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Cognitive Decline In Home Care Essay

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Home Care Solutions and Cognitive Decline

According to the Alzheimers Association, cognitive decline, often known as mild cognitive impairment (MCI), initially, is a "slight but noticeable and measurable decline in cognitive abilities, including memory and thinking skills." While cognitive decline does not mean an individual is predisposed to dementia, seniors who experience an MCI have a significantly greater risk of developing Alzheimer's or another form of dementia than those who do not have an MCI.

To be considered an MCI, the cognitive decline must be serious enough to be noticeable to the senior and others, but it cannot be so severe that it regularly interferes with daily life. There are two main forms of cognitive decline: decline …show more content…
A person with an anmnestic MCI will experience memory loss and have trouble remembering names, events, and other information that they would have remembered previously. Many times these episodes are classified as "senior moments".

Cognitive decline that does not reduce a person's memory but instead attacks their thinking skills is known as a nonamnestic MCI. Seniors with this sort of cognitive decline will remember data just fine, but when it comes to making decisions, sequencing information, or completing complex tasks, they don't do as well as they used to.

Seniors who suffer from cognitive decline often worry about the MCI progressing into dementia or having a severe underlying medical condition. Many times, the stress and anxiety from this worry can actually cause more medical issues to develop.

Even though mild cognitive decline does not keep a senior from enjoying everyday life, it can make the completion of daily tasks difficult. When added to other medical issues such as arthritis, autoimmune disorders, mobility issues, and so forth, seniors may need assistance to remain safe and/or maintain a high quality of life while living alone. Home care solutions can be invaluable in these

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