible Causes of Dementia

 Alzheimer’s Disease
 Lewy-Body Dementia
 Vascular Dementia
 Front temporal Dementia (Pick’s Disease)
 AIDS & at least 70 other conditions
 Alzheimer’s Disease

• Alzheimer’s is a progressive brain disorder that gradually

destroys a person’s memory, ability to learn, reasoning,
making judgments, communicate and carry out daily
activities.
• As Alzheimer’s progresses, individuals may also
experience changes in personality & behavior, such as
anxiety, suspiciousness, agitation, delusions or
hallucinations
• Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of
irreversible dementia
• Each person progresses differently through the disease
process
Brain of Healthy Older Adult
Brain of Person with
Alzheimer’s Disease
 The Effects of Dementia

• Memory Changes
• Language Changes
• Perception & Recognition Changes
• Purposeful Movement Changes
• Complex Thought Changes

• We need to change, they can not

Early Stage Characteristics
 Short-term memory

 Handling money

 New learning

 Finding words

 Decreased attention span

 Middle Stage Characteristics

 Sleep disturbances  Language skill decline

 Wandering  Paranoia

 Disinhibition  Hallucinations

 Agitation  Resistance

 Social isolation  Sun downing

 Late Stage Characteristics

 Non-recognition of self or others

 Communication profoundly impaired

 24 hour care required

 Incontinent
 So unique!!!

So, you’ve met one person with Alzheimer’s

Disease. That only means you’ve met one
person with Alzheimer’s Disease!
 Life Story

• The person’s Life Story

is the basis for all interactions
with him or her.

• It is the way to connect

the individual to his or her day.
 What is a “Life Story?”
• Life accomplishments & achievements
• Likes & Dislikes
• Relationships with family & friends
• Pet Peeves & Comforts
• Routines
• Cultures & Traditions, Rituals
Communication Varies with Each Individual

The person with dementia may:

• Have difficulty finding the right words
• Use familiar words repeatedly
• Invent new words to describe familiar things
• Easily lose their train of thought
• Revert to native languages
• Use inappropriate language (curse words)
• Rely on gestures instead of verbalizations
 Non-Verbal Communication

Non-verbal communication is everything but the

actual words we speak!

 Visual Cues
 Tone of Voice
 Body Language
Non-verbal communication becomes
more important as the disease
progresses.
 Help the Person Communicate
• Be patient and supportive • Do not argue
• Show interest • Offer a guess
• Offer reassurance • Limit distractions
• Give the person the gift
of time
• Do not criticize or correct
 Use Your Best Communication Skills
• Identify yourself
• How is the environment
• Use the person’s name
• Make eye contact
• Use short, simple words and sentences
• Speak slowly and clearly
• Give one-step directions
• Ask one question at a time
Symptomatic Behaviors

People with dementia

cannot change who they are
any more than they can
change the effects of
dementia.

It is up to us to adapt.
 Behavior Becomes the Symptom
• All behavior has meaning.
• Form of communication
• Not always a “problem”
• Does not just happen, but
builds over time
• Behavior becomes the
language of the disease
 IMPORTANT!
 Sudden and/or a major changes in typical mood,
function or behavior, could be caused by other
physical conditions (reversible causes).
 Remember Alzheimer’s disease is slow and
progressive
 We must carefully assess and appropriate treat
 Possible Influences to Consider
• Work history/habits • Past leisure interests
• Chronic medical • Acute medical
conditions conditions
• Environment unfamiliar, • Misperception
too stimulating, not • Approaches of care
stimulating partners, others
• Tasks too difficult • Confusing cues in the
• Pain environment
 Observation

1. When does the problem occur

2. Who was involved/Who was effected
3. What emotions were expressed Anger, Frustration, Fear
4. How did the care professional respond
5. How was their approach
 Problem Solving

1. Try to understand why this behavior is occurring.

2. What factors may be triggering the behavior
3. Develop a list of alternative strategies for responding to
the behavior or situation.
4. Problem solving is a process of trail and error.
5. Recognize elements in the environment, medical issues
or problems of communication
6. Know the resident
 Alzheimer’s Association

Our Mission is to eliminate Alzheimer’s disease through the

advancement of research; to provide and enhance care and
support for all affected; and to reduce the risk of dementia
through the promotion of brain health.
Our Vision is a world without Alzheimer’s.

• Information & Referral and Care Consultation

• Caregiver and Early Stage Support Groups
• Education: Professional and Consumer
• Medic Alert + Safe Return
• Advocacy
Questions?