|
|
 |
Alzheimer's Disease
Definition
• Symptoms/Warning
Signs • Disease
Facts
Caregiver
Tips • Risk
Reducing Routine • Research
Links
Disease Definition
Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive, degenerative, irreversible,
neurological disease of the brain that impairs memory, thinking, and
behavior, and ultimately, leads to death. Individuals slowly lose
the ability to remember, to communicate and to care for themselves.
Alzheimer’s disease is not a normal part of aging.
Disease
Symptoms/Warning Signs
The Alzheimer’s Association has developed a checklist
of common symptoms relative to Alzheimer’s disease and other
dementing illnesses. If several symptoms apply, the individual with
these symptoms should see a physician for a complete
examination.
- Recent memory loss that affects job skills.
It’s normal to
occasionally forget assignments, colleague’s names,
or a telephone number, then remember later. Those with a dementia
may forget things more often and not remember them at all.
- Difficulty performing routine tasks. Busy
people are easily distracted, occasionally leaving carrots on the
stove, only to remember to serve them at the end of the meal.
People with Alzheimer’s disease can prepare a meal, forget to
serve it, and forget they made it.
- Problems with language. Everyone has trouble
finding the right word sometimes, but a person with Alzheimer’s
disease may forget basic words or substitute inappropriate words,
making his/her sentences incomprehensible.
- Disorientation of time and place. It’s normal
to forget the day of the week or your destination for a moment.
However, those with Alzheimer’s disease can become lost on their
own street, not knowing where they are, how they got there or how
to get back home.
- Poor or decreased judgment. People can become
so immersed in an activity, they temporarily forget about the
child they’re watching. People with Alzheimer’s disease can
completely forget about the child under their care. These
individuals may also dress inappropriately, wearing several shirts
or blouses at the same time.
- Problems with abstract thinking. Balancing a
checkbook can be disconcerting if the task is more complicated
than usual. However, an individual with Alzheimer’s disease can
totally forget what numbers are and how they are to be used.
- Misplacing things. Everyone temporarily
misplaces a wallet or car keys. A person with Alzheimer’s disease
may place items inappropriately – such as an iron in the freezer,
a wristwatch in the sugar bowl.
- Changes in mood or behavior. Everyone becomes
sad and moody sometimes. An individual with Alzheimer’s disease
can exhibit rapid mood swings – from calm to tears to anger – for
no apparent reason.
- Changes in personality. Our personality
ordinarily changes somewhat as we age. But an individual with
Alzheimer’s disease can change drastically, becoming extremely
confused, suspicious or fearful.
- Loss of initiative. Although it’s normal to
tire of house or yard work, business activities, and social
obligations, most people regain their initiative. The person with
Alzheimer’s disease may become very passive, requiring cues and
prompting to become involved.
Disease Facts
- Age is the greatest risk factor: Alzheimer’s disease strikes
50 percent
of persons over 85 and 13 percent of persons over 65.
- A 5-year delay of disease symptoms can decrease the number of
patients by 50 percent.
- There is an expected increase in diagnosis as baby boomers
enter the age of highest risk for Alzheimer’s disease. Numbers
will explode from an estimated 5.2 million today to more than 16
million by 2050, more than the current population of New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Houston combined.
- Every 71 seconds, someone in America develops Alzheimer's disease. By the year 2050, someone will develop Alzheimer's every 33 seconds.
- Alzheimer's disease is the seventh-leading cause of death for people of all ages and the fifth-leading cause of death for people age 65 and over.
- As the prevalence of Alzheimer's disease grows, so does the cost to the nation.The direct and indirect cost of Alzheimer's and other dimentia's amount to more than $148 billion annually, which is more than the annual sales of any retailer in the world excluding Walmart.
- Seventy percent of individuals with memory loss are cared for
at home by family members.
- Without a research breakthrough or the development of new
treatments in the next few years, Alzheimer’s disease will become
the public health crisis of the 21st century. The disease will
bankrupt family, state and federal budgets. There are currently
several drugs that help slow the disease's progression in some
individuals with Alzheimer’s.
- 70% percent of nursing home residents have some degree of cognitive impairment; 47% have a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s or another dementia in their medical records.
- There is no cure. No one is immune from this disease.
Caregiver Tips
As a caregiver, there are things you can do to help you better
manage the devastating effects of this disease. For additional
information and to learn about our Caregiver Series educational
programs, call 1-217-228-1111.
- Get a diagnosis as early as possible.
- Secure legal and financial planning advice.
- Educate yourself about this disease.
- Learn about available resources in your area.
- Ask your family and friends for help.
- Take care of yourself.
- Learn to manage your stress level.
- Learn to turn caregiving over to others.
- Be realistic.
- Give yourself credit for a job well done.
Risk-Reducing Routine
Current promising research indicates the following hypothetical
preventive regimen may reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
Always check with your physician before beginning any new health
routine.
- Multivitamin that includes folic acid, B vitamin that lowers
blood levels of the protein building block homocysteine. Elevated
homocysteine raises the risk of heart disease and may also
increase Alzheimer’s disease risk.
- Antioxidants like vitamin E.
- Anti-inflammatory drugs, such an ibuprofen.
- Low-fat, low-cholesterol diet that includes salmon, mackerel,
or other fish high in omega-3 fatty acids.
- Regular mental and physical activity.
- Aggressive and early treatment of hypertension, high
cholesterol and other cardiovascular conditions.
“What’s good for your heart is good for your brain.” Bill
Thies, vice president, Medical & Scientific Affairs, National
Alzheimer’s Association
Reasearch Links
Alzheimer’s research is advancing at an accelerating pace. Recent
studies support the belief we may soon be able to delay onset of the
disease and enable those with Alzheimer’s disease to function
independently for longer periods. The Alzheimer's Association, a
major supporter of research, has awarded more than $150 million in
research grants since 1982. The federal government spent
approximately $640 million in 2003 for Alzheimer’s disease research.
To learn more about treatment options and new drug
therapies, check out:
- National Alzheimer’s Association, www.alz.org/
- Central Illinois Chapter Alzheimer's Association, www.alzillinois.org
- Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center,
Washington
University, St. Louis, MO, www.adrc.wustl.edu/adrc
- eMedicine.com, www.emedicine.com/neuro/topic13.htm
- National Library of Medicine, www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/alzheimersdisease.html
- NIH Senior Health, www.nia.nih.gov/Alzheimers
- Mayo Clinic, www.mayoresearch.mayo.edu/research/alzheimers_center
- Northwestern Illinois University School of Medicine, Chicago,
IL, www.brain.northwestern.edu/
- Rush-Presbyterian – St. Luke’s Medical Center, Chicago, IL,
www.rush.edu/rumc/page-1098987413829.html
- Southern Illinois University, Alzheimer’s Research Center,
Springfield, IL, www.siumed.edu/neuro
- Indiana University School of Medicine Alzheimer’s Research
Center, Indianapolis, Indiana, iadc.iupui.edu/index.htm
- Alzheimer Research Forum, www.alzforum.org/dis/abo/default.asp
|
 |
|
