| Alzheimer's disease touches the lives of
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| | in their loved one may be dismissed as
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| millions of Americans. Today, some 4.5
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| | simply a part of getting old. As a
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| million Americans suffer from
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| | result, family members often overlook the
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| Alzheimer's, and 1 in 10 families have a
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| | earliest signs of mental deterioration.
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| loved one afflicted with it. With no
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| | They become concerned and seek outside
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| cure in sight, it is important for
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| | help only after they begin to notice the
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| families to arm themselves with
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| | more obvious changes in behavior or
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| information about this devastating
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| | personality. By then, Alzheimer's has
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| disease.
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| | probably progressed to the point where
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| * Alzheimer's disease begins slowly.
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| | their loved one can no longer live
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| Like a stroke, Alzheimer's kills brain
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| | independently.
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| cells. Unlike a stroke, however,
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| | * Families must be prepared for what is
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| Alzheimer's does not strike suddenly.
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| | going to happen.
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| And, its effects are more far-ranging.
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| | Whenever the diagnosis of Alzheimer's is
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| Experts like to say that Alzheimer's has
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| | finally made, it is important for family
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| an insidious onset. This means simply
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| | members to understand that this is not a
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| that the disease starts slowly and
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| | disease that can be cured or reversed.
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| unfolds very gradually. So gradually, in
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| | The fact is, individuals who have
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| fact, that the person who has Alzheimer's
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| | Alzheimer's will spiral downward toward
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| may not realize that anything is wrong
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| | total care and, ultimately, death. It
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| until a great deal of brain tissue has
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| | may take years, but individuals who have
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| been destroyed.
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| | Alzheimer's will eventually lose
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| * Early symptoms reflect what is
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| | everything that defines their personhood.
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| happening inside the brain.
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| | Among other things, their ability to
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| Alzheimer's disease attacks tissue deep
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| | communicate will continue to decline.
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| within the brain and spreads out to
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| | They will lose the ability to dress and
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| include all those regions associated with
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| | groom themselves. They will need
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| complex thinking and learning; those
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| | assistance using the toilet. They may
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| regions of the brain that make us
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| | begin to wander and to experience
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| uniquely human. As the path of
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| | hallucinations. In the final stages of
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| destruction widens, individuals who have
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| | the disease, individuals afflicted with
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| Alzheimer's will eventually notice that
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| | Alzheimer's will be unable to recognize a
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| their thinking skills are deteriorating.
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| | spouse or a child. Motor skills will
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| More often than not, they will notice
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| | decline so much that they will be unable
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| that their memory is failing. But, it is
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| | to walk or to feed themselves. They will
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| not just a series of senior moments.
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| | lose all control of bowel and bladder.
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| Individuals stricken by Alzheimer's will
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| | Eventually, all body systems will shut
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| have more than a little difficulty
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| | down.
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| finding the right words to express their
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| | * Families must be willing to reach out
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| thoughts and feeling. They may forget the
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| | for help.
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| names of familiar places and long-term
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| | Families need to think carefully about
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| acquaintances. They are likely to forget
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| | the amount of assistance they are willing
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| long standing appointments. To
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| | and able to provide. Affection for the
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| compensate for these everyday losses,
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| | afflicted individual, as well as a sense
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| they may withdraw from friends and avoid
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| | of obligation, can initially blind family
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| social gatherings. Their homes may
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| | members to the harsh realities of caring
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| become littered with notes and other
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| | for their loved one. Families must
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| reminders as they struggle to overcome
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| | understand that the kind of care required
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| their memory losses.
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| | will become more and more demanding.
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| * Alzheimer's disease affects personality
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| | Worse, they will have to watch as the
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| and behavior.
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| | deterioration takes place. Among family
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| Interestingly, even as problems
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| | caregivers, stress reactions can be quite
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| accumulate, many individuals will
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| | severe and depression is very common. To
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| actively deny their difficulties. Denial
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| | cope, family caregivers must seek help
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| is a common way of coping in the earliest
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| | from their larger community. The local
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| stages of Alzheimer's. It is a defense
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| | Alzheimer's Association should be their
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| mechanism that helps to preserve a sense
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| | first stop. It is the best single
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| of self-worth, which becomes increasingly
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| | resource available. The local
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| fragile as thinking skills fail.
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| | Alzheimer's Association can direct
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| Unfortunately, denial does not "work"
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| | families to a variety of services and
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| forever or for everyone. When denial no
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| | assistance. For example, many
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| longer works, some individuals sink into
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| | communities have respite programs to give
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| depression. Others may react with angry
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| | families a short break from care giving.
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| outbursts, even rage, in the face of
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| | Adult daycare also may be available to
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| everyday frustrations. It is especially
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| | provide care during the day while family
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| common for individuals afflicted with
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| | caregivers continue with their regular
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| Alzheimer's to develop a kind of apathy.
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| | jobs. Often times, special support
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| They lose interest in those things that
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| | groups are available to help caregivers
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| used to bring them joy.
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| | deal with the depression and other
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| * Early signs of Alzheimer's may go
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| | negative emotions that can develop over
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| unrecognized by family members.
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| | time. In any case, families of persons
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| Families often engage in their own form
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| | afflicted with Alzheimer's disease do not
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| of denial when it comes to Alzheimer's in
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| | have to go it alone. Help is available.
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| a loved one. Significant memory problems
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