Title

This dissertation falls under dementia. The title is “The physical health needs of an adult with dementia.

Aim

The paper intends to explore the physical health needs of an adult with dementia. The objectives of the dissertation will be achieved by reviewing the literature of the published works and national drivers from the United Kingdom. The literature review will identify food, shelter, sexual needs, access to the toilets and appropriate body temperatures as some of the physical health needs of an adult with dementia. The central questions explored in this case are “What are the physical health needs of an adult with dementia? What is the role of a mental health nurse in caring for a dementia patient?” Recommendations for handling and caring for dementia patients will be made to assist in meeting the physical health necessities of an adult with dementia. 

After reviewing several kinds of literature, the themes mentioned below emerged:

1.    Food

2.    Shelter

3.    Sexual needs

4.    Appropriate body temperature

5.    Access to toilets

6.    Pain management

7.    Communication difficulties

8.    Therapeutic Interventions

9.    Role of a Mental Health Nurse.

Rationale

Limited research has been conducted on the physical health needs of an adult with dementia. The study is going to fill this gap by offering an extensive knowledge to the caregivers on the needs of such patients, therefore, improving the quality of care in residential and nursing homes. World Health Organization (WHO) defines dementia as a disorder which arises from a brain disease and disturbs proper execution of cognitive functions such as thinking, judgment, comprehension, orientation, learning, memorization, and calculations (World Health Organization, 2012). The aim of conducting the study is to review the literature on some of the physical health necessities of seniors with dementia such as food, shelter, access to toilets, sexual needs, and suitable body temperatures. Many healthcare institutions lack a proper understanding of dementia, and management of the disease is often complicated. Therefore, reviewing the literature will be of great benefit not only to the nurses and healthcare givers but will also create a good foundation for in-depth research on the topic of dementia.

Introduction

According to the research conducted by Alzheimer’s disease International, 35 million people are living with dementia, and the number is likely to rise to 66 million by 2030 (Alzheimer’s disease International, (ADI), 2012). Dementia is a disease of economic health importance which needs urgent attention as per the report released by the World Health Organization, (WHO, 2012). Dementia caregivers continue to offer inadequate care because most of them do not understand the physical health needs of an adult with dementia (WHO, 2012). 

Dementia is a continuous neurodegenerative disorder characterized by cognitive impairments, communicative difficulties, changes in personality and deficits in sensory awareness (International Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics, (IAGG), 2011). Dementia deteriorates mental and physical health eventually leading to death. Research shows that the common signs and symptoms of dementia include memory loss, frequent confusions, and challenges in speaking and understanding concept (International Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics, (IAGG), 2011). 

According to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, there are various physical health needs of adults with dementia. Some of these include the need for food, shelter, access to the toilets, suitable body temperatures, and sexual needs. Research in the United Kingdom shows that 1.3 million old people above 65 years of age with studies showing that people living with dementia are the most affected by the malnutrition. Evidence shows that 32% of people living with dementia who were admitted to hospitals in 2011 were found to have other complications such as malnutrition. Therefore, there is need of feeding the dementia people with a balanced diet.

Besides, pain management is critical because according to research, 35 million people have dementia globally while 50% of this population seems to be writhing in pain (Manthorpe et al., 2010, p.235). The people with dementia experience various communication challenges such as finding right words, comprehension problems, anxieties, and disorientation. Therefore, it is vital to train caregivers on adopting effective interaction strategies such as the use of short sentences because the process reduces the stress levels and cultures the behavior of communication among adults with dementia.