Steven Atkinson – Challenging Geriatric Behaviors

Outline

Normal Aging, Dementia, Depression or Delirium

• Normal aging changes of the mind
• Depression, dementia, and delirium
• Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias
• Diagnose, differentiate, and develop a plan of care

Alzheimer’s Disease

• Stages
• Assessment
• Getting a diagnosis
• Behavioral issues of early diagnosis
• Management and interventions
• Pharmacological treatments

Driving with Dementia

• Driving safety
• Legal issues
• Assess driving abilities
• How to take the keys away

Wandering

• Reasons why cognitively impaired individuals wander
• Is wandering a bad thing?
• Issues to consider
• Manage a wanderer’s behavior

Physical Aggression

• Identify the cause of aggression
• Loss of impulse control
• Regression of the mind/child-like mind
• Manage the problem

Inappropriate Sexual Behaviors

• Normal sexual drive or inappropriate behavior
• Cognitively impaired individuals
• Medication management
• Ethical considerations

Refusing to Eat/Forgetting to Eat

• Reasons why geriatric patients slow or stop eating
• Nutritional needs in a geriatric patient
• Improve nutritional status
• Malnutrition and dehydration
• Alternatives to eating

Sleepless Nights

• Sundowning and behavioral problems in the evening
• Why does sundowning occur?
• Environmental interventions to decrease aggressive behaviors
• Medication management when it becomes problematic

Caregiver Stress

• Physical, psychological, and emotional stress
• Identify caregiver burnout and ways to help
• Assist the caregiver

Other Issues

• Ways to identify potential falls and prevent injury
• Causes for orthostatic hypotension
• Ways to avoid using restraints

Case Studies: Learning from Experience and Mistakes

• How to manage sundowners
• Strategies to improve hygiene
• Reassurance and redirection