 | Term | Definition |
| |
Dementia |
deterioration of one's memory and related cognitive faculties; A slow, psychological death; most publicized and feared psychological problem among the elderly |
| |
50% |
percent of elderly people that would benefit from mental health services |
| |
Disorders of Cognition |
Delirium and dementia |
| |
Depresion in later life |
one of the most common mental health problems of older adults; features of this disorder are the same for elderly people as for younger people; raises their chances of developing significant medical problems |
| |
Anxiety disorders in elderly |
also common among the elderly; GAD is particularly common |
| |
6% |
number of elderly men that experience at least one of the anxiety disorders |
| |
11% |
number of elderly women that experience at least one of the anxiety disorders |
| |
7% |
GAD (generalized anxiety disorder) is experienced by up to _____ percent of all elderly people |
| |
substance abuse in the elderly |
are significant problems for many older persons, the prevalence of patterns actually appears to decline after age 60 |
| |
misuse of prescription drugs |
A leading kind of substance abuse in the elderly is the |
| |
psychotic |
Elderly people have a higher rate of _______ symptoms than younger persons; usually due to underlying medical conditions such as delirium and dementia |
| |
less |
Schizophrenia is _____ common in older persons than in younger ones |
| |
schizophrenia |
Many people with this disorder find that their symptoms lessen in later life; It is uncommon for new cases to emerge in later life |
| |
delusional disorder |
Another kind of psychotic disorder found among the elderly, in which individuals develop beliefs that are false but not bizarre; prevalence appears to increase in the elderly population |
| |
cognitive "mishaps" |
(e.g., leaving without keys, forgetting someone's name) are a common and quite normal feature of stress or of aging |
| |
delirium and dementia |
The leading cognitive disorders among elderly persons are |
| |
delirium |
is a clouding of consciousness; awareness of the environment becomes less clear, he or she has great difficulty concentrating, focusing attention, and thinking sequentially; leads to misinterpretations, illusions, and, on occasion, hallucinations |
| |
causes of delirium |
Fever, diseases, infections, poor nutrition, head injuries, certain brain diseases, and stress (including the trauma of surgery) |
| |
causes of demntia |
some forms result from nutritional, metabolic, or other problems that can be corrected; Most forms, however, are caused by brain diseases or injuries, such as Alzheimer's disease or stroke, which are currently difficult or impossible to correct |
| |
Alzheimer's disease |
is the most common form of dementia, accounting for as many as 2/3 of the cases |
| |
Alzheimer's disease |
gradually progressive disease sometimes appears in middle age (early onset), but most often occurs after the age of 65 (late onset); usually begins with mild memory problems, lapses of attention, and difficulties in language and communication |
| |
2 to 20 years |
The duration of alzheimer's disease ranges from |
| |
8-10 years |
Typical duration of alzheimer's disease from onset to death is |
| |
biological causes of Alzheimer's disease |
genetic factors and abnormalities in brain structure and brain chemistry |
| |
Vascular dementia (multi-infarct dementia) |
May follow a cerebrovascular accident, or stroke, during which blood flow to specific areas of the brain was cut off, with resultant damage;This dementia is progressive but its symptoms begin abruptly, rather than gradually; |
| |
Pick's disease |
a rare disorder that affects the frontal and temporal lobes and is clinically similar to Alzheimer's disease |
| |
Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease |
caused by a slow-acting virus, this disease has symptoms that include sporadic movements |
| |
disorders that lead to dementia |
vascular dementia; pick's disease; Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease; Huntington's disease; Parkinson's disease; HIV and AIDS, meningitis, and advanced syphilis; Brain seizure disorder; Toxins such as mercury, lead, or carbon monoxide |
| |
Huntington's disease |
an inherited progressive disease in which memory problems worsen over time, along with personality changes and mood difficulties |
| |
Parkinson's disease |
– a slowly progressive neurological disorder marked by tremors, rigidity, and unsteadiness |
Share on Facebook
Share on MySpace