Dementia

The use of assessment tools in complex dementia care has several implications. They help not only to diagnose the disease, but also to identify the limitations, risks, needs and priorities of each individual patient. Assessment tools and techniques (scales, scales) help to identify, categorize patients at risk, objectively assess their functional status, specific needs and evaluate the effectiveness of the nursing care provided.

The measurement tools fill the gap between the data obtained by classical clinical examination (history, physical examination) and paraclinical examination. The aim of this monograph is to present in a comprehensive form the issue of measurement tools for selected domains in patients with dementia – nutrition, The pain, functional condition, the risk of decubitus ulcers, Safety, cognitive function, delirium, behavioural and mood disorders and quality of life. The last section is devoted to the assessment of the burden of caring for a patient with dementia.

The book is unique in its focus on a specific group of patients. At the same time, it addresses the most pressing problems that are dominant in these patients. The monograph provides an overview of the psychometric characteristics of individual measurement tools, their description and possible applications. It can be a useful source of information for health professionals, especially general nurses working in healthcare and social service settings, and for students of health sciences.