| Because we now live in an aging community, it | | | | like personal care and taking care of their |
| is common to see people living well into | | | | nutritional needs. They may need assistance |
| their eighties and sometimes longer. As a | | | | with cooking and may also need to be reminded |
| result, Alzheimer's disease will affect many | | | | to eat. Often, they may forget people's |
| more lives in the future. In fact, it is | | | | names, including close family members. This |
| estimated that within twenty years, around | | | | often leads to angry outbursts. They also |
| thirty million people worldwide, will suffer | | | | tend to become restless and suffer from |
| from this insidious disease. | | | | insomnia. |
| | | | |
| Alzheimer's disease is a degenerative | | | | The person with Alzheimer's can sometimes |
| condition that affects the cerebral cortex of | | | | become so confused and forgetful that their |
| the brain and leads to the progressive death | | | | resulting actions may put themselves or |
| of nerve cells. This causes the sufferer to | | | | others at risk. This can be things like |
| gradually lose their memory. Alzheimer's | | | | forgetting to switch off heaters or putting |
| disease is the most common form of dementia | | | | clothes or papers too near such appliances. |
| making up more than half of dementia | | | | They may also act inappropriately, behaving |
| sufferers. Around twenty percent of people | | | | in ways that are totally out of character for |
| aged over sixty five experience dementia | | | | them. A person who has always been very |
| which is a term that describes many different | | | | properly spoken and behaved may begin using |
| diseases where people experience serious | | | | vulgar language or stripping their clothes |
| memory loss. | | | | off in front of other people. |
| | | | |
| While it normally affects people in their | | | | In the later stages of the disease, the |
| mid-sixties or later, it can also affect | | | | person may need 24 hour care and supervision |
| people as young as thirty. This is called | | | | as they lose their memory completely. Often |
| early-onset Alzheimer's disease. | | | | by this time, they are weak and find it hard |
| | | | to walk as the part of the brain that |
| People with Alzheimer's disease may become | | | | controls muscles succumbs to the disease. One |
| lost in areas that are well known to them | | | | of the major risks at this stage is that of |
| such as their local shopping centre. They | | | | falls. It is important not to have loose |
| also forget what things are called and often | | | | mats, electrical cords, or any other loose |
| what those things are actually used for. | | | | items lying around the floor where the person |
| These things are quite likely to be items | | | | may trip over them. |
| that they have used every day during their | | | | |
| life. | | | | The person may become wheelchair dependent or |
| | | | even bedridden. Dysphasia (difficulty in |
| Alzheimer's disease is caused by a shortage | | | | swallowing) becomes a problem and may make |
| of neurotransmitters in the brain. These | | | | the person reluctant to eat, resulting in |
| neurotransmitters are the chemical that | | | | weight loss. They become incontinent and lose |
| normally transmit messages to the brain | | | | all control of both bladder and bowel. Often, |
| controlling memory, speech and movement. | | | | families may provide care though others may |
| | | | prefer to admit the person to a nursing home |
| In the early part of this condition, the | | | | where trained professionals are available to |
| person may be unable to remember things that | | | | care for their loved one around the clock. |
| happened only a short time ago yet can | | | | |
| remember things that happened many years | | | | Every person is different and this is also |
| before. This is known as short-term memory | | | | true for the sufferers of Alzheimer's |
| loss. Because their long-term memory remains | | | | disease. While some may experience certain |
| intact for quite some time, it is vital to | | | | losses early in the disease, others may |
| share their memories. It can be helpful to | | | | suffer the same losses at a later stage of |
| have a photo album for the person and to go | | | | the disease. However, what is common to all |
| through the album with them, allowing them | | | | is the gradual loss of memory and ability to |
| the time to recount the memories each photo | | | | function normally. |
| invokes for them. | | | | |
| | | | While, in the final stages of the disease, |
| As the disease progresses, the person with | | | | the person may not recognize anyone, they |
| Alzheimer's disease finds it increasingly | | | | still recognize the kindness of a soothing |
| difficult to perform day-to-day activities | | | | voice and a loving smile. |