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Alzheimer 's Disease : A Progressive Decline

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Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive decline in cognitive function. It affects the brain by damaging brain cells resulting in a decreased in cognitive function, physical mobility, swallowing and fine motor skills. This disease approximately 5.1 million Americans aged sixty-five or older (Alzheimer 's Association, 2015) of which approximately 700,000 will likely die this year (Alzheimer 's Association, 2015) of related symptoms such as aspiration pneumonia due to decreased swallowing ability. The progression of this disease is consistent and cannot be cured or slowed (Alzheimer 's Association, 2015). According to the Alzheimer’s Association, Alzheimer’s is one of the most expensive chronic disease in the United States estimating a cost of 226 billion dollars per year (Alzheimer 's Association, 2015). This debilitating disease is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States (Alzheimer 's Association, 2015). Identify Alzheimer Disease is a form of dementia that is “a progressive, irreversible brain disorder that is characterized by a gradual deterioration of memory, reasoning, language, and eventually physical function” (Santrock, 2015). Dementia is a term that classifies a group of disorders that affect the brain resulting in a decline of cognitive function. Approximately 50 to 80 percent of dementia diagnosis can be classified as Alzheimer’s (Alzheimers Association, 2015). Historical Overview Discovered in 1906 by Dr. Alois Alzheimer due to his study of

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