In 1906 Aloysius Alzheimer was a German psychiatrist and neuropathologist who was credited for identifying the very first diagnosed case of “pre senile dementia” later to be known as Alzheimer’s disease. One hundred and seven years later we are still not completely sure of the causes of this disease and why only certain people get it. 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 …show more content…
Eventually the disease causes people to completely forget conversations, appointments or events that they have made, misplacing their possessions or putting them in places that don’t make any sense, and even forgetting the names of family members and everyday objects. Thinking and reasoning… Alzheimer's disease causes difficulty concentrating and thinking, especially about certain concepts like numbers and letters. It is very challenging and in some cases impossible for an Alzheimer’s patient to manage finances, balance checkbooks, and keep track of bills and pay them on time. The inability to do these tasks can be frustrating and upsetting to the patient leading the patient into depression, mood swings, and aggressiveness. People with the disease are also prone to having delusions, loss of inhibitions, and withdrawing socially. The causes of Alzheimer’s disease is unknown but scientists do know that Alzheimer’s is not a normal part of aging and the majority of people with this disease are sixty-five or older. Although it is most common in the elderly, up to five percent of Alzheimer’s patients are in the mid to late thirties and forties. Scientists also believe that Alzheimer’s disease is a result from someone’s environment, lifestyle, and certain genetic factors that affect the brain in abnormal ways over time. There are no definitive causes of the disease yet but it has a very clear effect of the brain. A person that has Alzheimer’s, their
In the United States there are approximately 5.4 million people living with Alzheimer’s. Every sixty-nine seconds a person is diagnosed. This is an ongoing issue, and unless something is done, sixteen million people will be affected by 2050 (Latest).
Alzheimer’s disease is a form of dementia, “a brain disorder that seriously affects a person’s ability to carry out daily activities (Shenk 14)”. Alzheimer’s is a progressive and irreversible brain disorder that slowly destroys a person’s memory and ability to learn, make judgments, communicate, and accomplish daily activities. As Alzheimer’s progresses, individuals may also experience changes in personality and behavior, such as anxiety, suspiciousness or aggravation, as well as illusions or hallucinations.
Alzheimer’s disease is a complex illness that affects the brain tissue directly and undergoes gradual memory and behavioral changes which makes it difficult to diagnose. It is known to be the most common form of dementia and is irreversible. Over four million older Americans have Alzheimer’s, and that number is expected to triple in the next twenty years as more people live into their eighties and nineties. (Johnson, 1989). There is still no cure for Alzheimer’s but throughout the past few years a lot of progress has been made.
Alzheimer’s Disease is a progressive disease that destroys memory and other important mental functions. Brain cells in Alzheimer’s disease dies and degenerate causing the loss of memory and mental functions. Alzheimer’s is the sixth leading cause of death in the U.S.A. Alzheimer’s Disease is named after Dr. Abis Alzheimer. In 1906, Dr. Alzheimer noticed changes in the brain tissue of a lady who had died of an unusual mental illness that was very unknown. The woman 's’ symptoms included memory loss, language problems, and unpredictable behavior that people with Alzheimer’s have almost often of times. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia in this world and it’s thought to be the most progressive disease of all diseases. Also this disease gets progressively worse over time. The majority of people with Alzheimer’s are sixty-five years old or older, however, almost five percent of the people have early-onset Alzheimer’s. Early-Onset Alzheimer 's is known as Alzheimer 's at a younger age which appears at the ages of forties and fifties. In early stage Alzheimer’s, memory lost is very mild. With late Alzheimer’s, individuals lose the ability to carry on conversations and respond to their environment. People with Alzheimer’s often live an average of eight years after their symptoms become noticeable to others.
Alzheimer’s disease effects hundreds of thousands of older adults. Research has been done and a cure is being searched for, but so far there is no way to cure it. There are treatments for Alzheimer’s that may help, but the cure is slow coming and few things have been learned about it. Older persons who experience the disease can experience a wide array of effects such as confusion, depression, violent tendencies, and many other things of that nature. There are different stages of the mental sickness, from minor, to severe. Different research states that the more schooling you have the, the less likely you are to develop Alzheimer’s, it may also be genetic and passed down through generations.
Alzheimer’s disease is incurable, but there are many stages, warning signs, and risk factors that can serve as detection devices for those who have older adults in their lives. One of the most common early signs of this form of dementia is memory loss. While it is normal for people to occasionally forget things, such as appointments and names, people with Alzheimer’s tend to forget these things more often and are not able to recall them even after a period of time. Other signs that signify a possible case of Alzheimer’s is difficulty performing familiar tasks (cooking, brushing teeth), problems with language (using odd words, failing to remember correct words), disorientation (forgetting where one lives, not knowing how he got to a certain place), problems with abstract thinking (forgetting what numbers represent), misplacing items (putting a hair brush in the freezer), moodiness, personality changes (confusion, suspicion, fearfulness), and loss of initiative
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.
Envision living the great life, surrounded by the ones you love the most, continuing to be cheerful and ecstatic. Now imagine to slowly be forgetful of silly daily life objectives. For example, like forgetting where you left your phone or your car keys.Then eventually you forgot about your loved one’s birthday or to make that appointment. All of a sudden, you can’t seem to remember how your loved ones looked, or who you even are. As time quickly runs by, you’re now forgetting how to talk, and how to take care of yourself. This crazy forgetful concept is a disease called Alzheimer’s, and today there are over 5 million americans living with this disease.
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
In addition, Alzheimer in America was found in between 2 million to 4 million people (2). However, doctors believe this number is still going up, yet there is no specific treatment for it. For example, a person who is about 65 years old with Alzheimer have to go throw different test to identify the level of damaged cells in the brain (2). To add, in most cases Alzheimer cannot be treated and the patient could die (2). Some people have larger chances of developing Alzheimer in them due to previous diseases such as dawn syndrome patients (2). In brief, patient with Alzheimer suffer from brain cells damaging, feeling of lost, forgetting many memories, and feeling scared
Alzheimer’s disease slowly steals a person’s dignity and erases precious memories. The “Alzheimer’s Disease Guide”, found on WebMD explains that tasks become more difficult to do often leading to confusion and behavior changes. The article further explains the progression of the disease also brings hardship to family and friends (1). To best cope with Alzheimer’s we must better understand the disease.
Alzheimer’s Disease affects millions of men and women each day. Those affected face many struggles and live a hard life as their memory slowly deteriorates. Some situations they face we would never wish upon someone else and at times can be very sad to see. Alzheimer’s Disease affects those surrounded by it just as much as it affects the person struggling with the illness. To be able to understand Alzheimer’s it is key to know the symptoms and complications, what it is like to live with the disease and the treatment.
According to Mayo Clinic Staff, “Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive disease that destroys memory and other important mental functions” (Mayo Clinic, 2014). Alzheimer’s disease is “the most common cause of dementia that results in the loss of intellectual and social skills (Mayo Clinic, 2014). “Alzheimer’s disease accounts for 50 to 80 percent of dementia cases” (Alzheimer’s Association). During “Alzheimer’s disease, the brain cells themselves degenerate and die, causing a steady decline in memory and mental function” (Mayo Clinic, 2014). “Alzheimer’s disease was first described a peculiar disease in 1906, by a German physician Dr. Alois Alzheimer” (Alzheimer’s Association, 2015). In 1910, “Emil Kraepelin, a German psychiatrist who worked
Alzheimer is a disease that affects the elderly most. The disease was discovered by Dr. Alois Alzheimer in the year 1906 when he was examining a female’s brain. He found out that the woman displayed memory loss, language problems and some inexplicable changes in behavior. The disease was named after the doctor who was a German psychiatrist and a neuropathologist. Alzheimer’s disease is a degenerative brain disorder that leads to memory loss, personality changes, and language problems (Gilbert & Julie 2). The disease is mostly diagnosed in people over the age of 65 years, though there is a small minority of people under the age of 50 who get the disease. Studies show that 1% of a whole population aged between the ages 65-75 have severe
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