Chapter 9
Dealing with Troublesome Symptoms in Late Dementia
In This Chapter
Considering cognitive problems
Managing the ups and downs of emotional symptoms
Looking into functional difficulties
The later stages of each of the types of dementia can produce some of the most troublesome symptoms. In fact, they’re pretty much the symptoms that come to mind when you think of a stereotypical patient suffering with dementia: wandering, disturbed nights, confusion, irritability and aggression.
By anticipating the possibility of the symptoms’ arrival and looking at some of the reasons for their existence, you can take steps not only to keep them at bay but also – just as importantly – to reduce the distress experienced by the sufferer.
In this chapter I look at the issues in terms of cognitive, mood-related and functional symptoms, bearing in mind that some overlap always exists between them.
Looking at Cognitive Symptoms
Cognitive symptoms are those related to disturbances of memory and other thought processes, such as
- Poor short-term memory and difficulty remembering names and places
- Loss of judgement about money and how to adapt to the environment (wearing a coat, hat and scarf on a ...
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