SOAP NOTE

CASE STUDY: Family Member with Alzheimer’s Disease: Mark and Jacqueline

Gabriela Perez

Miami Regional University

MSN 5550 Health Promotion: Prevention of disease

Professor: Pavel De La Noval DNP, APRN, FNP-C

January 29, 2024

1. How do you think this situation reflects Jacqueline’s sense of role performance?

Answer: The attributes of Alzheimer's disease led to a progressive decline in the financial well-being of patients. The gradual decline in cognitive and intellectual capacities leads to a loss of self-care abilities in patients, necessitating the assistance of another individual. Initially, the patient will require assistance with tasks such as food preparation or grocery shopping. As the condition progresses, the patient will need help to do fundamental tasks such as eating and keeping proper hygiene. In the latter stages of Alzheimer's disease, there is a notable decline in motor functions, resulting in increased care requirements. Many individuals with Alzheimer's disease receive care in their own homes from a family member. The individual responsible for addressing the fundamental necessities of these patients despite receiving any compensation is a crucial component from both a social and healthcare perspective.

The management of those with this condition is a highly intricate undertaking, and its level of complexity escalates as the disease progresses. One of the most done daily chores includes activities such as shopping, home organization, food preparation, providing meals to patients, assisting them with dressing, and facilitating their mobility. These tasks can be arduous for caretakers since they must remain always vigilant for the patients they consistently attend to, every single day of the week. Under these circumstances, caregivers may experience persistent stress and physical fatigue. Furthermore, caregivers will experience a severely restricted social and familial life due to the constant vigilance required for their unwell family member.

2-How do you think that Jacqueline may be contributing to her own health?

Answer: Individuals who provide care for a family member suffering from a mental illness, such as Alzheimer's, experience persistent stress, placing them at risk of experiencing "caregiver overload". This condition encompasses a range of emotional, financial, physical, and social difficulties. Individuals engaged in care work may exhibit both acute and chronic illnesses. Over time, the caregiver may experience a level of exhaustion and strain that hinders their capacity to continue providing care for a loved one member with Alzheimer's disease. Regarding Jacqueline's situation, her mother's daily caregiving responsibilities have had a detrimental impact on her health and have hindered her social life. Given the current circumstances, Jacqueline should engage in initiatives specifically designed to support caretakers of those with Alzheimer's disease. These programs educate caregivers about the specific attributes of an illness and provide guidance on how to effectively interact with these individuals. Furthermore, she shadowed the caregivers in these programs to ensure their access to the resources allocated for the patients' treatment. By adopting this approach, the physical and emotional strain experienced by guardians can be reduced, enabling them to persist in fulfilling this crucial role. In the end and given the difficulties of continuing with the medical treatment of her mother, Jacqueline might turn to several institutions that aid with the health of that kind of patient with great dignity and competency.

References:

Mitzkun Weston L. Las responsabilidades de un cuidador. Association de Alzheimer Mitzkun

Weston L. The responsibilities of a caregiver. Alzheimer's Association. Recovered from

https://www.alz.org/media/cacentral/images/cuidado-cuidador-43-las-responsabilidades-

de-un-cuidador.pdf

Subías Urbano V., Manero Hernando L., Gallego Collado P., Ibáñez Miranda S., Martínez

Gracia L., Milagros Agüero Cárdenas R. The primary caregiver of an Alzheimer patient:

an education program. Research health journal (June 2022). Recovered from

https://revistasanitariadeinvestigacion.com/el-cuidador-principal-de-un-enfermo-de-

alzheimer-programa-de-educacion/