Abstract

Dementia according to the ICD-10 classification is a syndrome of symptoms caused by chronic or progressive brain disease that manifests itself in disorders of higher cortical functions such as memory, thinking, orientation, comprehension, counting, language usage and ability to learn and evaluate. Despite the fact that dementia is not only a characteristic disease of the aging process, the risk of its developing is increasing significantly with age. Dementia is an incurable chronic disease, classified as a major geriatric problem that leads to a series of negative physical, psychological and social consequences. The person with dementia must be equipped in the way of therapeutic education with the knowledge and skills necessary for effective self-management (diagnosis and monitoring of symptoms, active attitude and full involvement in the therapeutic process, adaptation to disease and coping with its consequences, medication adherence etc.). Dementia is progressive which means that person’s ability to remember, understand, communicate and reason gradually declines. In the last stage of dementia, the patient needs a total care. Caregivers are usually patient’s family so there is a strong need for supporting them by therapeutic education including: nursing care, pain management, burnout prevention, social and physical rehabilitation. It’s important to remember that dementia cannot be cured, but through health education it can be effectively controlled. The aim of the study was to present problems and needs of therapeutic education patient with dementia and their caregivers.