Coping in Family of Elderly People with Dementia

Abstract

Dementia is listed as the Organic Mental Disorder and is tightly connected with the age of a certain patient. For a successful treatment of a patient with dementia, we must be familiar with the basic group of symptoms and the medical care of a patient suffering from dementia. Dementia describes a wide range of medical symptoms, including the process of higher brain function failure such as memory, thinking, orientation, communicating, mathematical and learning capabilities and the capability of speaking and judgment. Dementia becomes more common with age. According to researches, there is 1% of people before the age of 65 who suffer from dementia. After the age of 65 the percentage of people with dementia increases dramatically. With the age of 90 the disease is present among 60% of people. The patient with an established diagnosis of dementia can do all kinds of different activities in spite of the disorder. Although the patient is rather dependent at the activities and does need the help of his family or medical staff. In most cases the patient needs encouragement and guidance in the progressive stages of dementia. It is extremely important that the patient himself, his family members and the medical staff have realistic expectations, because every activity of a patient with dementia is accompanied with tension and restlessness. What is more, the further uneasiness of a patient diminishes the effect of an activity.