Alzheimer’s disease is a well-known term but also the lack of knowledge about it is common as well. A lot of people will even mispronounce its name and call it Alltimer or Old Timer as they believe that it affects only the elderly which couldn’t be furthest from the truth. Although Alzheimer has a high risk level as people grow older, it does affect only a particular age group, race or religion. Alzheimer’s disease can affect anyone. What is Alzheimer’s disease? Alzheimer is a disease that is responsible of the gradual degeneration of the brain which is responsible for the gradual disappearance of memory, skills, abilities and automatisms. What causes Alzheimer? Experts believe that there is a variety of causes that can be responsible for Alzheimer’s disease. Amongst these causes, you will find: genetic or heredity, depression, a lack of vitamin B12, a stressful lifestyle, radiation or even living near certain metals. But the fact of the matter is that until your physician is fully aware of your medical history or runs a variety of tests, there is no guarantee as for the cause. Is there a cure for Alzheimer? Although some physicians are using certain medication to either slow down the degeneration process which is done sometimes with the vitamin B12, or to diminish the severity of certain symptoms, behaviors or mood changes, experts all agree on one fact: there is no cure. What are the symptoms of Alzheimer? Well the first symptom is usually the one that everyone is aware regarding Alzheimer’s disease: the memory blanks. At first, they may seem insignificant and often people will relate them to fatigue and stress but they gradually get worse. A missed appointment will later become more serious. For example, it may become as serious as forgetting something on the stove which may catch fire. Another symptom is obsession. Someone suffering from Alzheimer’s disease may become obsessed in ways, times or rituals how they must do things. Also, you may notice that gradually, the personality changes and mood swings are more frequent and unpredictable. Some people that may always have been quiet may become belligerent or their traits may get worse as in more quiet or even develop a violent behavior at times. The person will forget to take care of their financial responsibilities and will either hide things such as money and will eventually loose their understanding of the value of money. The past will be present in all conversations and will replace the present and short term memory. The person will also repeat himself over and over. The gestures will become repetitive such as polishing buttons. You will notice a misunderstanding of safety measures. For example, the person may scratch a scab to the point that it becomes bloody and several times its original size. He may think that scratching it will make the scab disappear eventually. The voice of the subconscious and their thoughts will become voices urging the person to do certain things, good or bad, without realizing that instead of coming out of the dryer, the voice is his own thoughts. This is called dementia. Some are only a few symptoms of Alzheimer as there can be more. Is Alzheimer’s disease painful? Alzheimer is not painful physically even if the changes are physical in nature. The pain actually comes emotionally for both the patient at first, and the family. At first, the person does not accept the diagnosis; the frustration due to memory loss is increasing with time. Eventually, confusion regarding other people’s reactions and the belief that relatives are against them and their ways is an important source of stress. The pain for the relatives is not only to see their beloved one gradually slip away from reality, loosing their abilities and which is worse, forgetting them is where the pain is as it feels like if someone is torturing your heart forever while all you see eventually is a blank expression on the face or the person that used to be a loving parent, sibling or another relative that you cherish. What can be expected during the progression of Alzheimer’s disease? - Memory loss - Hearing voices - Living in the past - Loss of understanding and expressing language - Confusion and loss of comprehension - Incontinence - Need to be cared for: hygiene, medicine, dressing, safety, bandages, etc. - Difficulty of walking or doing activities that used to be mastered - Needs help with feeding, decisions, etc. - Important level of activity - Change of personality and/or mood swings - Will not be able to be left alone despite the fact that is what he will prefer - The immune system will be weakening, making the person sick more often - The signs such as: being hungry will not be understood - Signs may vary from one person to the next as each person is unique Alzheimer’s disease is a difficult disease to cope with as it is not everyone who can care for their loved one at home but even when you know that one day you will become a face that will be forgotten as soon as you disappear from the person’s sight, never forget them as the way they were, their love for you and yours for them as this will never change, no matter what. As long as there is a breath of life in that person, he deserves only the best care possible and all the love that you can give them. As I heard one an expression that always stayed engraved in my mind: “You see how special someone is by the way people treat this person.” My husband's mother suffered from Alzheimer's disease. We cared for her until she passed away, giving her the opportunity to live in her own home for over four years. She was a special woman and she deserved that much and so much more. Unfortunately, she did not have the opportunity to enjoy her grandson or even meet her granddaughter. This is why it is important for me to share what I have learned and live with her to help others. If you wish to find out more information about Alzheimer's disease, I invite you to go to our site: http://alzheimers.findoutnow.org
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