What is alzheimers

Alzheimer’s disease touches the lives of millions of Americans. Today, some 4.5 million Americans suffer from Alzheimer’s, and 1 in 10 families have a loved one afflicted with it. With no cure in sight, it is important for families to arm themselves with information about this devastating disease.




* Alzheimer’s disease begins slowly.
Like a stroke, Alzheimer’s kills brain cells. Unlike a stroke, however, Alzheimer’s does not strike suddenly. And, its effects are more far-ranging. Experts like to say that Alzheimer’s has an insidious onset. This means simply that the disease starts slowly and unfolds very gradually. So gradually, in fact, that the person who has Alzheimer’s may not realize that anything is wrong until a great deal of brain tissue has been destroyed.

* Early symptoms reflect what is happening inside the brain.
Alzheimer’s disease attacks tissue deep within the brain and spreads out to include all those regions associated with complex thinking and learning; those regions of the brain that make us uniquely human. As the path of destruction widens, individuals who have Alzheimer’s will eventually notice that their thinking skills are deteriorating.

More often than not, they will notice that their memory is failing. But, it is not just a series of senior moments. Individuals stricken by Alzheimer’s will have more than a little difficulty finding the right words to express their thoughts and feeling. They may forget the names of familiar places and long-term acquaintances. They are likely to forget long standing appointments. To compensate for these everyday losses, they may withdraw from friends and avoid social gatherings. Their homes may become littered with notes and other reminders as they struggle to overcome their memory losses.

* Alzheimer’s disease affects personality and behavior.
Interestingly, even as problems accumulate, many individuals will actively deny their difficulties. Denial is a common way of coping in the earliest stages of Alzheimer’s. It is a defense mechanism that helps to preserve a sense of self-worth, which becomes increasingly fragile as thinking skills fail.

Unfortunately, denial does not “work” forever or for everyone. When denial no longer works, some individuals sink into depression. Others may react with angry outbursts, even rage, in the face of everyday frustrations. It is especially common for individuals afflicted with Alzheimer’s to develop a kind of apathy. They lose interest in those things that used to bring them joy.

* Early signs of Alzheimer’s may go unrecognized by family members.
Families often engage in their own form of denial when it comes to Alzheimer’s in a loved one. Significant memory problems in their loved one may be dismissed as simply a part of getting old. As a result, family members often overlook the earliest signs of mental deterioration. They become concerned and seek outside help only after they begin to notice the more obvious changes in behavior or personality. By then, Alzheimer’s has probably progressed to the point where their loved one can no longer live independently.

* Families must be prepared for what is going to happen.
Whenever the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s is finally made, it is important for family members to understand that this is not a disease that can be cured or reversed. The fact is, individuals who have Alzheimer’s will spiral downward toward total care and, ultimately, death. It may take years, but individuals who have Alzheimer’s will eventually lose everything that defines their personhood.

Among other things, their ability to communicate will continue to decline. They will lose the ability to dress and groom themselves. They will need assistance using the toilet. They may begin to wander and to experience hallucinations. In the final stages of the disease, individuals afflicted with Alzheimer’s will be unable to recognize a spouse or a child. Motor skills will decline so much that they will be unable to walk or to feed themselves. They will lose all control of bowel and bladder. Eventually, all body systems will shut down.

* Families must be willing to reach out for help.
Families need to think carefully about the amount of assistance they are willing and able to provide. Affection for the afflicted individual, as well as a sense of obligation, can initially blind family members to the harsh realities of caring for their loved one. Families must understand that the kind of care required will become more and more demanding. Worse, they will have to watch as the deterioration takes place.

Among family caregivers, stress reactions can be quite severe and depression is very common. To cope, family caregivers must seek help from their larger community. The local Alzheimer’s Association should be their first stop. It is the best single resource available. The local Alzheimer’s Association can direct families to a variety of services and assistance. For example, many communities have respite programs to give families a short break from care giving.

Adult daycare also may be available to provide care during the day while family caregivers continue with their regular jobs. Often times, special support groups are available to help caregivers deal with the depression and other negative emotions that can develop over time. In any case, families of persons afflicted with Alzheimer’s disease do not have to go it alone. Help is available.

Article Source: http://www.article-outlet.com/

Allegra Alzheimers-Guide To Alzheimer's Care Facility Options

When someone in your family has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's, certain decisions will have to be made. Before you make any decisions however, it's important to know what your options are. For family members, accepting the fact that sooner or later, their loved one will need more care than they can provide is the first step toward understanding the steady progression of this terrible disease.

Most family members naturally want to keep their loved one at home as long as possible. Taking care of someone stricken with Alzheimer's is trying and difficult, and eventually you're going to need help, but you have several options with an Alzheimer's care facility.There are generally four choices to make for Alzheimer's patient care. Assisted Living or Residential care, Respite care, long-term care nursing home care, and Hospice care.

For those who need to know Alzheimer's care facility options, it's important to know what each of those options are. Assisted Living allows a resident to live in a monitored environment like a long-term care facility, with help in daily living needs and skills. Trained aides your loved one in getting dressed, bathing, and eating and with any other daily living assistance they need. Nurses and doctors are also available twenty-four hours a day with in this type of Alzheimer's care facility.

Respite care offers a much-needed break for family and friends who have been watching over an Alzheimer's patient. If family members don't wish to place their loved one in the care of an Alzheimer's care facility, they often opt to try to take care of them in the home. The daily stress and strain of providing constant care however, is draining, and that's where Respite care comes in.

Respite Alzheimer's care facility offices send a trained nurse or nursing aid to the home to care for the needs of the patient so that family members can 'get away from it all' for short periods of time. Respite care also includes day care facilities and services so that your loved one can go places, socialize and be with others in a controlled group with trained personnel constantly available.

Another type of Alzheimer's care facility is a long term nursing facility such as what used to be more commonly known as nursing homes. For Alzheimer's patients who need around the clock care and attention, this may be the best solution. No one wants to put their loved on in a facility, but when safety and health becomes an issue, it's the best thing you can do. Make sure to check out the facilities in your area to make sure they will be able to provide your loved one with the care and attention they deserve.

Most long-term care facilities have a special unit designed for Alzheimer's patients that provides the ultimate in safety and activities in a protected environment.As with any disease process, Alzheimer's will eventually lead to basic body systems shutdown, and when that time comes, Alzheimer's care facility staff will call in a Hospice worker.

Hospice care provides declining patients with more personalized care, attention and support to both patient and family members during this very difficult stage of the disease. An Alzheimer's care facility, no matter which one you select, offers the support, knowledge and experience to help you take care of your loved one.

Since Alzheimer's is such a progressive disease, you may even use all of the above services while taking care of the Alzheimer's patient. However, the support and concern of staff members from any Alzheimer's care facility will provide you with the help you need to ensure that your loved one's quality of life is maintained as long as possible.

Article Source: http://www.article-outlet.com/

Alzheimer Disease Symptom

Alzheimer disease symptom are many. When a person diagnosed with alzheimer disease, psychosis will set in. Psychosis means that people involved with the
alzheimer disease is "lost contact with the real world"

A person with alzheimer disease symptom will experience hallucination or
delusion. From then on the person will show changes in personality and
couldn't think in organise way. The mind of people with alzheimer disease
symptom will be in confuse situation. The cause of alzheimers disease is
still being researched by the scientist and medical lab through the world
Difficulties to eat, speak,swallow and sleep is one of alzheimer disease
symptom. The person involved is also at risk of infection that can cause
disability.

Other alzheimer symptom is dementia. Dementia is deteriorating situation
of the brain. It is largely due to the disease in the brain. This situation
normally doesn't happen from normal ageing. Areas in the brain that is going
to be affected are which controls the attention, language, memory and problem
solving.

Another one of alzheimer disease symptom is family health history. A
person with family alzheimer disease history is more likely to inflicted
with it compared to the no family history of alzheimer.

People with alzheimer disease symptom will also shows sign of decreasing
his or her intelectual functions. The deteriorating brain tissues lead the
brain tissues to collapse. A task like simple mathematical calculation that a
person normally accomplished will no longer seems easy to do.
Alzheimer disease symptom could also be traced when a person experience
loss of memory, mood swings or related behaviour problems such as feeling
aggressive. It is possible that the person affected with alzheimer to act
like a two or three year old children.

At times the person might slap, hit or smack at you. Yelling and verbal
abuses also a common occurance with people affected by alzheimer disease.
Avoid striking back, try to stay calm and restrain him or her. The most
important is you have to keep reminding yourself that your love ones doesn't
know what he is doing.