It’s difficult for anyone from the outside to truly understand dementia and how it can lead someone to gradually forget everything that’s important to them. There are currently around 400,000 people living with dementia in Australia, with over 50% of those residing in residential care homes having the debilitating disease.
When providing care to patients with dementia, careful consideration needs to be given to a person’s ability to look after themselves. At the outset, the care provided can be fairly minor, however, once the moderate phase arrives, necessary care will include help with the basics like bathing, dressing, and getting fed. You’ll also find when taking professional dementia courses that it’s often not safe to leave people with dementia on their own.
How Do Doctors Test For Dementia?
When someone is suspected of having early-stage dementia, a doctor will carry out extensive neuropsychological and cognitive skills. These tests are designed to evaluate abilities in problem-solving, memory, maths skills, language skills and general cognitive function. Online dementia courses are a great way to equip yourself professionally or someone living with the disease.
Coping with dementia patients can be really tricky, as it can leave them feeling quite confused and agitated with where they are and what they’re doing. Other symptoms include having trouble with familiar tasks and memory issues that start to excessively and adversely affect their lives.
How Quickly Does Dementia Progress?
Typically speaking, dementia can take several years to fully develop in a person. However, this can be extended in some cases with regular mental stimulation like puzzles and chess playing. That said, rapid onset dementia can occur and rob someone of their faculties in a matter of weeks. It is rare, but it’s a problem that some people do suffer.
Generally speaking, though, dementia often progresses quite slowly, with people able to live for as many as 20 years after their initial diagnosis. It just falls to those around them and professionals that care for them to ensure that their lives are as ‘normal’ and fulfilling as they possibly can be.
Seriously Thinking of a Career in Dementia Care?
The job of a carer of someone with dementia is often not an easy one, but it can be extremely rewarding when an activity or conversation sparks a memory and the fog fades away. This is why online dementia courses are so helpful in that they equip you with the skills and knowledge you need to spot the signs of the disease progressing, so that appropriate action can be taken - as well as much more.
At Online Courses Australia, we offer flexible online dementia courses that can be taken at your own pace and in the convenient surroundings of your own home. You can find out more about what the courses involve by visiting us online at www.onlinecoursesaustralia.edu.au, as well as information about the role’s exciting job opportunities, career progression, salary and more.
Alternatively, if you have any questions you’d like to ask us about any of our courses that cover a wide range of professional fields, give us a call on 1300 611 404, and we’ll be more than happy to help in any way we can.
