What to look for?
Insight (Others/Environment) | Common Signs- Does not notice changes in people or things
- Does not recognize or understand the feelings of others
- Does not recognize potential danger or hazards (e.g. hot stove, broken glass)
- Does not understand why certain things happen despite an explanation
- Is unable to tell the difference between what is real and not real (e.g. TV, dreams)
- Seems unconcerned most of the time
- Does not understand when a friend or relative passes away
- Does not understand the appropriate way to act in public
- Is not aware of how they are perceived by others
Insight (Others/Environment) | General Description
Alzheimer's disease Alzheimer's disease
A neurological disease that affects memory and behaviour. It is characterized by beta-amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles in the brain. There is no known cause but genetics and lifestyle are thought to play a role. affects a person's ability to understand the true nature of a situation. As a result they may be unaware of changes in people or things that they would have noticed before. For example, they may not be aware that a woman is pregnant, or that the arrangement of furniture has been changed. As well, the person you care for may be unaware of the feelings or emotions of others. For instance, the person you care for may unintentionally insult a friend and not realize that they hurt their friend's feelings. Their lack of insight may be particularly distressing for you in public. They may not realize they are behaving in an inappropriate or embarrassing way, and how that looks to others. For example, they may start to undress themselves in a public place. Often the safety of the person you care for is at risk because they do not recognize potential dangers or hazards. They may leave a stove or oven unattended and not realize that it could cause a fire. Sometimes the person you care for may not understand why a certain thing is happening, such as where the sound is coming from when the telephone rings. Even after they are told, they still may forget and become confused again.
Lack of insight and losses of the ability to empathize with others is a defining symptom Symptom
In medicine a symptom is what the patient complains of. For example, a a patient may have symptoms of pain and fatigue. in the diagnosis Diagnosis
The process by which a physician determines what disease a patient has by studying the patient's symptoms and medical history and by analyzing any tests performed (blood, urine, brain scans, etc.). of Frontotemporal dementia Frontotemporal dementia
A type of dementia that mainly affects the frontal lobe causing a problem in executive function tasks.. People who were normally emotionally sensitive may appear to be selfish and unfeeling. It can be helpful if the caregiver decreases expectations of emotional warmth and support from the patient and instead has these needs met through friends, family and social networks. Problems with insight are also common in Lewy body dementia, vascular Vascular
Relating to blood vessels that carry blood throughout the body. dementia and Parkinson's disease Parkinson's disease
A progressive, neurodegenerative disease characterized by the death of neurons in the brain. The disease has been linked to a lack of the neurotransmitter dopamine which has consequences such as tremors, speech impediments, movement difficulties, and often dementia later in the course of the disease. dementia.
The first step in taking a more active role in symptom management is understanding how a symptom is affecting everyday life; the next step is communicating this knowledge to the care planning team and family members. SymptomGuideTM is designed with these goals in mind.
