| Alzheimer's disease is a disease that effects the brain | | | | appropriately for the weather, being unable to think |
| cells, leading to dementia and a deterioration of the | | | | abstractly, rapid mood changes, personality changes, |
| brain itself. The disease can be hard to diagnose at | | | | and a loss of initiative, or becoming very passive in |
| first, because it happens slowly and the symptoms | | | | nature. |
| can be mild. At first, the only symptom may be mild | | | | The disease comes in 7 stages. The first stage of |
| forgetfulness, such as forgetting recent events, | | | | brain deterioration is unsociable by doctors and there |
| people's names or being unable to solve simple math | | | | are no personality changes in the individual, the |
| problems. While these symptoms can be alarming, | | | | second stage includes very mild dementia, followed |
| they are not necessarily dangerous. However, as the | | | | by the fourth, fifth and sixth stage in which each |
| disease progresses, the symptoms become more | | | | stage the level of forgetfulness and dementia |
| obvious and can become a serious problem. You will | | | | increase. Finally, the seventh, and final stage of |
| eventually need to seek medical help because the | | | | Alzheimer's is classified as severe and includes |
| forgetfulness will start to effect daily activities. A | | | | symptoms such as becoming incapable of speaking, |
| person in this stage of Alzheimer's might forget to | | | | going to the washroom alone, and inability to walk, sit |
| brush their teeth, comb their hair and or no longer be | | | | up straight, smile, or hold their own head up. At this |
| able to think clearly. They might forget places or | | | | stage, the muscles deteriorate, and become stiff and |
| people they have been familiar with their whole lives. | | | | rigid. Swallowing also becomes impaired. |
| In the final stages of Alzheimer's, the patient may | | | | There is no significant amount of research today that |
| become overly anxious or aggressive and may | | | | says why or when people develop Alzheimer's |
| wander away from home and get lost. At this point, | | | | disease. Some research shows that it may be |
| the patient will need total care. | | | | hereditary. It may also be induced by environmental |
| If you are worried about a family member or friend | | | | factors such as drug and alcohol intake. However |
| becoming effected with Alzheimer's disease, there | | | | there are no hard facts proving either statement. |
| are several warning signs that you should watch for. | | | | Currently, there are no cures for the disease, |
| They include, memory loss of recent events, | | | | although there is weak evidence suggesting that |
| difficulty performing daily tasks, language problems | | | | keeping the brain active by reading or doing |
| (forgetting what a toothbrush is called for instance), | | | | crossword puzzles can help reduce an individuals |
| being disorientated for the time and place they are in, | | | | chances of developing the disease. |
| poor judgment for simple things such as dressing | | | | |