Try: Paranoia delusions and hallucinations are some of the more common symptoms of dementia the definitions and examples below may help you identify these symptoms if you suspect that there is a problem you should consider having a physician examine the Care recipient (cr) to get an accurate diagnosis and treatment plan paranoia paranoia is an unrealistic blaming belief paranoia results from damage to the part of the brain that makes judgments and separates facts from fiction crs with paranoia will not connect the unrealistic blaming belief to a realistic belief no matter how many explanations or clarifications are given by the caregivers example the cr can’t find the fifty dollars that she hid in her bible she has forgotten that she took the money out of the bible yesterday and hid it underneath a stock of magazines in her bedroom closet the cr accuses her daughter of taking the money even though the daughter was on vacation out of state for the past two weeks delusions delusions are beliefs that are contrary to fact delusions remain fixed or persistent despite all evidence to the contrary example the married cr firmly states to her husband of 47 years "you are not my real husband " hallucinations hallucinations are sensory experiences that can’t be verified by anyone other than the person experiencing them any sense may be involved but seeing or hearing things is most common occasionally more than one sense may be involved example while assisting her mother with her bath the daughter sees many scratches on her mother’s arms and legs when questioned about these the mother reports that despite her best efforts at cleaning numerous bugs reside in her bedding and attack her at night the mother takes takes her daughter into the bedroom turns back her bed covers and says "see them crawling " the daughter cannot see any bugs information references adapted from understanding difficult behaviors robinson a spencer b & white l 1992

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Categories: Cognitive Intellectual, Emotional Psychological, Medical Physical

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Keywords: Dementia accusing accusatory defensive seeing things hearing things

*This information is listed as a Fact Sheet and is not explicitly medically licensed

Try: Paranoia delusions and hallucinations are some of the most common symptoms of dementia although the causes of these symptoms can vary with the Care recipient (cr) here are some of the more common possible causes physiological or medical causes sensory deficits especially diminished hearing and low vision and also diminished taste medications particularly hormones in combination with antidepressants the cr should be monitored for side effects from medication and overdosage brain damage due to alzheimer’s disease progression physical trauma from a blow to the head during a fall or other accident malnutrition including low fluid intake resulting in undernourishment of the brain psychiatric illness concurrent with alzheimer’s disease remember that alzheimer’s disease is not a psychiatric illness – it’s a physical illness memory loss due to brain changes and damage physical illness such as infection fever pain or fecal impaction physical illness such as anemia or respiratory disease which reduces the amount of oxygen delivered to the brain environmental causes unfamiliar environment due to a move away from home unrecognized environment unrecognized caregivers disruption in routines removal of items from the person such as money or jewelry inadequate lighting particularly in evening misinterpretation of things in the environment due to too much going on diminished hearing or sight or non-use of sensory aids glasses and hearing aids this misinterpretation seems very normal when we put ourselves in the cr’s situation social isolation social isolation with the resulting lack of feedback from familiar others friends and family members may tend to avoid the cr who has paranoia delusions and hallucinations however the cr desperately needs the reassurance and reality orientation that these familiar people can provide information references

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Categories: Cognitive Intellectual, Emotional Psychological, Medical Physical

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Keywords: Dementia accusing accusatory defensive seeing things hearing things

*This information is listed as a Fact Sheet and is not explicitly medically licensed

Try: When an individual becomes mentally incapacitated or disabled someone needs to make decisions for the incapacitated individual determining the appropriate guardian for the incapacitated person is a crucial aspect of the process since the court cannot compel anyone to be a guardian it must appoint someone who is willing to assume the role the search generally focuses on family members or close friends some state laws provide a preference list for guardians these focus on spouses children other relatives close friends and neighbors the court is generally free to appoint someone outside of the recommendations that will best serve the incapacitated individual one option in some states is to appoint a guardian who will be paid by the state attorney guardians for the estate only are somewhat easier to find because banks and attorneys are often more willing to serve in this role when choosing a guardian it is important for a care giver to consider all possibilities and keep the incapacitated individual individual’s interests in mind information references

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Categories: Cognitive Intellectual, Legal

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Keywords: Incapacity legal

*This information is listed as a Fact Sheet and is not explicitly medically licensed

Try: Just as a court is involved in appointing a guardian courts our also involved in terminating guardianship guardianships terminate immediately upon the death of the incapacitated individual if the guardian resigns or dies this does not end the guardianship the court will just appoint a replacement guardian in some states the guardian cannot resign until a successor has been found if the incapacitated individual regains capacity the guardianship should be terminated if the guardian agrees that the person is no longer incapacitated the guardianship can be terminated relatively easily however if the guardian disagrees the burden is likely on the formerly incapacitated person depending on state law he will have to petition the court for a hearing an additional option if the person is only partially incapacitated is to adapt the guardian’s powers to fit the individual’s changed capacity again this involves having the court amend the guardianship information references

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Categories: Cognitive Intellectual, Legal

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Keywords: Legal capacity

*This information is listed as a Fact Sheet and is not explicitly medically licensed

Try: Powers of a guardian are designated by a court the powers should reflect the nature of the individual’s incapacity they should be limited to meet the individual’s care needs in most cases guardians are given general authority by the court the court will not strictly supervise the guardian’s actions unless a problem arises most states allow guardians to determine where the incapacitated person will live in addition guardians of the estate have relatively wide powers however they can be subject to a court’s oversight if a controversial action occurs also for major decisions such as placing the individual in a nursing home the guardian is often advised or even required to petition the court for approval in addition the guardian cannot end life sustaining treatment without prior court authorization information references

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Categories: Cognitive Intellectual, Legal

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Keywords: Incapacity legal

*This information is listed as a Fact Sheet and is not explicitly medically licensed

Try: The first step in appointing a guardian is filing a petition with a court obviously the incapacitated individual is not likely to file the petition in most states any interested person can file the petition most petitions are filed by close friends or relatives also certain institutions hospital nursing home can file the petition if the incapacitated individual has no family most courts require that the petition identifies a proposed guardian the petition also often requires a description of the person’s incapacity depending on the state the court may require that the petition describe what actions the guardian is expected to take after the petition is filed the court will then hold a hearing to determine if guardianship is appropriate the allegedly incapacitated person is allowed to be present at the hearing after the hearing the judge will make a determination if guardianship is appropriate information references

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Categories: Cognitive Intellectual, Legal

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Keywords: Incapacity legal

*This information is listed as a Fact Sheet and is not explicitly medically licensed

Try: When an individual becomes mentally incapacitated or disabled someone needs to make decisions for the incapacitated individual however elderly individuals can have varying levels of capacity in these cases a limited guardian can be appointed in most states limited guardianship is a solution when the individual’s loss of capacity is less than complete incapacity the powers granted to the limited guardian are only those necessary to meet the needs of the individual if the incapacitated persons condition changes the guardian’s powers can be amended the goal of limited guardianship is to allow the elderly individual to retain some autonomy while also providing protection for the semi loss of capacity information references

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Categories: Cognitive Intellectual, Legal

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Keywords: Legal incapacity

*This information is listed as a Fact Sheet and is not explicitly medically licensed

Try: When an individual becomes mentally incapacitated or disabled someone needs to make decisions for the incapacitated individual guardianship refers to the legal process for placing a decision maker in control for the mentally incapacitated person state law varies whether guardianship refers to decision making over the person’s health decisions and property however it is fairly simple to establish whether the guardian has control over the person or property or both generally guardianship is an involuntary action done to protect the incapacitated individual there are multiple alternatives to guardianship however these alternatives often have to be pre-planned before the individual loses capacity appointment of a guardian is often necessary when no pre-planning has occurred information references

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Categories: Cognitive Intellectual, Emotional Psychological, Legal, Medical Physical

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Keywords: Capacity legal medical decisions

*This information is listed as a Fact Sheet and is not explicitly medically licensed

Try: Guardianship refers to the legal process of placing a decision maker in control of the mentally incapacitated person there are three main types of guardianships conservatorship is guardianship of the estate the guardian only has decision making authority over the individual’s property and assets guardianship of the person allows the guardian to make decisions regarding the incapacitated individual this mainly concerns medical decisions plenary guardianship gives the guardian decision making authority over the incapacitated individual’s property and person the reason that three types of guardianship exist reflects the fact the persons are often found to be incapacitated in different respects from the perspective of the care giver guardianship over the person is likely most relevant as it concerns health care treatment related decision making information references

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Categories: Cognitive Intellectual, Emotional Psychological, Legal, Medical Physical

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Keywords: Capacity legal medical decisions

*This information is listed as a Fact Sheet and is not explicitly medically licensed

Try: In the field of psychology insight is described as the ability to recognize one one’s own mental illness in the field of medicine insight has multiple aspects such as recognizing the need for medical treatment and recognizing consequences of one one’s behavior mental conditions are often associated with varying levels of insight insight issues are especially prevalent in the elderly because dementia and other related conditions are more common a Care recipient (cr) with poor insight has difficulty recognizing and acknowledging problems with his or her condition or actions in extreme circumstances the cr may have a total absence of insight due to the illness it is important for the care giver cg to recognize the cr cr’s difficulties with insight because this may affect thoughts and behaviors this in turn would affect the appropriate cg response to the specific problem or issue with the cr information references

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Categories: Cognitive Intellectual, Emotional Psychological, Medical Physical, Fully Aware, Somewhat Aware

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Keywords: Recognition awareness acknowledgement

*This information is listed as a Fact Sheet and is not explicitly medically licensed