THE PSYCHOLOGIST'S ROLE IN IDENTIFYING ALZHEIMER'S

Abstract

Alzheimer's Disease (AD) affects people from all social classes around the world, being classified as the most common form of dementia and characterized by progressive degeneration of cognitive functions, especially memory, attention and language, requiring intervention from therapists such as psychologists. The objective of this work is to address the importance of psychologists in the early identification of Alzheimer's disease, highlighting their specific contributions in identifying cognitive and behavioral symptoms. This is a bibliographic review carried out based on articles published between 2015 and 2024, predominantly the last 5 years. Studies indexed in the databases of the Virtual Health Library (BCS) and the Google Scholar platform were searched. The findings on the concept and stages of AD showed that it compromises cognitive abilities and takes place in a gradual degenerative process. Adequate treatment, although it does not allow for a cure, can slow down this process and improve the individual's quality of life. Therefore, it is crucial for the psychologist to be aware of early signs and refer their client to early diagnosis and treatment, as this can help preserve the patient's quality of life and reduce the impact on their loved ones. It was evident that the role of the psychologist consists of evaluating cognitive abilities, involving attention, memory, mood, language and functions related to functional performance. From this evaluation process, it helps to re-learn what may be applicable in everyday life that requires organizing routines and complying with them. Given the relevance of the topic, it is suggested that its approach be encouraged among academics and veterans in psychotherapy in order to promote a better quality of life for patients with AD.