scholarly journals Higher Depression of Patients with Alzheimer’s Disease During than Before the Lockdown

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-5
Author(s):  
Mohamad El Haj ◽  
Ahmed A. Moustafa ◽  
Karim Gallouj
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Family Members ◽  
Physical Contact ◽  
Restrictive Measures

We assessed depression in 72 patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) who live in retirement homes during the COVID-19-related lockdown. We invited caregivers of 72 patients with AD who live in retirement homes to rate depression in the patients both before and during the lockdown. Analysis demonstrated increased depression in the patients during the lockdown. We attribute this increased depression to the restrictive measures on activities, visits, and physical contact between patients with AD and family members during the lockdown.

scholarly journals Hallucinations in a Patient with Alzheimer’s Disease During the COVID-19 Crisis: A Case Study

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 455-458
Author(s):  
Mohamad El Haj ◽  
Frank Larøi ◽  
Karim Gallouj
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Nursing Home ◽  
Family Members ◽  
Physical Contact ◽  
Daily Activities ◽  
Social Distancing

While social distancing may be deemed necessary in order to avoid COVID-19 infections, the lockdown may impact mental health of patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD). We present a case study involving hallucinations in a patient with AD who lives in a nursing home during the COVID-19 crisis. We compared this patient’s hallucination scores before and during the lockdown. We observed increased hallucinations during, compared to before, the lockdown. These increased hallucinations can be attributed to a number of elements such as the decreased in daily activities, social distancing, lack of physical contact with family members, and loneliness during the lockdown.

scholarly journals A qualitative investigation of the psychosocial services utilised by care-givers of patients with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias in southwestern Uganda

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-14
Author(s):  
Catherine Abaasa ◽  
Celestino Obua ◽  
Edith K. Wakida ◽  
Godfrey Zari Rukundo
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Medical Care ◽  
Family Members ◽  
Medical Care System ◽  
Psychosocial Services ◽  
Care Givers ◽  
Care Giving ◽  
Southwestern Uganda ◽  
Care System

Abstract Individuals with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias often require substantial support from other people. Much of the care-giving is from family members who eventually experience physical, emotional and financial stress, depression and fatigue. In Uganda, families are a cornerstone in providing care to individuals with dementia. However, little is known about the psychosocial supports available to the care-givers in their care-giving role. We assessed the psychosocial supports available to care-givers of individuals with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias in southwestern Uganda. We conducted 34 in-depth interviews at three referral hospitals at which care-givers identified by the treating clinicians were approached for informed consent. The interviews were conducted until thematic saturation was reached, and the interviews were translated and transcribed. Thematic content analysis was used to analyse the data. Care-giver supports were structured into two major themes: medical supports utilised and supports beyond the medical care system. Medical supports highlighted information provided by medical professionals. Supports beyond the medical care system included emotional and instrumental supports provided by religious leaders, the local communities and family members. Care-givers for individuals with dementia in southwestern Uganda receive educational support from medical practitioners, and unstructured emotional and instrumental supports from the family and community.

scholarly journals Disclosing a Diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Disease: Patient and Family Experiences

2001 ◽  
Vol 28 (S1) ◽  
pp. S67-S71 ◽  
Author(s):  
André P. Smith ◽  
B. Lynn Beattie
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Family Members ◽  
Disease Patient ◽  
Memory Problems ◽  
Family Conference ◽  
The Family ◽  
Disclosure Of Diagnosis ◽  
Assessment Beliefs ◽  
Collection Methods

Background:Informing patients and families about the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a complex ethical and practical issue. This qualitative study explores the psychosocial impact of disclosing a diagnosis of AD on patients and family members.Methods:This study identified 14 patients and their accompanying family members undergoing a multidisciplinary assessment for dementia at an outpatient clinic for AD and related disorders. Of the group, three patients had probable AD and five had possible AD as per NINCDS-ADRDAcriteria. Six patients were not demented as per DSM IIIR criteria. Disclosure of diagnosis occurred, in a family conference, within six to eight weeks of the assessment. Data collection methods included observation of the assessment and the family conference as well as in-depth home interviews with family members and with each patient whenever feasible. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and coded for recurrent themes.Results:A total of 40 individuals across 14 families participated in this study. Only two families chose not to have the patient attend the family conference. The disclosure of a diagnosis of probable AD brought on an experience of relief in three families, marking the end of a lengthy period of confusion about the nature of memory problems. Patients diagnosed with possible AD and their families interpreted how indicative the diagnosis was of the presence of the disease with varying degrees of certainty depending on pre-assessment beliefs about the cause of memory problems. In the group diagnosed as not demented, four patients had complaints of forgetfulness likely related to minor depression. The disclosure of a diagnosis of no dementia did not produce the anticipated relief. Two patients continued to believe their memory problems were caused by the early onset of AD or some other “organic” problem.Interpretation:This study reveals that disclosure of the diagnosis of AD to patients and family members is generally beneficial but that there are variations in the understanding of the diagnostic information, particularly in instances where the assessment results are ambiguous.

Families, Alzheimer's Disease, and Nursing Homes

1988 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 331-349 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nathan L. Linsk ◽  
Baila Miller ◽  
Roberta Pflaum ◽  
Anna Ortigara-Vicik
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Nursing Home ◽  
Nursing Homes ◽  
Care Center ◽  
Family Members ◽  
Nursing Home Care ◽  
Demonstration Program ◽  
Home Setting

The Alzheimer's Disease Family Care Center program was established within an intermediate care teaching nursing home as a demonstration program to investigate ways to involve families in care of their relatives. In total, 45 family members participated in a program including an orientation session; a preliminary family involvement interview; contracts with family members, in which they chose specific tasks to engage in during visits; a five-session course on Alzheimer's disease and how families may be partners in care within the facility; and an ongoing family support group. Evaluation data sources include a baseline and 9-month follow-up questionnaire completed by families, preliminary and follow-up family interviews conducted by project codirectors, records of family visits, and family choices on contracts. Findings from the 23 family members who contracted for tasks during their visits and from the follow-up questionnaire completed by 25 family members showed that most sought social and emotional interactions with relatives, some maintained direct personal care activities, and only a few identified interest in extensive involvement with staff and facility. At follow-up, family members involved in the program reported they continued to feel close to their relatives. Many felt that their relatives were generally stable or improved with regard to cognitive function, but over a third noted difficulties in communicating. Participating family members reported that the program of staff supports helped them to feel more integral to the unit. They expressed a need for more education and support for their involvement in the nursing home setting. Project findings confirm previous studies recommending that programming at nursing homes needs to include specific institutional and staff supports to maintain and enhance family contributions to the long-term nursing home care of their relatives.

Making the Right Connections: Maximizing Lexical Generalization in Lexical Impairments in Primary Progressive Aphasia and Alzheimer's Disease

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-16
Author(s):  
Ashleigh Beales ◽  
Anne Whitworth ◽  
Jade Cartwright ◽  
Peter K. Panegyres ◽  
Robert T. Kane
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Family Members ◽  
Primary Progressive Aphasia ◽  
Lexical Retrieval ◽  
Connected Speech ◽  
Progressive Aphasia ◽  
Primary Progressive ◽  
Word Classes ◽  
The Impact

Purpose Positive intervention effects following lexical retrieval interventions are increasingly reported with people with progressive language impairments; however, generalization of therapy gains are less frequently evident and less well understood. This study sought to explore the impact of specific therapy ingredients on generalization outcomes. Method Twelve participants with progressive lexical retrieval deficits (four each with semantic variant primary progressive aphasia, logopenic variant primary progressive aphasia, and Alzheimer's disease, amnestic presentation) and their family members participated in a 6-week intervention that aimed to increase access to different word classes (nouns, verbs, and adjectives) through a strategic self-cueing approach. Generalization was actively facilitated through strategy practice in connected speech. Repeated baselines of picture naming and connected speech were conducted prior to intervention and repeated immediately post and at 6 weeks following intervention. Results All three diagnostic groups showed significant improvements in naming performance post-intervention for all word classes and for both treated and untreated items, demonstrating consistent treatment effectiveness and generalization at the word level. No changes in the informativeness or efficiency of connected speech were found. Conclusions Despite heterogeneity across participants, widespread evidence of both treatment effects and generalization to untreated items was found for all diagnostic groups and word classes. The consistent within-level generalization across all groups is explored here in relation to optimization of strategy use through incorporation of cognitive scaffolds, strategic practice at the connected speech level, and the inclusion of family members. The absence of across-level generalization to connected speech is also explored. Supplemental Material https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.14219771

Cognitive Decline and the Changing Self in Relationship

2015 ◽  
pp. 61-75
Author(s):  
Darby Morhardt ◽  
Marcia Spira
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Cognitive Decline ◽  
Family Member ◽  
Family Members ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Family Roles ◽  
The Family ◽  
Person With Dementia ◽  
The Impact

When a member of a family is diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, the impact of the disease reverberates throughout the relationships within the family. This paper explores the challenges and strengths within one family as members manage and cope with Alzheimer's disease. The person with dementia and his family members are individually interviewed and each person explores the consequences of the disease on personal well-being as well as the relationships within the family. The family demonstrates how dementia in one family member demands flexibility in family roles as they navigate life through the challenges of living with dementia.

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