Alzheimer's Disease-Personal Narrative Analysis

(Beattie, 2002) An individual’s rate of progress through the stages varies, and symptoms are unique to the person, making it difficult for families to know what to anticipate, but if they are properly educated it may help them be aware of the different course of the disease, potential causes of behaviors, interventions and various treatment that may be used, making the outcome of care be more effective for the family and the patient. (Osborn&Vaughn, 2010)

Alzheimer’s, the most relevant cause of Dementia, is a disease that affects as many as 4.5 million Americans per year (WebMD 2005-2014). Alzheimer’s is a disease that is an irremediable, continuous brain neuron degenerative disease that can be asymptomatic at first and then overtime becomes symptomatic. Alzheimer’s is a gradual disease that advances in three phases: mild, then moderate, and, finally, severe (1). Symptoms appear after the age of 60 and include: the slow destruction of memory and thought processes, and ultimately ends with the absent ability to do normal everyday duties. These symptoms can be anything from forgetting a recent event, or can be as problematic as forgetting the name of a family member. There are many daily

I was 16 when I learned what it meant to be dead. I had known of it before, but I didn’t really know death -- I was too young to really understand. I didn’t realize how hard it would be to ward off the waves from washing away my grandparents when they were in Mexico, and I was here. We were separated by oceans of land so our contact was limited. And the oceans only got deeper as I realized that Alzheimer's meant something beyond just memory loss. It meant I watched my Abuelito’s glassy eyes lead to an empty attic, and knew I was waiting for a tsunami to take it over like it had the rest of him.

On Sept 23, I will be walking with my brother-in-law, Tim's team to End Alzheimer's. In addition to losing my mother to this disease, on Dec 26, 2016 I lost my lifelong friend from the day I was born, Marlene Hecht Richards, while she was fighting Alzheimer's. Sept 23, the day of the walk would have been her 74th birthday. Please join me in supporting the fight to End Alzheimer’s by donating to Team

Over four million Americans have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease (1). One of those is my grandfather. He has suffered from Alzheimer’s for almost 8 years. I have watched my grandfather slowly decline and forget things such as where he lived, my name, and even how to talk. Many times I was upset and confused and often puzzled at the way he acted.

There are nearly eight million people in the world with Alzheimer's disease and it’s an advancing and irreversible disease that destroys memory and other important mental functions along with behavior. It can result in loss of intellectual and social skills and it can get to the point where it interferes greatly with day to day activities making daily tasks extremely difficult or nearly

Comfortably dying, steadily but surely eradicating the remainder of my humanity. Cells dying, dilating then slowly leaking away into the bloodstream. I am dying, I can comprehend the events that are occurring even though I am young. The heart rate monitor has a relaxing drone; which suppresses my depression and continuous tears. How do you accept dying at the age of nine? Oh right, you are not supposed to.

Throughout the week I had three different memorable conversations that I felt would be excellent for this assignment. The first conversation I had was with my mother, than my sister, and lastly one of my co-workers named Jennifer.

Alzheimer’s disease has a plethora of theories regarding the cause, but no one is measurably sure due to its complexity. This disease begins by the disintegration of short-term memory. For example, forgetting to turn the stove off when finished cooking. Though this may not be deemed terrible, it is indeed dangerous, as the patient could unintentionally harm themselves or others. Though bad, that is not where AD ends. By the end of the progression of this disease, the patient will no longer have the capability to carry out basic life activities, such as eating, drinking, bathing, etc.

However, today, recognition and discoveries have increased rapidly. The CDC defines Alzheimer’s disease as a progressive disease beginning with mild memory loss possibly leading to loss of ability to carry on a conversation and respond to the environment. With as many as five million Americans living with the most common form of dementia, Alzheimer’s gradually worsens over seven stages with increasing age and by age eighty-five the risk of obtaining it reaches almost fifty percent. No matter the age, Alzheimer’s is incurable, however, there are many protective factors and medical management that can benefit the quality of life for many people infected with Alzheimer’s. However, there are also many risk factors such as age and family history. Constantly getting lost, losing things, or taking longer to complete normal tasks may seem like normal parts of aging but doing these things under Alzheimer’s is

Alzheimer's is the most common form of dementia that causes problems with memory, thinking, behavior and other intellectual abilities significant enough to impede with a person’s daily life. Alzheimer's is not a typical part of aging, despite the most known leading factor is increased age. Most people with Alzheimer's are 65 and older, however, up to five percent of people with the disease have early onset Alzheimer's, which most often appears in a person in their 40s or 50s. Alzheimer's is a progressive disease which means that the symptoms of this certain disease gradually get more severe over time. In the early stages of this disease, memory loss is pretty mild, but in the late stages of Alzheimer's, individuals lose the capability to

This study evaluated how people with Alzheimer’s disease present their life story. The authors utilized a narrative design using interviews as their basis for researching the importance in developing the knowledge about how people with Alzheimer’s disease present their life story, since life story work is believed to be a key concept in person-centered care according to these authors. A total of nine (9) participants (5 women and 4 men), aged 60-81 years were recruited via a geriatric clinic, healthcare center or by advertisement in local newspapers. All data collection, through interviews, was conducted in the patient’s home. Participants were asked questions pertaining to the following areas of their life: childhood, adult life, occupations,

Having Alzheimer’s would cause your parents to forget everything over time, including you, their only child. Because you were so young, Alden and I decided to tell you that they had just been killed. We figured it would be better for you to believe that they were dead than to tell you that they do not even remember who you are. But, throughout these past few months, we have noticed that you haven’t forgotten about them, and no matter how hard we have tried to prevent you, you have always tried to find a way to see your parents again.”

She received the reply; Lashonda’s hand shook as she held the letter retrieved from the mailbox. What news would it hold? Would she or happy? Either way she would go to college. Other colleges had accepted her and offered full scholarships. Still she wanted a full scholarship to the top rated Trelawny University with the excellent neuroscience program. A scientist at heart and a budding neuroscientist, she yearned to take her place in a laboratory participating in research to find a cure for Alzheimer’s disease. A fourteen-year-old boy had designed a test for pancreatic cancer, why should not she dream.

From the first to the third grade, I spent the weekdays with my grandmother and grandfather. Being in Southwest Germany, they rarely drove unless it was a trip out of town or for groceries. My grandmother walked me to school every day until I moved to America in 2007. They still live in the same house- a house that has many stairs and slippery surfaces. These days my parents speak of how they should relocate to a house that would be easier to live in, since my grandmother has fallen down the stairs before. My grandfather has sleep apnea and uses a machine at night to help him breathe. Recently, had to get a surgery on his knee. It is difficult for me to come to terms with my grandparents’ decreasing mobility, when just two years ago I was hiking