Essay on A Drifing Mind: Alzheimer´s Disease

“Alzheimer`s disease is called a family disease” (ALZlive), because it impacts every family member who is slowly watching a loved one decline. Alzheimer’s disease has an impact on caretakers because caregivers can lead to a variety of emotions, from guilt to anger. When dealing with a client who has Alzheimer; caretakers have a huge responsibility, which can cause stress or depression. If the caretaking is a family member it might lead to finical problems, which can lead to the hard and controversial decision of putting someone in a nursing home, that is better equipped. Guilt is the main emotion that a caretaker can express “I have never spoken to my mother`s doctor, it occurs to me that other children of

When it comes to Alzheimer’s, I know firsthand how it affects individuals and their families. My great grandfather had Alzheimer’s for many years before his passing late last year, at age 92. Alzheimer’s is a disease that many individuals suffer with each year, but yet with all the advancements in modern medicine we still have no cure for it. There are different ways to conquer this disease, understanding the causes, knowing effects, and researching possible treatments.

By the numbers, Alzheimer’s disease looks even worse than it may be. The cost of Alzheimer’s overwhelms the caregiver and everyone involved with the patient. The price businesses pay for Alzheimer’s it detrimental to their industry, show by “A 2002 study showed that United States businesses lost $36.5 billion that year because employees missed work or quit and had to be replaced so that they could care for someone with Alzheimer’s disease” (Adams 24). The caregivers play vital roles in the lives of the sufferer, but the business take an even heavier loss. Heath care is necessary for someone with Alzheimer’s disease, however it can get expensive “The costs of

A major devastating and debilitating disease, Alzheimer 's is a public health issue that affects not only the United States but also countries all around the world. In 2010, there were 35.6 million people living with Alzheimer’s. Researchers and medical personnel expect this number to triple by the year 2050. The disease is costing America an exorbitant amount of money and has become a burden on families, caregivers, medical personnel, the healthcare system, and the nation’s economy. If attention is not focused on this major problem, “nursing homes will be overloaded, caregivers will be burned out, healthcare system will be overwhelmed, and federal and state budgets will be overtaxed” (Alzheimer’s Association, 2011).

There is a limited number of family members and medical staff for the growing Alzheimer’s population. An important goal that we have included in our Outcome Goals is to identify, educate and increase the number of volunteers at facilities such as the Rosener House. This will increase the positive human contact for these residents and increase the time the medical staff has to address specific health needs of the elderly Alzheimer’s residents.

Dementia is an extremely common disease among the elderly, with 4 million Americans currently suffering from the Alzheimer’s type alone. Figures show that 3% of people between the ages of 65-74 suffer from the disease, rapidly increasing to 19% for the 75-84 age bracket, and as high as 47% for the over 85s. Therefore, it is easy to see why Dementia is such a large part of many people’s lives, whether they are suffering from the condition themselves, or have an elderly relative who requires full time care just to undertake simple day to day tasks. The disease can be extremely traumatic for the patient and their families, as the person, who may have been extremely lively and bright throughout their

In chapter 15 I found the part on Alzheimer’s disease very informative and interesting. Alzheimer’s and dementia are diseases that I find great interest in. My paternal grandfather was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease when he was just over the age of 60. He proceeded to be diagnosed with Parkinson’s induced dementia, and then he later passed away from the disease. My maternal grandfather suffered from a severe stroke about 4 years ago, and is now suffering from stroke induced dementia. Seeing anyone who is suffering from Alzheimer’s and dementia of some sort is very sad. I work in an assisted living facility and we have a specialized facility of people who are diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or dementia. Working with these people on a daily basis

It is a complex disease people often times do not know how to care for. Although a decline in memory and bouts of more forgetfulness are more common as one ages, spotting the difference between normal age-related symptoms and Alzheimer’s is important for families so that they can get their loved one the best care available. Even with proper care though, caregivers can misunderstand the symptoms of those afflicted, leading to an improper treatment of the patient. There are an estimated between 2.4 and 3.1. million AD caregivers in the United States, a majority of which are family members, who may not know proper care techniques or may be of older age themselves, as they could be caring for a spouse (Schulz and O’Brien1, 185-94). In fact, in a study of caregivers of those to patients with a memory ailment including Alzheimer’s or Dementia found that spouses have consistently been found to be more depressed than other relatives caring for a family member with a cognitive impairment (Schulz and O’Brien2, 771-91). To help in awareness, there are many new classes being offered in schools that can better prepare caregivers. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Service’s (DHHS) National Plan to Address Alzheimer’s Disease dedicated a major goal to “Enhance Care Quality and Efficiency,” with major strategies including building a workforce with the skills to provide high quality care, explore

In the book, Surviving Alzheimer’s: Practical tips and soul-saving wisdom for caregivers, the writer, Paula Spencer Scott, gives insightful advice in regards to caring for someone that suffers from the unfortunate neurological disorder, Alzheimer’s. Scott does not hesitate to share multiple ideas, experiences about trying these ideas, and even included professional advice from geriatric specialist

When Alzheimer’s progresses into the later stages of the disease where the neurological damage is found throughout the entire, those affected are unable to recognize familiar faces and may become full time care in long term care facilities related to safety, inability for families

Alzheimer’s and Dementia are becoming more prevalent in America, caretakers and medical professionals are urging people to become more self-aware of these diseases. Dementia is a disease that can develop into other disorders such as Vascular Dementia or Parkinsons Disease; however, in most cases, it usually ends up as Alzhiemers. It 's a typically seen in older people; about, sixty five and older, so of course one would automatically put themselves, and their family out of the picture, that is until one of you gets it. In most cases one primarily thinks of Alzheimer’s and Dementia as diseases that they, as well as anyone close to them would necessarily not get anytime soon, or maybe even ever. Due to increased medical costs, and scarce specialized facilities; seniors with Alzheimer’s and Dementia are not quite the recieving proper, sustainable long-term care.

In 1970, Evelyn Stone was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. However, her husband, Jerome Stone, already knew that something was wrong years before the actual diagnosis. Jerome H. Stone originally grew up to be a businessman, “helping to build the multi-billion dollar Stone Container Corporation,” (Santos) which was his family’s business. As a member of the executive committee of the business, Stone “had the ability to pull people together to coalesce things,” (Megan) and did exactly that in 1979 when he brought together families concerned about Alzheimer’s. “Astonished at how little was known about Alzheimer’s,” (Megan) Jerome Stone created the non-profit organization known as the Alzheimer’s Association just one year after meeting with the families, on April 10, 1980. 36 years later, the non-profit continues to thrive, arguably as the top organization in advancing the care for Alzheimer’s, as it has been able to raise large sums of money through donors and accomplish goals through United States federal legislation.

I felt that I understood the assignment as in my work placement, there was a client with Alzheimer’s. I could observe what had to be done to enhance the client’s quality of life and what equipment was used to transfer the client and put it into my assignment. Before this, I had never come in contact with anyone with Alzheimer’s, so it made it easier for me to write about. I also enjoyed researching the topic in more depth using different websites and making sure I referenced correctly throughout my assignment. It is also vital to have patience with someone who has Alzheimer’s as they tend to repeat themselves and people might start to lose patience with the client.

After Alzheimer's is diagnosed in a parent, or other elderly family member, the caregiver has the task of deciding what the best form of care for the patient is. In order to do this they have to fully understand what the disease is, and

Alzheimer’s disease affects 1 out of every 8 people in the United States. It is a long and debilitating disease that affects every aspect of a person’s life from the way they preform daily tasks, to the physical and mental abilities that are diminishing. Along with the lifestyle changes that Alzheimer’s disease presents, it also affects one’s psychological perspective as well their view on what they can offer their family and society. There are some ways to maintain a level of independence with a disease of this magnitude but there are also factors in lifestyle choices that can make it worse. Alzheimer cannot be cured, it cannot be slowed, but there are ways to keep the effected person at a certain level of comfort, independence and safety