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Brain disordersâ€"neurological, psychiatric, and developmentalâ€"now affect at least 250 million people in the developing world, and this number is expected to rise as life expectancy increases. Yet public and private health systems in developing countries have paid relatively little attention to brain disorders. The negative attitudes, prejudice, and stigma that often surround many of these disorders have contributed to this neglect. Lacking proper diagnosis and treatment, millions of individual lives are lost to disability and death. Such conditions exact both personal and economic costs on families, communities, and nations. The report describes the causes and risk factors associated with brain disorders. It focuses on six representative brain disorders that are prevalent in developing countries: developmental disabilities, epilepsy, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, and stroke. The report makes detailed recommendations of ways to reduce the toll exacted by these six disorders. In broader strokes, the report also proposes six major strategies toward reducing the overall burden of brain disorders in the developing world.
As the largest generation in U.S. history - the population born in the two decades immediately following World War II - enters the age of risk for cognitive impairment, growing numbers of people will experience dementia (including Alzheimer's disease and related dementias). By one estimate, nearly 14 million people in the United States will be living with dementia by 2060. Like other hardships, the experience of living with dementia can bring unexpected moments of intimacy, growth, and compassion, but these diseases also affect people's capacity to work and carry out other activities and alter their relationships with loved ones, friends, and coworkers. Those who live with and care for individuals experiencing these diseases face challenges that include physical and emotional stress, difficult changes and losses in their relationships with life partners, loss of income, and interrupted connections to other activities and friends. From a societal perspective, these diseases place substantial demands on communities and on the institutions and government entities that support people living with dementia and their families, including the health care system, the providers of direct care, and others. Nevertheless, research in the social and behavioral sciences points to possibilities for preventing or slowing the development of dementia and for substantially reducing its social and economic impacts. At the request of the National Institute on Aging of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Reducing the Impact of Dementia in America assesses the contributions of research in the social and behavioral sciences and identifies a research agenda for the coming decade. This report offers a blueprint for the next decade of behavioral and social science research to reduce the negative impact of dementia for America's diverse population. Reducing the Impact of Dementia in America calls for research that addresses the causes and solutions for disparities in both developing dementia and receiving adequate treatment and support. It calls for research that sets goals meaningful not just for scientists but for people living with dementia and those who support them as well. By 2030, an estimated 8.5 million Americans will have Alzheimer's disease and many more will have other forms of dementia. Through identifying priorities social and behavioral science research and recommending ways in which they can be pursued in a coordinated fashion, Reducing the Impact of Dementia in America will help produce research that improves the lives of all those affected by dementia.
Visual Diagnosis and Care of the Patient with Special Needs provides a thorough review of the eye and vision care needs of patients with special needs. This book gives you a better understanding of the most frequently encountered developmental and acquired disabilities seen in the eye care practitioner's office. These disabilities include patients with autism, brain injury, Fragile X syndrome and Down syndrome, as well as those with psychiatric illness, dual diagnosis, and more. The text discusses, in great detail, the visual issues inherent in these populations and their possible treatment. A group of authors with approximately 500 years of experience in the field of eye care and special populations have been brought together to develop this comprehensive reference. It may appear that this book is written primarily for eye care practitioners such as optometrists and ophthalmologists, while vision is the overriding topic, this book serves as an excellent resource for a multitude of professions including those engaged in occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech and language therapy, physiatry, social work, pediatric medicine, and special education.
Part of the Oxford Textbooks in Clinical Neurology series, this textbook will provide the reader with an understanding of the theoretical underpinnings of neurorehabilitation, as well as a clear idea about how (and why) to approach treatment decisions in individual patients.
The U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) provides disability benefits through the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) programs. To receive SSDI or SSI disability benefits, an individual must meet the statutory definition of disability, which is "the inability to engage in any substantial gainful activity [SGA] by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment which can be expected to result in death or which has lasted or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months." SSA uses a five-step sequential process to determine whether an adult applicant meets this definition. Functional Assessment for Adults with Disabilities examines ways to collect information about an individual's physical and mental (cognitive and noncognitive) functional abilities relevant to work requirements. This report discusses the types of information that support findings of limitations in functional abilities relevant to work requirements, and provides findings and conclusions regarding the collection of information and assessment of functional abilities relevant to work requirements.
Functional Neurologic Disorders, the latest volume in the Handbook of Clinical Neurology series, summarizes state-of-the-art research findings and clinical practice on this class of disorders at the interface between neurology and psychiatry. This 51-chapter volume offers an historical introduction, chapters on epidemiology and pathophysiolology, a large section on the clinical features of different type of functional neurologic symptoms and disorders (including functional movement disorders, non-epileptic seizures, dizziness, vision, hearing, speech and cognitive symptoms), and then concluding with approaches to therapy. This group of internationally acclaimed experts in neurology, psychiatry, and neuroscience represent a broad spectrum of areas of expertise, chosen for their ability to write clearly and concisely with an eye toward a clinical audience. This HCN volume sets a new landmark standard for a comprehensive, multi-authored work dealing with functional neurologic disorders (also described as psychogenic, dissociative or conversion disorders). - Offers a comprehensive interdisciplinary approach for the care of patients with functional disorders seen in neurologic practice, leading to more efficient prevention, management, and treatment - Provides a synthesis of research efforts incorporating clinical, brain imaging and neurophysiological studies - Fills an existing gap between traditional neurology and traditional psychiatry - Contents include coverage of history, epidemiology, clinical presentations, and therapy - Edited work with chapters authored by leaders in the field, the broadest, most expert coverage available
As occupational therapy celebrates its centennial in 2017, attention returns to the profession's founding belief in the value of therapeutic occupations as a way to remediate illness and maintain health. The founders emphasized the importance of establishing a therapeutic relationship with each client and designing an intervention plan based on the knowledge about a client's context and environment, values, goals, and needs. Using today's lexicon, the profession's founders proposed a vision for the profession that was occupation based, client centered, and evidence based--the vision articulated in the third edition of the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework: Domain and Process. The Framework is a must-have official document from the American Occupational Therapy Association. Intended for occupational therapy practitioners and students, other health care professionals, educators, researchers, payers, and consumers, the Framework summarizes the interrelated constructs that describe occupational therapy practice. In addition to the creation of a new preface to set the tone for the work, this new edition includes the following highlights: a redefinition of the overarching statement describing occupational therapy's domain; a new definition of clients that includes persons, groups, and populations; further delineation of the profession's relationship to organizations; inclusion of activity demands as part of the process; and even more up-to-date analysis and guidance for today's occupational therapy practitioners. Achieving health, well-being, and participation in life through engagement in occupation is the overarching statement that describes the domain and process of occupational therapy in the fullest sense. The Framework can provide the structure and guidance that practitioners can use to meet this important goal.
People with neurological disorders may experience significant problems, isolation, detachment, and passivity while dealing with environmental requests. They constantly rely on caregivers and family assistance, which can create negative outcomes on their quality of life. An emerging way to overcome these issues is assistive technology-based interventions (AT). AT-based programs are designed to fill the gap between human/individual capacities or skills and environmental requests. These technologies can also bring about independence and self-determination and provide people with neurological disorders an active role, positive participation, and an enhanced status in being able to achieve functional daily activities by reducing the roles of their families and caregivers. The positive impacts of this technology are an important area of research, and its usage for neurological disorders is critical for the assessment and recovery of patients. Assistive Technologies for Assessment and Recovery of Neurological Impairments explores the use of AT-based programs for promoting independence and self-determination of individuals with neurological disorders. The chapters discuss AT-based interventions in detail with the specific technologies that are being used, the positive effects on patients, and evidence-based practices. This book also focuses on specific technologies such as virtual reality (VR) setups and augmented reality (AR) as valid ecological environments for patients that ensure methodological control and behavioral tracking for both assessment and rehabilitation purposes. This book is essential for occupational therapists, speech therapists, physiotherapists, neurologists, caregivers, psychologists, practitioners, medical professionals, medical technologists, IT consultants, academicians, and students interested in assistive technology interventions for people with neurological impairments.
