Premium
From diagnosis to rehabilitation: Report of a clinical case of Alzheimer's disease
Author(s) -
Avila Renata,
Porto Fabio Henrique de Gobbi
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
alzheimer's and dementia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 6.713
H-Index - 118
eISSN - 1552-5279
pISSN - 1552-5260
DOI - 10.1002/alz.042866
Subject(s) - neuropsychology , rehabilitation , donepezil , psychology , cognition , neuropsychological assessment , psychiatry , dementia , disease , clinical psychology , medicine , neuroscience , pathology
Abstract Background A thorough investigation is necessary for the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). An ideal treatment is composed of drug treatment and neuropsychological rehabilitation (NR). AD still has no cure, but its adequate treatment can delay the evolution of the disease and make the patient and family live with more quality. The purpose of this case report is to describe the NR of a mild AD patient, his participation in the decision about rehabilitation objectives and his growing awareness about his difficulties. Male client, a 73‐year‐old retired electrical engineer, married, 3 sons and 4 grandsons. The neuropsychological assessment confirmed the cognitive deficits, as well as MRI showed hippocampal atrophy and PET showed typical pattern of AD. His main cognitive changes included mild memory problems, important inattention, wordy speech, and lack of planning. Disinhibition, rigidity and impulsivity where the behavior change observed, added to a lack of awareness of his difficulties in daily activities. He started individual NR sessions twice a week with a neuropsychologist. In parallel family was oriented and received support with the same professional about how to cope with the changes. He was also accompanied by a psychiatrist, neurologist, and a clinical psychologist. Four months after the RN had started, he became much more aware about his difficulties, managed to define with the therapist three goals for the treatment, stopped driving and agreed to hire a driver, and the wife reported attention, language and behavior improvement. After 8 months he said: “I am recovering from my eccentricities, the left and the right brain seem to be OK, and my wife and I are meeting again”, and the wife said, “now I think about which fights to pick. Our relationship is much better. He’s calmer, more alert, and speaking better. He himself is organizing his weekly medicine box and its working.” This single case study illustrates the importance of a team of experts working together with a person with AD and his family for maintenance of autonomy, enhancement of the behavior and cognitive changes, as well as improving the quality of life of families and their loved ones.