Case Study - Early Alzheimers

Alzheimer’s disease, also referred to as AD, is a form of dementia that affects millions of people worldwide. AD is best known for causing memory loss in those who suffer from it, as well as affecting decision-making, language, and decision making progressively over time (Zou et at, 2014). According to Zou et el (2014), the symptoms of AD are caused by a build of plaques in the neurons of the brain. Alois Alzheimer discovered the disease, which was later named after him, when a woman at the age of 51 presented to him with a case of dementia that was new to him. Alzheimer was able to deduce the behavior of the woman with certain cognitive features, as well as through autopsy proceedings, that the symptoms were caused by “senile plaques” within

How does a person maintain that connection when they can no longer remember their own story? Alzheimer’s disease patients understand this struggle more than anyone. Alzheimer’s disease is a cognitive degenerative disease that strips its victim’s identities from them. It takes over their minds and their very lives. However, art therapists have begun the practice of understanding those losing cognitive processes. Art therapy with confirmation through mental autopsy is able to diagnose new cases with Alzheimer’s disease and separate the differences between senility, Alzheimer’s disease, and other neurocognitive disorders. There is an increase in attempts to gain more research to discern fact from myth about why people develop this disorder or what the explanation is for how the disease forms to begin with, and if there is any cure. Many health facilities have conformed in order to accommodate for the challenges that arise accompanying this disease. To understand the basics of Alzheimer’s disease, one must learn how professionals read the signs and diagnose this disorder, what form it takes in an individual, probable sources for where it originates from assuming there is a known source, how art therapists have come to diagnose and comprehend complex minds with this disease, and how having this disease is not a normal development of aging. It is in fact a disease, deadly and violent to the brain’s

Dementia is the loss of cognitive functioning which affects an individual’s daily life. Alzheimer’s disease is a form of dementia that slowly destroys memory and thinking and the ability to perform simple tasks. There is some research that suggests cognitive training may slow the progression of dementia. Cognitive training challenges a variety of cognitive functions such as attention, memory and speed, which is different to general brain training that people may come across in their daily life (Kanaan et al., 2014). Various limitations

The movie Still Alice, portrays the life of Dr. Alice Howland and her family, as they deal with the heartbreaking diagnosis and life tribulations of Alice as she deteriorates with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease at 50 years of age. This heartwarming story will touch the hearts and unravel the emotions of its viewers from the beginning until the end.

Alzheimer's is a progressive disease that destroys memory and other important mental functions. As time goes on the symptoms get worse and unfortunately there are no cures available for Alzheimer’s. However, there are ways to “control” it.

Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is characterized by gradual cognitive decline that beings with the inability to create recent memories or thoughts which then proceeds to influencing all intellectual functions (Mayeux & Stern, 2012) . Alzheimer’s disease leads to premature death and the dependence of someone for daily life functions. (Mayeux & Stern, 2012) If effects an estimated 5.5 million people in the United States and 24 million people worldwide (Mayeux & Stern, 2012). The incidence of Alzheimer’s disease is rising in line with the aging population therefore; Alzheimer’s is most common in older patients around the ages of 60-85 (Mayeux & Stern, 2012).

On 12/13/16 at around 8:55 am the aide-Grier Gloria- call the agency to report that her patient- Tomasulo Catherine is missing since yesterday. As per the aide on 12/12/16 at around 4:30-5:00pm the patient became aggressive, stated that she wants to go outside, did not wait for the aide who needed to put on boots and coat, opened the door and leave the house. The patient lives alone in the privet house, has dementia, but was not prone to wandering before this day. The aide stated that by the time she was run out of the house she noticed direction the patient was heading, but when she reached the corner of the nearest streets the patient was disappear. She was looking for her until 6:30pm, return to the patient’s house to see if the patient

CHICAGO, Ill.—The Alzheimer’s Association® Greater Illinois Chapter is currently seeking volunteers to participate in the 12th annual Bankers Life and Casualty Company’s Forget Me Not Days May 16th and 17th.

First described by German physician, Alois Alzheimer, in the early 1900s, Alzheimer’s disease is now the fourth most prevalent cause of death- after heart disease, cancer, and stroke (AD- a guide for families). Most common in adults 65 or older, Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is regarded as “a loss of intellectual abilities sufficient enough to interfere with everyday social and occupational functioning” (AD- a guide for families). Victims of AD are unable to think abstractly, find similarities and differences between related words, and have trouble defining words and concepts. Other common symptoms include disturbances in language, or aphasia, an inability to carry out motor activities, or apraxia, and a failure to recozinge or identify

One of the most common forms of dementia, Alzheimer’s disease is a brain disorder which impacts activities of daily living through cognitive changes and memory loss. This is a progressive, neurodegenerative disease which is characterized by language deterioration, poor judgment, confusion, restlessness, mood swings, memory loss, and the inability to mentally manipulate visual information. The onset of Alzheimer’s disease generally begins around the mid-60s, but early signs may occur as early as in the early 40s. Some initial symptoms appear as memory decline, but as the illness progresses it starts to destroy cognition, personality, and the individual’s ability to function, along with restlessness and confusion. The severity, type, sequence,

As an individual grows older there are many signs of aging, which occur. There are common areas of decline in cognition such as some loss of hearing, vision, and working memory that are considered part of the normal aging process. When these symptoms start to worsen and vastly impair everyday tasks, the consideration of a form of dementia is brought forward. Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is a brain disease, is the most common type of dementia, and affects majority of people 60 years or older (1,14). It is a progressive neurodegenerative disease, which only continues to worsen over time. Each individual is affected differently with symptoms and the progression. As of right now there is no cure for it (14).

289). In part B, the person was given 420 seconds to connect randomly distributed numbers and letters in alpha-numeric sequence (Carlson et al., 2012, p. 289). Through the Hopkins Verbal Learning Test-Revised (HVLT-R) would reveal both immediate learning and delayed recall. In this case the total possible number of words answered is 36, the person was then given 15 minutes to remember as many words as possible, most remembered 12. Carlson et al. employed Cox proportional hazard model, “to examine the frequency and variety of activity predicted time to cognitive impairment on each of the four cognitive outcomes” (TMT A, TMT B, HVLT immediate, and HVLT delayed recall) (Carlson et al., 2012, p. 289). Over the 9.5-year interval, the percentages were the following: TMT, Part A > 81 s; TMT, Part B > 225 s; HVLT Intermediate recall < 16 words; HVLT Delayed recall < 4 words; and MMSE score < 23 (Carlson et al., 2012, p. 289). The study found that indeed variety in cognitive activities can reduce the risk of impairment such as: dementia and cognitive aging by 8%-11% (Carlson et al., 2012, p.

Alzheimer’s Disease (AD), first described and named after Dr Alois Alzheimer in 1906, is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder, neuropathologically characterised by gross cerebral atrophy, extracellular senile plaques and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles (Zetterberg & Mattsson, (2014). Clinically, AD is characterised by memory loss, cognitive impairment and behavioural and psychological changes (Carter, Resnick, Mallampalli & Kalbarczyk, 2012). The Behavioural and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia (BPSD) have a significant impact on the quality of life of the person with dementia and the caregiver (Rouch et al, 2014). The existence and intensity of the BPSD has a greater negative impact on caregivers then the actual cognitive decline (Rouch et al, 2014).

Gladis Vail is a female client in her seventies. She lives in Brockway, New Brunswick with her Husband, Arnold, and her son, Mark. She has another daughter named Roselle who does not live in the home with them. Gladis’ Alzheimer’s is quite advanced, and it has been very hard on all of her family members, especially Arnold. The client has trouble with retrieving and storing new memories but is very good at remembering things from a long time ago. She does not believe that she lives in her home, and constantly asks to “go home.” The Vails have home support workers who come multiple times per week from 12:30 pm to 4:30 pm.

In the past decade there has been increasing empirical research that examine cognitive training and the connection it has to stave off or slow the progression of dementia. Dementia is considered a progressive neurodegenerative disorder, which influences neural pruning within the brain structures of elderly individuals, leading to the decrease of cognitive abilities (Alzheimer´s Association Report, 2013); the onset of dementia can occur years before the diagnosis, therefore significant damage can have already occurred within the brain neural pathways (Blennow et al, 2006). Early prevention and reducing further progression of neural degeneration; involves the intervention of cognitive training and mental exercises; which can inhibit neuropathological