psychology
TRANSCRIPT
HOW CAN PSYCHOLOGIST UNDERSTANDINGS OF MEMORY HELP PATIENTS WITH DEMENTIA
BY HANA NOORI
WHAT IS DEMENTIA?
DEMENTIA IS A LABEL FOR A CLUSTER OF SYMPTOMS INVOLVING DETERIORATION OF FUNCTION WITH RESULTING CHANGES IN BEHAVIOURS THAT INTERFERE WITH THE ABILITY OF AN INDIVIDUAL TO FUNCTION INDEPENDENTLY IN EVERYDAY LIFE.
IS IT A DISEASE? • •DEMENTIA IS NOT A DISEASE BUT CONDITION THAT RESULTS FROM ANY OF
SEVERAL NEUROLOGIST DISEASE, E.G. ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE AFFECTS AREAS OF THE BRAIN THAT PREVENTS THE ABILITY TO LEARN NEW INFORMATION, USE LANGUAGE.• •IT IS A KEY QUESTION FOR SOCIETY BECAUSE DIAGNOSIS FOR PEOPLE
HAVING DEMENTIA IS INCREASING.• •DEMENTIA COSTS £23 BILLION A YEAR AND MOSTLY NEED FULL TIME CARE.
UNDERSTANDING STM AND LTM.• •THEY FORGET WHAT THEY HAVE BEEN TOLD BECAUSE THE MEMORY WAS
NOT ENCODED THEREFORE NOT STORED.• •SO ITS IMPORTANT TO BE VERY SPECIFIC WHEN TALKING OR ASKING
QUESTIONS SO INSTEAD IS SAYING: HAVE YOU HAD A VISITOR TODAY? PSYCHOLOGIST SUGGEST, 'HAS YOUR DAUGHTER, JEAN , BEEN TO VISIT YOU? • ALSO USING PICTURES, COLOURS CAN HELP WITH MEMORIES.
WORKING MEMORY SUGGESTS:• DIFFERENT TASKS ARE DONE AT THE SAME TIME, (BADDELEY) WHICH IS
DIFFICULT FOR SOMEONE WITH DEMENTIA. • UNDERSTANDING BARRETT'S RECONSTRUCTIVE THEORY OF MEMORY IS ALSO
USEFUL, IF MEMORIES ARE RECONSTRUCTED USING SCHEMES THEN SOMEONE WITH DEMENTIA WHO SEEMS TO BE SAYING SOMETHING BUT IT IS ALL MIXED UP MIGHT BE USING MIXED SCHEMES AND MUDDLED EPISODIC MEMORIES. • SO IT'S ADVISED TO LISTEN CAREFULLY, ASK LIMITED QUESTIONS BUT
FOLLOW THE THOUGHT PROCESS.
