The family does not mean that should help all the regular needs of elderly people, so that the elderly tend to be silent and depend on the environment. All members are expected keluargapun active in helping elderly people in order to optimally perform their regular activities independently safely. Perform apiece day activities on a regular basis as most elderly people without dementia can reduce depression experienced by elderly people with dementia.

Patience is a demand of caring for family members who suffer from dementia. Mutually reinforce apiece other’s family members and always take time for yourself to rest and socialize with other friends can refrain the stress that can be experienced by family members who care for elderly people with dementia.

Elderly with dementia do something that they themselves sometimes do not comprehend it. This behavior can be hazardous to himself or others.

Reference
1. Grayson, C. (2004). All about Alzheimer’s. Retrieved on October 2006 from

2. Harvey, R. J., Robinson, M. S. & Rossor, M. N. (2003). The prevalence and causes of dementia in people under the age of 65 years. Journal Neurosurg Psychiatry, 74: 1206-1209.

3. Mace, N. L. & Rabins, P. V. (2006). The 36-hour day: a family guide to caring for people with Alzheimer’s disease, other dementias, and memory loss in later life (4th Ed.) Baltimore, USA: The Johns Hopkins University Press.

4. Volicer, L., Hurley, A.C., Mahoney, E. (1998). Behavioral symptoms of dementia. In Volicer, L., Hurley, A.C. (Eds), Hospice care for patients with advanced progressive dementia. New York: Springer Publishing Company.

Most researchers in the research concurred that the main cause of the symptoms of dementia is Alzheimer’s disease, vascular disease (blood vessels), Lewy body dementia, frontotemporal dementia and ten percent of them caused by other diseases. Fifty to sixty percent of the causes of dementia is Alzheimer’s disease. Alzhaimer is a condition in which nerve cells die in the brain that makes signals from the brain can not transmit properly (Grayson, C. 2004). Alzheimer’s memory impaired, the capability to make decisions and also decrease the thinking process.

The interesting thing is the symptoms of dementia sufferers adannya changes in personality and behavior that affect their regular activities. Patients are referred to in this paper is the Elderly by age sixty-five years old and above. Elderly people with dementia do not show a prominent symptom in the primeval stages, they are as old people in general experience of aging and degenerative process. Initial awkwardness felt by the sufferers themselves, they are hard to remember the obloquy of their grandchildren or forget putting an item.

Symptoms of dementia that comes next is usually a depression in elderly people, they kept their distance with the environment and more sensitive. Such conditions might be followed by the emergence of other diseases and usually will worsen the condition of elderly people. At this time might be very frightened elderly people even hallucinate. This is where families Elderly patients with dementia to the hospital where dementia is not the main focus of this investigation.

Dementia often escapes examination and not terkaji by health teams. Not all health workers have the capability to assess and recognize the symptoms of dementia. Assess and diagnose dementia is not an simple and fast, needs a long time before to ensure a positive mortal suffering from dementia. At least five types of critical tests to be done, starting from the individual background studies, physical examination, neurological examination, assessment of mental position and the necessary supporting work tests.

In advanced stages of dementia led to changes in behavior are increasingly worried about, so it was important for families to comprehend well behavior changes experienced by elderly people with dementia. Understanding changes in behavior can result in dementia empathy that is needed by the family members who must care for them patiently. Changes in behavior (behavioral symptoms) that might occur in elderly people with dementia include delusions, hallucinations, depression, alteration to body functions, anxiety, spatial disorientation, inability to conduct meaningful action, can not perform regular activities independently, against, anger, agitation, apathy, and fled from their homes.

Various conditions or illnesses (ranging from mild dehydration to drug toxicity or infection can be fatal), can cause delirium.

Causes of delirium:
# Alcohol, drugs and toxic substances
# Toxic effects of treatment
# Levels of electrolytes, salts and minerals (eg calcium, sodium or magnesium) is not normal due to medication, dehydration or certain diseases
# Acute infections with fever
# Hydrocephalus normal pressure, ie a say where the pillow brain fluid is not absorbed properly and near the brain
# Hematoma subdural, videlicet the collection of blood under the skull that can suppress the brain.
# Meningitis, encephalitis, syphilis (infectious disease that attacks the brain)
# Lack of thiamine and vitamin B12
# Hypothyroidism and hypothyroidism
# Tumors of the brain (some of them dazed and sometimes cause memory problems)
# Hip fracture and the long bones
# Function of the heart or lungs causing bad and low oxygen levels or high levels of carbon dioxide in the blood
# Stroke.

The main characteristic of delirium is not healthy to focus.
The patient can not concentrate, so they have difficulty in processing new information and can not remember the events that had just happened.

Almost all patients experienced disorientation of time and confusion with the place where they are.
Their minds confused, delirious, and there inkoherensia.

In severe cases, patients do not know themselves.
Some people experience paranoia and delusions (believing that was going on the things that strange).

Patient’s response to the difficulties it faces different; there is a very quiet and withdrawn, while others become hyperactive and tried to fight hallucinations and delusions experienced.

If the cause is drugs, then often behavioral changes. Drug toxicity causing the patient to sleep very quiet and withdrawn, whereas amphetamine poisoning causes sufferers to be aggressive and hyperactive.

Delirium can last for hours, days or even longer, depending on the weight of symptoms and patient medical environment.Delirium is often worse at night (a phenomenon known as the sun sets). In the end, the patient will sleep restless and might develop into coma (depending on the cause).

Diagnosis based on symptoms and determined the cause as soon as possible. A complete physical examination and focused on patient neurological response. Another Examination is usually conducted blood tests, X-rays and lumbar pungsi.

Treatment depends on the cause;
- Infection treated with antibiotics
- Fever lowering drugs overcome by heat
- Disorders of salt and mineral levels in the blood overcome by setting fluid and salt levels in the blood.

To alleviate the agitation given drugs benzodiazepines (eg diazepam, triazolam and temazepam).
Anti-psychosis (eg haloperidol, tioridazin and klorpromazin) is usually given only to patients who experienced paranoid or scared or patients who can not be comforted by benzodiazepines.
If the cause is alcohol, benzodiazepines given until the patient lost agitation.