失智症是喪失思考、記憶及理性推斷能力,這種症狀影響一個人日常生活之操作功能,失智症本身並不是一種疾病,而是伴隨某些疾病或生理異常狀況所產生的一群症候群,失智症並不是老化之正常過程,染患失智症中最常見之阿滋海默症是美國花費醫療費用第三多之疾病,僅次於心臟病及癌症。失智症病人之照顧服務與保健治療從二年到二十年不等,對於病人家屬、社區生活、醫療體系以及社會福利之負擔非常嚴重,不能不加以研究瞭解,採取必要之預防措施,以降低其危險性之影響。本文之目的為探討失智症者之安全照顧為主題,說明失智症之基本概念,失智症、譫妄症與抑鬱症之鑑別標準,失智症之原因、失智症之臨床診斷。常見失智症之分類包括:阿滋海默症、腦梗塞性失智症、帕金森氏症、畢克式症、庫茲費德―雅谷症、慢性遺傳性舞蹈症(杭亭頓氏症)及常壓腦積水症。本文也包括了失智症保健照顧之要點,以及安全照顧之必要措施與預防病人失常行為之方法技巧,以供醫護衛生、社工保健、心理諮商與老人服務有關之初學者作為研究參考。
This paper presents the definition and general concept of dementia disease. The etiology and classifications of dementia have been discussed. The causes and differential diagnosis of dementia were described. The detailed characteristics of Alzheimer's disease has been explained. The health care and social services for dementia patients have been presented. The safety measures for dementia's patients have been analyzed in term of personal care and environmental safety. The paper concludes that the importance of safety measures in the care of dementia patients at home and at institution should be emphasized.