All You Need To Know About Alzheimer Disease
Introduction:
• A degenerative neurologic condition called Alzheimer's disease results in the death of brain cells and brain shrinkage. The most frequent cause of dementia, which is characterized by a steady deterioration in mental, behavioral, and social abilities and impairs a person's capacity for independent functioning.
• In the United States, 5.8 million persons aged 65 and older have Alzheimer's disease. Eighty percent of them are 75 or older. Between 60% and 70% of the estimated 50 million dementia sufferers globally are thought to have Alzheimer's disease.
Symptoms:
• The disease's early symptoms include forgetting recent conversations or experiences. A person with Alzheimer's disease will have severe memory loss as the condition worsens and lose the capacity to do basic tasks.
• Symptoms may momentarily get better or progress more slowly with medication. These therapies occasionally enable persons with Alzheimer's disease to maintain independence and optimize function. Numerous services and programs are available to assist those who have Alzheimer's disease and those who care for them.
• There is currently no known medication for Alzheimer's disease that can stop the illness's progression in the brain. In extreme stages of the illness, significant loss of brain function-related problems, such as dehydration, hunger, or infection, lead to death.
• The primary sign of Alzheimer's disease is memory loss. Early warning indications include having trouble recalling previous conversations or occurrences. Memory deficits worsen as the disease advances, and new symptoms appear.
• A person with Alzheimer's disease may initially be aware of having trouble organizing their thoughts and remembering things. It's possible that a friend or family member would notice the symptoms getting worse first.
• Everyone occasionally experiences memory loss, but Alzheimer's disease memory loss is persistent and gets worse, making it difficult to carry out daily tasks at home or at work.
Alzheimer's Patients May:
• Repeat sentences and inquiries repeatedly.
• Don't remember discussions, appointments, or activities later on.
• Regularly lose belongings and frequently place them in odd places
• Get lost in well-known locations
• Eventually forget the names of loved ones and commonplace items
• Have difficulty putting thoughts or actions into words, making conversation, or identifying objects
• Concentration and thinking problems are brought on by Alzheimer's disease, especially when it comes to abstract ideas like numbers.
• It can be tricky to manage funds, balance chequebooks, and make on-time payments of bills while multitasking. A person with Alzheimer's may eventually lose the ability to comprehend and use numbers.
Making Decisions And Judgments:
• Reasonable judgment and decision-making skills deteriorate as a result of Alzheimer's disease. One could behave uncharacteristically or poorly in social situations, or they might dress inappropriately for the conditions. Effectively handling common issues like food burning on the stove or unforeseen driving conditions could be more challenging.
Preparing For And Carrying Out Routine Duties:
• As the illness worsens, formerly simple tasks that call for sequential processes, such as planning and preparing a meal or playing a favorite game, become challenging. Eventually, individuals with advanced Alzheimer's frequently lose the ability to carry out fundamental chores like dressing and taking a bath.
Personality And Behavior Changes:
Moods and behaviors may be affected by the brain alterations that result from Alzheimer's disease. Issues could involve any of the following:
• Depression
• Apathy
• Social isolation
• Mood changes
• Suspicion of others
• Easily irritated and hostile
• Alterations in sleeping patterns
• Wandering
• Loss of self-control
• Delusions like thinking something was stolen
Even as symptoms get worse, many crucial skills are retained for longer periods of time. Reading or listening to books, remembering, singing, dancing, dancing to music, drawing, or making crafts are a few examples of talents that can be preserved.
Because the brain regions that govern these skills are impaired later in the disease's progression, they may be preserved for a longer period of time.
Whenever To Visit A Doctor:
• Memory loss or other dementia symptoms can be caused by a variety of illnesses, some of which are treatable. Consult your doctor for a comprehensive evaluation and diagnosis if you are worried about your memory or other thinking abilities.
• Talk to a family member or friend about your concerns and suggest coming to a doctor's appointment together if you are worried about the cognitive abilities you have noticed in them.