What can be an emergency situation for a dementia patient?
Stressors can lead a dementia patient to emergency hospitalization or institutionalization. These stressors could include diagnosis disclosure, being newly hospitalized, falls, malnutrition, intense psychological and behavioural symptoms, inability to live independently, and unaddressed comorbid conditions.
What can be an emergency situation for the caregiver of the dementia patient?
Stressors needing immediate intervention for the caregivers could include the emotional toll on the caregiver based on the patient’s severity of dementia, miscommunication with the professionals, lacking knowledge regarding care for dementia patients, the escalating costs as a result of increased severity of dementia, caregiver exhaustion, caregiver illness that can potentially lead to death, death of the dementia patient, or lack of time for self care and other personal and social activities.
What can be an emergency situation for the nursing homes or rehabilitation facilities for dementia patients?
The emergency or crisis situations in nursing homes or rehabilitation facilities for dementia patients could include violent scenarios such as hitting someone, falls, and/or psychological distress.
How can emergency situations be prevented for dementia patients?
Emergency situations can be reduced to a great extent for dementia patients by getting involved in awareness therapy post diagnosis, managing comorbid conditions by maintaining regular contact with medical and mental health professionals, caregiver education and support through individual or family therapy, and establishing constructive family communication through family therapy. In addition, the home nursing staff, in case of home care services, could be equipped with the psychological, physical, and environmental needs of the dementia patient, or the patient could be institutionalized in a rehabilitation facility which has constant supervision and professional support.
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