Alzheimer’s
disease (AD) is a type of progressive dementia eventually leads to the death of
brain cells, which causes problem with a person memory, thinking, emotion,
mood, and behavior. It is not a normal part of aging, and it gets worse over
time. Unfortunately, there is no cure for Alzheimer’s disease, but there are
only medications to slow the progression down. Alzheimer’s disease is one of
the top ten leading causes of death in the United States, the 5th leading cause
of death for adults aged 65 years and older.
Alzheimer’s
disease symptoms can vary widely; the first problem many people notice is
forgetfulness severe enough to affect their ability to function at home or at
work, or to enjoy lifelong hobbies. Some people recognize changes in themselves
before anyone else does. Other times, friends and family are the first to
notice changes in the person’s memory, behavior or abilities. The disease may
cause a person to become confused, lost in familiar places, misplace things or
have trouble with language. Alzheimer’s is a slow disease that progresses in seven
stages ranging from an early, preclinical stage with no symptoms, through a
middle stage of mild cognitive impairment, to a final stage of Alzheimer’s dementia. The
time from diagnosis to death varies—as little as 3 or 4 years if the person is
older than 80 when diagnosed to as long as 10 or more years if the person is
younger.
Advancing
age is the greatest known risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease most individuals
with the disease are age 65 or older, and after age 85, the risk reaches nearly
50 percent. Family history and heredity another risk factor of the disease; those
who have a parent, brother, or sister with Alzheimer’s are more likely to
develop the disease. In the United States, adults above 65 years old, caregivers
of Alzheimer’s patients, adults who have diabetes, high blood pressure, or high
cholesterol, Latinos, African-Americans, and women are at risk developing
Alzheimer’s disease.
For those who at risk there are some
preventive measures that can be adapted to reduce their risk for developing
Alzheimer’s disease:
· Eat
a low-fat diet rich in fruits & vegetables
· Avoid
tobacco and excess alcohol
· Keep themselves physically active; try walking, swimming, or yoga
· Keep
your brain active; try some mentally challenging activities like crossword
puzzles
· Stay
socially active; Join a club or social group or go out with your family or
friends at least once a week
· Keep
their weight, blood pressure, blood cholesterol and blood sugar within the
recommended ranges
· Protect
their brain by buckling their seat belt, wearing their helmet when participating
in sports, and “fall-proofing” your home.
It
is hard to imagine a more difficult job than caring for an older family member
who has Alzheimer's disease. For some it often ends up with the afflicted
needing total care, 24 hours per day. This can be emotionally and physically demanding
for a family caregiver, a teenager or adult taking care of her/his parent, or a
spouse caring for his/her lifelong partner. Therefore, caring for someone who
has Alzheimer’s often requires a great deal of time and patience, and it can be
very stressful and overwhelming to the caregivers.
Here
are some of websites that provide information to Alzheimer’s caregivers for how
they can cope with their own emotions and stress:
Alzheimer’s
and Dementia Caregivers Center
National
Institute on aging
Coping with Emotions and Stress in
Alzheimer's Caregiving: A Resource List
Alzheimer’s
Disease Research: Caregiving-Caregiver Support
Mayo
Clinic: Alzheimer’s disease- Coping and support
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