Do you think Children should be Educated on Dementia? Why?
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Palliative and end of life care is extremely important for patients and also their families who are dealing with a terminal illness. In order to deal with palliative and end of life care, I would ensure that I treat or manage any pain or symptoms a person has in order to make them feel as comfortable as possible. Furthermore, I would address patients’ psychological, social and spiritual needs as well as their physical needs to ensure they feel as contented and calm as possible. The patient also has the right to feel as dignified as possible during this time and I would aim to provide them with as much independence as possible.
When working alongside patients, practitioners may overlook the significant impact the illness is having on the patient’s family. Therefore, in addition to catering for the patients’ needs, it is of primary importance that their families are supported also. A strong support system is the basis of palliative and end of life care as if the person and everyone affected by the illness achieves the best quality of life they will act as a support network for each other. Likewise, I would develop a relationship with the patients and families and make them aware that I am available to listen to any worries or concerns and meet any other physical, psychological, social and spiritual needs they have.
Dementia to me is a set of symptoms which primarily include memory loss and difficulties with thinking, problem-solving or language. The most common cause of dementia is Alzheimer’s disease which damages the brain or a series of strokes. The stereotypical view of dementia is that it only affects old people and yes it does mainly affect people over 65 years.
However, it can affect people under 65 years old.
At present in Northern Ireland, I feel that there are not enough resources, support, and information on how to approach someone with dementia. Personally, I would not be sure how to approach someone with dementia. I feel that the majority of people in Northern Ireland are aware that dementia exists but are confused about what it actually is. There is so much technology available which can be used to publicise dementia and make people aware of how they should approach people who are suffering from this illness. There needs to be a significant improvement with the publicity of dementia. People are aware of the impacts of cancer, strokes, heart disease, obesity, and smoking. However, dementia seems to be left behind and forgotten about. It was recently Dementia Awareness Week and I do not recall seeing resources or many advertisements to broadcast this.
Personally, I come from an education background and I feel it is important to educate children on dementia. It has recently been announced that the Alzheimer’s society and CCEA are going to implement dementia education into the Northern Ireland school syllabus from KS1 to KS4 aiming to build a dementia-friendly generation. This will ensure that children of today are aware of how to approach or support someone with dementia and provide them with an awareness of what it actually is. By providing an education on dementia, children will feel confident and be equipped with the right tools to help them, which is an extremely positive outcome.
