| What is Alzheimer's exactly? This particular | | | | lot you can do to protect yourself from |
| disease can be described as a progressive, | | | | developing Alzheimer's, one thing you can do |
| degenerative disease of the brain; and also | | | | is to try and maintain a healthy lifestyle. |
| happens to be the most common type of | | | | This disease is the fourth largest cause of |
| dementia. It is a horrible progressive | | | | death in America, and is the most common type |
| terminal disease in which the patient's brain | | | | of dementia, with roughly 10% of people over |
| cells gradually die and slowly shut down many | | | | 65 being found to develop it. Studies have |
| of the victim's body functions, like speech, | | | | shown that the healthier and happier the |
| thought patterns and memory. Research has | | | | person with this disease is, the slower the |
| shown that the largest risk factor for | | | | speed of their decline |
| developing this disease is getting older. | | | | |
| Having said that, Alzheimer's is a | | | | There is currently no cure and not a great |
| progressive neurological disorder of the | | | | deal of treatment for Alzheimer's disease. |
| elderly that does not necessarily have to be | | | | One of the medications indicated for the |
| part of the normal aging process. | | | | treatment of this disorder is called |
| | | | cholinesterase inhibitors. Of course, |
| Discovering that you or someone close to you | | | | examination by a qualified medical person is |
| has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's can be | | | | needed to guarantee the correct diagnosis and |
| extremely upsetting, and the day to day | | | | treatment of Alzheimer's disease and other |
| caring of a loved one with this disease can | | | | similar disorders. |
| be quite challenging. Another problem for | | | | |
| families caring for a loved one with | | | | Before any course of treatment for |
| Alzheimer's can be the financial cost, this | | | | Alzheimer's is undertaken, the patient's |
| cost being directly related to the severity | | | | wishes and also those of the family should be |
| of the disease. | | | | considered. One question I would like to ask, |
| | | | and has been asked by others is, this disease |
| Alzheimer's is, in my opinion the cruelest of | | | | was discovered about 100 years ago, so why |
| the diseases that strike the elderly, the one | | | | has the treatment for it not advanced at a |
| bit of good news being, that in most cases, | | | | faster rate. |
| it is not inherited. Although there is not a | | | | |