Terms/Final Flashcards
Aphasia:
alterations in language
Apraxia:
impaired ability to execute movement
Agnosia:
failure to recognize or identify objects
T/F: Early-onset Alzheimer disease is more common and less progressive than late-onset Alzheimer disease.
False. Early onset is more progressive than late-onset Alzheimer disease; late-onset Alzheimer disease is more common.
Sundowning
When cognitive ability diminishes in the evening, the pattern is called sundowning. Diminished cognitive ability may result in client disorientation and agitation.
What is the most common mental illness in older adults and what is it often misdiagnosed as?
Depression is the most common mental illness in older adults and is often misdiagnosed as a neurocognitive disorder.
The Main Focus of Nursing Care with dementia.
Because memory is impaired, an individual with dementia cannot learn easily, so maintaining functioning as long as possible is important. The client’s abilities are expected to decline over time.
T/F: When conducting a follow-up assessment on a patient with Alzheimer disease, the nurse should include an assessment on the primary caregiver as well.
True. The primary caregiver should also be questioned as he or she is often considered a “copatient.” Caring for a family member with AD can be very stressful and tiring. The family member may also be dealing with the stress and guilt of recognizing it is time to place the patient in a care facility but are unwilling to take that step. The nurse can assist the patient and family better as they move through this difficult process by knowing where each individual is in the process.
A mental health nurse provides care in a long-term care facility for patients who have some form of dementia. Which factor should the nurse prioritize when providing care?
- Medication adherence
- Family involvement
- Effective social interaction
- Patient and staff safety
Patient and staff safety
