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Dementia

A chronic, progressive decline in cognition that interferes with daily life.

Dementia is a chronic, progressive decline in cognition that gradually interferes with daily life. Communicate with short sentences and one instruction at a time, keep a consistent routine and familiar surroundings, and redirect rather than argue or reason with the client. The key contrast for the exam: dementia is gradual and irreversible, whereas delirium is acute and reversible — never confuse the two.

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