Lesson 15: Neurocognitive Disorders
Attention
Losing one's way can be a sign of some sort of Cognitive problem!
Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this lesson's material, students will be able to:
- Distinguish between the various types of Dementia found in the DSM-IV-TR.
- Discuss personal reactions to Dementia from both a patient and caregiver viewpoint.
Teaching
Chapter 15-Neurocognitive Disorders
On the way home from work today, you notice an “old” man walking in the middle of the street. He is limping. As you get closer, you notice that it is Mr. LaPlante, a neighbor from down the street. You haven’t seen him in months. Given that you are still several miles from home, you pull over to see if he wants a ride. He is now on the sidewalk and seems to be a bit confused as to why you are speaking to him. He is unsure if he knows you. After a couple of seconds, he starts crying and asks where he lives. You can sense the panic in his face and kindly reassure him that you will take him home right now.
Upon pulling into his driveway, his wife, Betty, runs out of the house with the phone to her ear. She exclaims, “Thank God. He is here now. I am sorry to have bothered you officer.” With tears streaming down her cheeks, she hugs her husband and scolds him for leaving the house again without telling her. Mr. LaPlante slowly walks into the house. He still isn’t sure if this is where he lives, but, he is tired and wants to sit down for a while. Betty invites you in for coffee and an explanation. Although embarrassed, and through tears, Betty explains that, shortly after he retired from his medical practice last year, her husband was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. At first, he just forgot a few things around the house. He left the stove on once in a while or didn’t turn off the water in the sink. But, things started to get worse after their dog, Scooter, died suddenly. He seemed confused and dazed for several minutes at t time. He couldn’t remember what day it was. He even started calling his grandchildren by their parent’s names. Yesterday, he became lost at the grocery store. Betty found him in a car out in the parking lot. It wasn’t theirs.
Sadly, cases such as this are not uncommon. In my opinion, dementia is one the most difficult of all disorders to cope with. Both the patient and the family are intimately involved with the slow deterioration that often comes with these disorders. As they take care of their love ones, caregivers are especially at risk for developing psychological disorders of their own. Embarrassment, isolation, loneliness, fear, guilt and many other powerful emotions must be coped with on a daily basis. In this chapter, we will explore dementia more closely. It is my hope that you will be able to really “put yourself in the shoes” of someone suffering with this dastardly disorder. While we won’t all deal with it personally, we will all know someone who is. One of the nicest things we can do for someone is to understand.
CLASS ACTIVITIES
Lesson 15 Discussion
Please post at least one response to both of the following questions. For full-credit, your posts should be at least one paragraph.
- Go to: http://www.alz.org/living_with_alzheimers_8510.asp
- Read at least ONE of the personal stories posted at the site. I want you to you do your best to put yourself in this person’s shoes. What would it be like to have Alzheimer’s? Please put some extra careful thought into this one.
- Now, I want you to react to what you read from this perspective. What would it be like to be a primary caregiver for someone you love who has Alzheimer’s? What would be some of the most difficult challenges for you?