Evaluation and Treatment

Background

The hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease, which is commonly referred to as a neurological ailment, is memory loss (Tanzi, 2012). This is sometimes referred to as severe dementia along with short-term memory loss. According to Mayeux and Stern (2012), it can be essentially described as a neuro-generative disorder in which the tissues and nerves connected to the central nervous systems gradually begin to deteriorate. Older adults are typically affected by this illness. Disorientation, behavioural abnormalities, a decline in self-esteem and desire, and ultimately the patient’s mortality are other symptoms of the neurological condition.

Task 1

• Biological basis of Alzheimer’s- Alzheimer’s disease has been related to genetics since, according to numerous studies and academics, it is an autosomal dominant disorder brought on by mutations in three different types of genes in the body (Zlokovic, 2013). Environmental changes also raise the likelihood of this sickness to a greater degree. According to Greek philosophers and researchers, aging causes this generative condition to worsen or rise. 56% of elderly people are at risk of developing dementia or Alzheimer’s disease at some point in their lives.
• Clinical presentation of Alzheimer’s- Depending on an individual’s signs and symptoms, dementia has been broadly categorized into different stages. A neurological testing system may detect cognitive impairments linked to Alzheimer’s disease in pre-dementia (Porsteinsson et al., 2014). The most prevalent sign of this disease is the tendency for a person to forget daily tasks that they complete. They have extreme mood swings that are accompanied by strange attitudes and sudden behavioral changes. They claim to have trouble recalling everything that has happened in their lives recently. Because of the disease’s early progression, they also have difficulty learning new things. Stern and Mayeux (2012). Additionally, they start acting in abusive and nervous ways, which leads to mental trauma, anxiety, and despair.
• Factors involved in the emergence of Alzheimer’s disease- Multiple factors contribute to the elevated risk of Alzheimer’s in the later stages of life. The following points are examined below.
  Age: The likelihood of developing Alzheimer’s rises with advancing age. At 65 years old, the condition begins to advance with great intensity (De Felice and Ferreira, 2014).
  Gender: The survey indicates that women are more prone to developing Alzheimer’s than men.
  Family background: If there is a history of Alzheimer’s, other family members are likely to face the same illness in later life stages.
  Genetic Disorder: If a child is diagnosed with Down syndrome during pregnancy, there is an increased likelihood that he/she will experience Alzheimer’s in later life stages (Sankaranarayanan et al., 2013).

Task 2

• System of referral to appropriate dementia care providers- Typically, referrals for Alzheimer’s occur when a general practitioner cannot manage the patient without the assistance of a specialist (Komurcu et al., 2016). It typically entails shifting responsibility from one GP to a different healthcare professional to ensure effective treatment. Referrals are done to ensure that accurate diagnosis and treatment are given to every patient experiencing a degenerative neurological condition.
• Assessment methodologies and protocols- Alzheimer’s is typically examined by analyzing the patient’s medical background. Different physical assessments can be utilized to examine the neurology linked to the condition (Cohen et al., 2013). Improvements in magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography, and single photon emission tomography enable doctors to gain a comprehensive understanding of the brain pathology and phases of Alzheimer’s that have impacted the patient’s central nervous system. Another approach called the evaluation of cognitive abilities assists in assessing a person’s memory recovery (Ju et. al,2013).

Task 3

• Critically examine the similarities and differences between Alzheimer’s care services- There are numerous care services offered for patients who have Alzheimer’s. Every service user must be granted independence and mobility to ensure they remain physically active and mobile during the day (Petersen et al., 2013). Carers linked to individuals should also offer them physical assistance and care to enable them to carry out different activities.
• Operational roles of clinical and support staff in managing Alzheimer’s- The primary duty of health and social care professionals is to supply relevant information and guidance, assistance, and care to every patient experiencing Alzheimer’s (Lock, 2013). If an individual is not acting appropriately and frequently forgetting various items, it is the responsibility of the GP or doctor to engage in verbal or phone communication with that person. Individuals designated as community nurses must guarantee that all patients receive effective primary care services. As dementia or Alzheimer’s progresses, the care and support provided to all service users must meet satisfactory standards (How Health and Social Care Professionals Can Help, 2016).
• Comprehensive management approaches for Alzheimer’s disease- Various treatments have been recognized by doctors and researchers to effectively address the needs of individuals affected by Alzheimer’s. Medications, clinical procedures, care services, and feeding tubes are various treatments accessible for Alzheimer’s (Tanzi, 2012). Medications such as rivastigmine, donepezil, and acetylcholinesterase inhibitors are prescribed for these patients. Psychosocial interventions include therapies focused on emotional and behavioral cognition that can significantly enhance support (Mayeux and Stern, 2012).
• Patient monitoring approaches in Alzheimer’s management- Typically, there are two kinds of methods that can assist in overseeing Alzheimer’s. The first option is baseline assessment, while the second choice is ongoing evaluation according to the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s (Zlokovic, 2013). During the patient’s first visit for diagnosis and assessment, it is the responsibility of the physician to conduct a mini-mental state examination to primarily concentrate on the patient’s cognition and any related functional disabilities. The continuous assessment should be carried out by the patient following the guidance of doctors to ensure that gradual improvements in the individual’s health are observed (Porsteinsson et al., 2014).

Task 4

• Scope of lifestyle modifications associated with Alzheimer’s progression- Significant alterations in a person’s overall lifestyle are crucial to ensure that the effects of disease do not heavily influence their mental state (De Felice and Ferreira, 2014). Cognitive return theory posits that neural function can be progressively enhanced by participating in beneficial brain activities like playing music, solving puzzles, socializing, and pursuing education.
• Approaches to help individuals manage life with Alzheimer’s- Establishing a daily routine will assist a patient in delivering care services efficiently (Sankaranarayanan et al., 2013). In most instances, it is observed that an individual struggles to tie their shoes or put clothes in a hamper yet offering them care and support can assist them in practicing their daily tasks independently. They ought to be permitted to participate in different social and support groups to enhance social interactions.
• Disease progression and anticipated long-term challenges- Diagnosing Alzheimer’s in the early stages is quite challenging since the advancement of these diseases is not accelerated during the initial years of life (Komurcu and et.al, 2016). The symptoms can be identified as mild cognitive impairment leading to memory loss that worsens in later stages of life. A person’s life expectancy decreases with the onset of Alzheimer’s, as this neurological condition accelerates degeneration with age (Petersen and et.al, 2013).

Conclusion

The comprehensive report focused on the diagnosis and care needed for managing patients with Alzheimer’s disease. The report discussed physiological traits along with various treatments, investigative methods, and interventions. Finally, the research also encompassed the prediction and lasting results of Alzheimer’s.

References

• Cohen, R.M. and et.al., 2013. A transgenic Alzheimer rat with plaques, tau pathology, behavioural impairment, oligomeric aβ, and frank neuronal loss. The Journal of Neuroscience.
• De Felice, F.G. and Ferreira, S.T., 2014. Inflammation, defective insulin signaling, and mitochondrial dysfunction as common molecular denominators connecting type 2 diabetes to Alzheimer’s disease. Diabetes.
• Ju, Y.E.S. and et.al., 2013. Sleep quality and preclinical Alzheimer’s disease. JAMA neurology.
• Komurcu, H.F. and et.al., 2016. Plasma levels of vitamin B12, epidermal growth factor and tumour necrosis factor-alpha in patients with Alzheimer’s dementia. International Journal of Research in Medical Sciences.
• Lock, M., 2013. The Alzheimer conundrum: Entanglements of dementia and ageing. Princeton University Press.
• Mayeux, R. and Stern, Y., 2012. Epidemiology of Alzheimer’s disease. Cold Spring Harbor perspectives in medicine.
• Petersen, R.C. and et.al., 2013. Mild cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer’s disease in the community.Annals of neurology.
• Porsteinsson, A.P. and et.al., 2014. Effect of citalopram on agitation in Alzheimer disease: the CitAD randomized clinical trial. Jama.
• Sankaranarayanan, R. and et.al., 2013. Assessing the French Alzheimer’s plan. Nat Genet.