Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia Psychological Approach

Dementia refers to a condition characterized by the deterioration of cognitive abilities. It is a pathological disorder that leads to the deterioration of cognitive processes, including memory, language, judgment, speech, and other intellectual functions, as well as visual and perceptual motor abilities. When evaluating a patient for possible dementia, it is important to assess three primary domains: cognitive ability, behavioral manifestations, and functional status. Dementia cannot be seen as an inherent outcome of the aging process. Dementia is always caused by an underlying medical disorder.   Dementia is categorized into two types based on the underlying disorders. Firstly, progressive dementia refers to a condition where there is a direct and selective loss of brain cells. The second kind of dementia is characterized by the presence of symptoms (Yılmazer, 2012). Alzheimer's disease constitutes about 60–65% of the total number of dementia patients. Alzheimer's dementia often causes a heightened level of forgetfulness. Alzheimer's disease has a gradual onset, sluggish progression, escalating symptoms, irreversible deterioration of brain tissue, and ultimately leads to death. The management and therapy of individuals diagnosed with dementia differ from those of other disease cohorts. Regarding this matter, the foremost task is for caretakers to fully comprehend the sickness. The goal is to improve the emotional and behavioral well-being of dementia patients by managing the decline in cognitive, behavioral, and functional domains.  By using an appropriate psychological methodology, the patient's sense of security may be enhanced, leading to a potential reduction in the emotional and behavioral complications stemming from the illness. Furthermore, caregivers may experience a notable alleviation of symptoms such as stress, burnout, anxiety, sleeplessness, and rage.

This research will start with examining Alzheimer's disease and dementia, followed by a comprehensive analysis of the psychological approach to this ailment. 

Keywords:

Dementia , Alzheimer's, and Psychological Approach