A COMPARATIVE CASE STUDY OF THE MANIFESTATION, CARING AND MANAGEMENT IN NURSING HOMES OF THREE DIFFERENT TYPES OF DEMENTIA: ALZHEIMER'S, HUNTINGTON'S AND ELDERLY DOWN'S SYNDROME.
Contributors: Walden University.
Published: 1994
Number of pages: 329
Subjects: Health Sciences, Public Health.; Gerontology.
Description: This study investigated the variant management and caring methodology for dementia patients with Alzheimer's, Huntington and elderly Down's Syndrome diseases, with view to identify any deficiency. Dementia, is a global cognitive syndrome caused by diseases acquired in adulthood. The study identified the degree of the manifestation of cognitive impairment in patients with various dementing, illnesses. It examined the time lag between the recognition and naming of specific dementia syndrome. The degree of expressivity to functional impairment, the study revealed, depended on individual variability and the underlying disease process.

The study gathered, reviewed and analyzed data on dementia diseases, its manifestation, care, and management. It reviewed and analyzed the opinions of health care professionals on dementia and the issues of specialized care processes. The research methodology included interviews of health professional and patients observation.

Respondents who completed questionnaires and answered oral questions included 10 physicians, 30 registered nurses, 27 licensed practical nurses, 13 certified nursing assistants, 2 doctoral clinical psychologists, 3 medical geneticists and 10 social workers. The participants were drawn from counties, and cities, in the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Areas. The research subjects, 50 dementia patients, were observed and monitored. The analysis of questionnaires distributed to 125 health professionals revealed such preferences for and against an individualized care system.

The Literature Review and professional opinion show strong support for specialized care for dementia patients, but, some warned of the high cost, and pointed to the hopelessness of the irreversible dementia.

The result of the research also shows the need for increased funding for health care changes and improvement, in the administration of privatized nursing care for dementia patients. It also revealed that while individualized care for dementia patients is available in the private sector public health care facilities are woefully lacking.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 56-03, Section: B, page: 1365.

Thesis (PH.D.)--WALDEN UNIVERSITY, 1994.

School code: 0543.