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Alzheimers Disease, Nursing Essay

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Nursing Care and Understanding of Alzheimer Disease
Introduction
Loss of memory, forgetfulness, personal change, even death, are common related disorders caused by a disease called Dementia or better known to most people as Alzheimer’s disease. This disease is the fourth leading cause of death in the United States in persons 65 and older. Alzheimer’s disease is, named for the German neurologist Alois Alzheimer, who first recognized the disease in 1907; Alzheimer’s disease is characterized by a progressive deterioration of mental functioning. Nursing plays a major role in the care for patients who have Alzheimer’s disease during the three stages of the disease. The majority of Alzheimer’s patients are cared …show more content…

Holistic nursing is the idea that you understand and perceive the patient’s state of health. Alzheimer’s disease puts the nurse in a situation that in reality he or she has no idea what it is like to actually understand what the patient is going through. Through the process of this disease the nurse must overcome their own emotions and realize that they are there for one reason. This one reason is simply to care for the patient. The patient over time will change mentally, emotionally, and physically which will not only challenge the nurse and their ability to understand and care for the patient, but these factors will also affect the family of the patient. The family must also know that the patient needs nursing and loving care; sometimes a gentle touch from a loved one helps the patient to be reassured.
Summary of Research Findings
The average life span of a person getting Alzheimer’s is between the ages of 45 and 60. Millions of people are plagued by this heartbreaking disease. Although heredity does not play an obvious role, if one’s parents have it, there is a great chance of the disease appearing in the child during their elderly years. The risk for getting the disease increases with age and is seen more commonly in elderly females. There are a number of theories for the actual cause of Alzheimer’s disease, but at this

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