A comparative study of Alzheimers Disease, Multi Infarct Dementia and the AIDS Dementia Complex

Abstract

Nursing homes and other long term health care facilities have traditionally been the home of the frail aged or younger people with profound disabilities. With increases in medical knowledge comes increased human longevity and diseases associated with longer life will lead to an increase in number of people with dementia. As a sufferers condition worsens, the idea of placement may arise, and the person is placed in a nursing home where sufferers receive specialised care. As this happens expectations of quality of care in long term care facilities will rise, and certain questions will need to be addressed. The aim of this study is to look at three of the more common forms of dementia Alzheimers disease (AD), multi infarct dementia (MID) and the lesser known AIDS dementia complex (ADC). ADC care is a relatively new concept to the majority of nursing homes mainly due to the fact that powerful anti-viral drugs are being used as treatment, resulting in an increase in the lifespan of sufferers. Due to the fact that placement in a long term care facility is significantly cheaper than specialised home care, it is eminently possible that the numbers of AIDS sufferers in nursing homes will also increase. This study will also address the contentious issues associated with the placement of ADC sufferers in nursing homes. In the future studies such as this will be of utmost importance not only to the medical field but to all allied health teams providing care in a nursing home or other long term care facility.