past misconceptions on dementia

8/12/2019 Past Misconceptions on Dementia

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Dementia: Past Misconceptions Myth #1 : Dementia only affects other people...it

cannot happen to me or to people I know.Dementia affects only the patient, not his or herfamily.Fact: Uncertainty or confusion about the causesand effects of dementia may provide someone arationale to deny that a family member has theillness because they do not belong in the "at risk"

group. 6%-8% of people over age 65 havedementia and 33% of those over age 85 havesome dementia symptoms.


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Dementia: Past Misconceptions Myth #2: People with dementia act in a certain way

because of prior negative life experiences or childhooddifficulties. People with dementia can control theirbehavior and do things deliberately. Failure to act

properly is a result of laziness, stubbornness,resistance, or lack of motivation.Fact: Illnesses such as dementia which lack obviousphysical signs may lead people to misattributesomeone's behavior to poor effort, malevolent intent,

personality traits, or prior life experiences. If peopleassume behaviors are due to lack of morals, they mayresort to reasoning with or re-educating the person.


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Dementia: Past Misconceptions

Myth #3: People with dementia may act in acertain way because of a mental or learningdisability.

Fact: People with dementia are not insane,crazy, necessarily psychotic, or learningdisabled.


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Myth #4: People with dementia are usuallydrowsy.

Fact: Normally, people with dementia areawake and alert during the day. Drowsinesscan signal a drug interaction, malnutrition,depressed mood, or sleep disturbance.


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Myth #5: It is just a simple fall.Fact: Few elderly people are admitted to thehospital after a fall simply because they haveslipped or tripped. To merely assume theexplanation is a problem in the environmentmay indicate that vital predisposing conditions

like macular degeneration are overlooked.


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Dementia: Past Misconceptions Myth #6: You should expect violent behavior from

someone with dementia. Fact: Aggression may occur because the person

misunderstands or misperceives the actions of others and

then lashes out due to feelings of fear, anger, ormistreatment. The person may also feel frustrated at beingunable to do something he/she was able to do before.Agitation may also occur because of hunger, thirst, physicaldiscomfort, poor lighting, or unsafe surroundings.

Sudden aggression in someone who was never violentbefore may suggest drug toxicity, or metabolic infection.


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Myth #7: Use restraints and sedatives to calmsomeone agitated.Fact: Restraints and sedatives may worsen asituation. Try having the doctor reducemedication, ask another family member tohelp orient and reassure the person, or use

simple language to calmly and slowly explainwhat you want him to do.


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Myth #8: Forgetfulness is likely to indicate theonset of dementia.Fact: Memory loss can be caused orexacerbated by medication interactions,medical conditions, or by depression relatedto life events. Other changes to look out for

include spatial disorientation, poor problem-solving ability, or impaired multi-tasking skills.


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Myth #9: He speaks well. Therefore, he cannotbe demented.Fact: Cognitive disabilities can be subtle andmay not be initially displayed in the presenceof others. Language ability can remain intactdespite real deficits in other skills.


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Dementia: Past Misconceptions Myth #10: All people with dementia are

incompetent. Fact: People with dementia are not necessarily

incompetent. People in different stages ofdementia may still be competent to makedecisions in certain life areas. Those with milddementia can comprehend and appreciate

information they are given and reasonadequately to make a choice regarding theirhealth (i.e. health care proxy, conservatorship).

past misconceptions on dementia

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