| Because we now live in an aging community, it is | | | | names, including close family members. This often |
| common to see people living well into their eighties | | | | leads to angry outbursts. They also tend to become |
| and sometimes longer. As a result, Alzheimer's | | | | restless and suffer from insomnia. |
| disease will affect many more lives in the future. In | | | | The person with Alzheimer's can sometimes become |
| fact, it is estimated that within twenty years, around | | | | so confused and forgetful that their resulting actions |
| thirty million people worldwide, will suffer from this | | | | may put themselves or others at risk. This can be |
| insidious disease. | | | | things like forgetting to switch off heaters or putting |
| Alzheimer's disease is a degenerative condition that | | | | clothes or papers too near such appliances. They |
| affects the cerebral cortex of the brain and leads to | | | | may also act inappropriately, behaving in ways that |
| the progressive death of nerve cells. This causes the | | | | are totally out of character for them. A person who |
| sufferer to gradually lose their memory. Alzheimer's | | | | has always been very properly spoken and behaved |
| disease is the most common form of dementia | | | | may begin using vulgar language or stripping their |
| making up more than half of dementia sufferers. | | | | clothes off in front of other people. |
| Around twenty percent of people aged over sixty | | | | In the later stages of the disease, the person may |
| five experience dementia which is a term that | | | | need 24 hour care and supervision as they lose their |
| describes many different diseases where people | | | | memory completely. Often by this time, they are |
| experience serious memory loss. | | | | weak and find it hard to walk as the part of the |
| While it normally affects people in their mid-sixties or | | | | brain that controls muscles succumbs to the disease. |
| later, it can also affect people as young as thirty. | | | | One of the major risks at this stage is that of falls. It |
| This is called early-onset Alzheimer's disease. | | | | is important not to have loose mats, electrical cords, |
| People with Alzheimer's disease may become lost in | | | | or any other loose items lying around the floor where |
| areas that are well known to them such as their local | | | | the person may trip over them. |
| shopping centre. They also forget what things are | | | | The person may become wheelchair dependent or |
| called and often what those things are actually used | | | | even bedridden. Dysphasia (difficulty in swallowing) |
| for. These things are quite likely to be items that | | | | becomes a problem and may make the person |
| they have used every day during their life. | | | | reluctant to eat, resulting in weight loss. They |
| Alzheimer's disease is caused by a shortage of | | | | become incontinent and lose all control of both |
| neurotransmitters in the brain. These | | | | bladder and bowel. Often, families may provide care |
| neurotransmitters are the chemical that normally | | | | though others may prefer to admit the person to a |
| transmit messages to the brain controlling memory, | | | | nursing home where trained professionals are |
| speech and movement. | | | | available to care for their loved one around the clock. |
| In the early part of this condition, the person may be | | | | Every person is different and this is also true for the |
| unable to remember things that happened only a | | | | sufferers of Alzheimer's disease. While some may |
| short time ago yet can remember things that | | | | experience certain losses early in the disease, others |
| happened many years before. This is known as | | | | may suffer the same losses at a later stage of the |
| short-term memory loss. Because their long-term | | | | disease. However, what is common to all is the |
| memory remains intact for quite some time, it is vital | | | | gradual loss of memory and ability to function |
| to share their memories. It can be helpful to have a | | | | normally. |
| photo album for the person and to go through the | | | | While, in the final stages of the disease, the person |
| album with them, allowing them the time to recount | | | | may not recognize anyone, they still recognize the |
| the memories each photo invokes for them. | | | | kindness of a soothing voice and a loving smile. |
| As the disease progresses, the person with | | | | Anne Wolski has worked in the health and welfare |
| Alzheimer's disease finds it increasingly difficult to | | | | industry for more than 30 years. She is a co-director |
| perform day-to-day activities like personal care and | | | | of an information portal with many interesting medical |
| taking care of their nutritional needs. They may need | | | | articles and also of which has online physicians who |
| assistance with cooking and may also need to be | | | | can help you with any questions you may have. |
| reminded to eat. Often, they may forget people's | | | | |