Chronic Cognitive Decline Of The American Culture

Nearly 135 million people worldwide will be impacted by dementia by 2050 (Robinson, Tang, Taylor,. 2015). Dementia is not a disease, it is an overall term that describes a wide range of symptoms associated with the decline in memory and thinking skills. Dementia is a progressive illness that results in the loss of one’s sense of self (Burns, Byrne, Ballard, Holmes, 2002). The two most common forms of dementia are Alzheimer’s disease and Vascular dementia. Dementia is progressive and people with dementia experience complications with short-term memory, keeping track of personal items, paying bills, taking care of themselves and daily tasks (Haigh, Mytton, 2016). Due to the rising number of individuals developing dementia, it is causing major challenges in the healthcare systems and society (Angermeter, Luck, Then, Riedel-Heller, 2016). Utilizing psychotropic medications are often ineffective or harmful to the individual, therefore, many patients decide to utilize sensory therapy as a form of treatment instead (Livingston, Kelly olmes, et al., 2014). Caregivers of individuals with dementia can also experience health consequences related to caregiving at the end of life. Spousal caregivers are 40.5% higher odds of experiencing frailty as a result of caregiving (Carr, Dassel, 2017). Dementia does not only affect the individual, it affects those around them, society, and the healthcare system.

This report provides detailed information regarding the Alzheimer’s disease, and how it affects the individual as a person. It examines the facts and statistics of Alzheimer’s disease, as well as cover the survival rate. It covers the cognitive impacts that Alzheimer’s has on the individual, and also the emotional profiles of each of its victims. Gives a general concept of how Alzheimer’s disease has evolved over the past years, and it also shares the advances that it has made. It addresses the role of the public health and aging services, and how it affects the person. It goes into detail on how the brain is affected by this disease, and the impact it can cause for the individual. Overall, it stresses the importance of being aware of the Alzheimer’s diseases because it allows for there to be support, encouragement, and hope for the victims. Just having someone there can make all the difference to someone suffering.

By the numbers, Alzheimer’s disease looks even worse than it may be. The cost of Alzheimer’s overwhelms the caregiver and everyone involved with the patient. The price businesses pay for Alzheimer’s it detrimental to their industry, show by “A 2002 study showed that United States businesses lost $36.5 billion that year because employees missed work or quit and had to be replaced so that they could care for someone with Alzheimer’s disease” (Adams 24). The caregivers play vital roles in the lives of the sufferer, but the business take an even heavier loss. Heath care is necessary for someone with Alzheimer’s disease, however it can get expensive “The costs of

A major devastating and debilitating disease, Alzheimer 's is a public health issue that affects not only the United States but also countries all around the world. In 2010, there were 35.6 million people living with Alzheimer’s. Researchers and medical personnel expect this number to triple by the year 2050. The disease is costing America an exorbitant amount of money and has become a burden on families, caregivers, medical personnel, the healthcare system, and the nation’s economy. If attention is not focused on this major problem, “nursing homes will be overloaded, caregivers will be burned out, healthcare system will be overwhelmed, and federal and state budgets will be overtaxed” (Alzheimer’s Association, 2011).

Alzheimer's, the word strikes fear in some and an off-handed glance in others. The fact still remains that Alzheimer’s is an extremely shattering disease that removes the mind fraction by fraction over a period of time, this could even take decades. It begins as small memory lapses, slowly progressing to memory breaches but then progressively eroding your life to the point where around-the-clock care is the only option. With severe Alzheimer's, as we almost hear daily that patients have wandered off and gotten lost. In my own life, my grandfather was not even able to recognize his family members. Alzheimer's was a little known disease before 1960, but today it threatens to completely derail the health system in the United States.

Dementia is an extremely common disease among the elderly, with 4 million Americans currently suffering from the Alzheimer’s type alone. Figures show that 3% of people between the ages of 65-74 suffer from the disease, rapidly increasing to 19% for the 75-84 age bracket, and as high as 47% for the over 85s. Therefore, it is easy to see why Dementia is such a large part of many people’s lives, whether they are suffering from the condition themselves, or have an elderly relative who requires full time care just to undertake simple day to day tasks. The disease can be extremely traumatic for the patient and their families, as the person, who may have been extremely lively and bright throughout their

The primary audience for this article is those affected by Alzheimer’s Syndrome, their family members that are seeking more detailed information, care takers, neurosurgeons, cardiovascular physicians, nursing professionals, nursing students, college professors and educators. The secondary audience would consist of hospital staff that did not attend presentation. According to the National institute of Health, “Age is the primary risk factor for developing dementia. For that reason the number of people living with dementia could double in the next 40 years with an increase in the number of Americans who are age 65 or older- from 40 million today to more than 88 million in 2050. Regardless of the form of dementia, the personal economic and societal demands can be devastating”

Lindsay et. al (2002), explain that dementia is fast growing in elderly population and it has a significant effect on healthcare services and society due to increasing concern of health policy makers and service provider as life expectancy increase particularly as the baby boomer ages (p.445).

More than 5 million Americans currently suffer from Alzheimer's disease, a number that will grow to 13.4 million by 2050. Health experts estimate that a 65-year-old has a 10% risk of developing Alzheimer's and that baby boomers currently approaching peak age for the disease (60 to 80) will add $627 billion in Alzheimer's-related health care costs to Medicare. There is a considerable psychological price tag too, for patients and caregivers alike--and a fear factor. In a recent poll conducted for The Shriver Report: A Woman's Nation Takes On Alzheimer's, 84% of adults surveyed were concerned that they or someone in their family would be affected by the disease. That fear is compounded by the belief that research for Alzheimer's is lagging behind

Health care needs become more challenging every day; in fact, it is one of the biggest problems the American economy faces today. However, within the next 20 years the population of adults ages sixty-five and older is expected to increase and “age is the key factor for development in later life” (Dilworth-Anderson, Pierre & Hilliard, 2012, p. 27). Recent studies have shown there are approximately 5.3 million Americans that have Alzheimer’s disease and it is expected to increase over

Dementia is a disease that does not discriminate against gender, race, or nationality. It affects individuals, their families, and caregivers each day by testing their strength and patience. Within the category of dementia there is a subtype called Multi-Infarct Dementia. MID is a disease that affects around 30% of individuals over the age of sixty-five (Al-Adawi, 2014). The individuals with MID have damage to their brain which causes many different symptoms to occur. When the symptoms are noticed, the specific type of dementia may be hard to diagnose, and the treatments cannot reverse brain damage. As MID progresses, the individual’s cognitive functions deteriorate, so the care and patience these individuals once shared with others will have

Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form of dementia, is a progressive neurological disease afflicting 24.3 million people worldwide. 4.5 million people in the United States are diagnosed with this illness annually (Leifer, 2009). Victims of Alzheimer’s disease reach a stage when they are no longer self-sufficient. Those with severe symptoms or lacking family support systems are relegated to nursing homes. Although scientific studies indicate that Alzheimer’s disease leads to a loss of memory and independence, researchers have proven that caregivers are also affected both physically and emotionally. Research is currently being conducted in finding ways to treat Alzheimer’s and helping their caregivers in the process.

There is one myth about growing older that has been permeating American culture for decades, and that is that mental decline, also known as having “senior moments,” is an inevitable result of aging. But this is simply not the case.

One cognitive defect affecting elderly patients is Alzheimer's disease. This cognitive disease affects many populations around the world, but mainly aging individuals3. Though the quantity of life is extending with modern medical practices4,

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