Case Study

Mr. Joshua Meadows is an 82 year old man. Joshua has a high school education and previously worked as a repairman before retiring five years ago. He has been married to his husband, Darious, for over 50 years. They live together in a bungalow in the suburbs of Toronto. The Meadows have five children, 11 grandchildren, and 1 great-grandchild. They love to have their children and grandchildren visit. His family is very close-knit and love to have big gatherings together during the holidays. Joshua has always been independent with his activities of daily living. Joshua and Darious enjoy going for afternoon walks in their neighbourhood. Also, they are active in their community, frequently volunteering at their community center and organizing donation drives for 2SLGBTQI+ youth.

Mr. Meadows has Type II diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, osteoarthritis and a stroke five years ago. He is compliant with all his medications. He has a primary care nurse practitioner whom he sees regularly for management of his chronic health conditions.

Darious brings his husband to the clinic and states, “The other day while we were gardening in our front yard, Joshua wandered off and got lost in the neighbourhood that we have lived in for over 30 years. The police were called to help look for him, and he was found in a neighbour’s backyard. They found him topless, and he was mumbling to himself that he had to “‘go to work to fix Jimmy’s leaking roof”’.   Darious reports to you, the triaging nurse, that her husband has been struggling with memory loss and difficulty completing tasks. After performing a series of mental tests, the nurse practitioner diagnosed Mr. Meadows with dementia. The couple are distraught after this diagnosis. They worry that this diagnosis will have a huge impact on their lives. Darious is emotional and worries how he’ll be able to take care of his husband. Darious speaks to you and asks you for some strategies and interventions which can help Mr. Meadows.