The patient has been brought to the emergency department by a family member who states that she just "doesn't know what to do." The patient often forgets where he is and refuses to bathe or change clothes.He will put things on the stove and forget that he has something cooking.She is obviously concerned for her loved one's safety.How is the nurse likely to interpret these symptoms?

Question

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Alzheimer's disease has the characteristic progressive symptoms of loss of memory (amnesia),loss of the ability to recognize objects and persons (agnosia),loss of the ability to perform familiar tasks (apraxia),and loss of language skills (aphasia).
Depression is a chronic,insidious emotional disorder characterized by feelings of sadness,melancholy,dejection,and worthlessness that are inappropriate and out of proportion to reality.Amnesia is a loss of memory.This is only one symptom of Alzheimer's disease.The patient has several symptoms.Aphasia is the loss of language skills.This is only one symptom of Alzheimer's disease,and it is not one that the patient's family member has identified.

The Patient Has Been Brought to the Emergency Department by a Family