Factors, Symptoms and Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease Essay

There are also people with various factors that increase the risk of a person becoming affected by the disease. Age plays a large role in acquiring the disease. Since the disease is largely found in elderly people, the general age for onset is around age 65. After that, the number of people affected continues to increase with age. Another risk factor is

Certain qualities are consistently observed in the Alzheimer’s victim. These dysfunction’s, though, are not exclusive to Alzheimer’s disease. Consequently, declaring Alzheimer’s by these parameters is a matter of degree rather than an absolute. Characteristic dysfunction’s have been noted in Alzheimer’s victims, but the degree and severity of these varies from patient to patient. Thus, evaluation of the patient’s mental status must be made based on the sum, rather than a single characteristic. Memory is one of the first noticed deficiencies, beginning typically with the recent and short term memory, and progressing from there as the disease grows more severe. In addition, deterioration in language skills, attention span, praxis (performance of an action), and visuospatial skills are commonly seen. Also observed are changes in the actions and personality of the Alzheimer’s victim. These include changes in mood, motor activities, activities of daily living, socialization skills, psychotic disturbances, vegetative symptomology, and rise in anxiety levels. Again, the

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).

-forgetting their disability such as getting up to walk even thoug they are not able, which results in their falling

Alzheimer’s disease is a brain disease with many different stages that slows one’s lifestyle and has no real cure. Alzheimer’s disease is named after Dr. Alois Alzheimer. The disease first appears around the age of sixty. Studies have concluded that as many as 5.1 million Americans have Alzheimer’s disease. A person with Alzheimer’s loses connections between neurons in the brain (1).

Alzheimer 's disease is a condition that affects the cognitive status of many people around the world regardless of wealth, ethnicity, intelligence or any other factor. A specific case study that demonstrates the destructive nature of the disease can be seen in the case of Akram. Akram was an 80-year-old female with a past medical history of hypertension, diverticulitis, transient ischemic attack (TIA), and diabetes. She had a history of serious head injury at the age of 45 from an automobile accident, but she recovered well after some time in the hospital. She could remember childhood friends and family from 20+ years ago quite well. Her early symptoms were simple daily processes of life. She might put food in the oven to cook, but fail to turn it on after doing all the prep work. She also began to frequently misplace her keys and have trouble remembering where she put household items. She had been a very intelligent person with a lot of energy and had previously been involved in many volunteer projects she helped run. Her husband, mentioned that she had been having similar difficulties over the past two years. Driving was a big issue as well; she felt she could recall how, but still had trouble operating her vehicle. She also frequently got lost on routine trips, like to the grocery store. Additionally, she would forget whether she had eaten and had several extra meals in a day unless a helper or a

In 1970, Evelyn Stone was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. However, her husband, Jerome Stone, already knew that something was wrong years before the actual diagnosis. Jerome H. Stone originally grew up to be a businessman, “helping to build the multi-billion dollar Stone Container Corporation,” (Santos) which was his family’s business. As a member of the executive committee of the business, Stone “had the ability to pull people together to coalesce things,” (Megan) and did exactly that in 1979 when he brought together families concerned about Alzheimer’s. “Astonished at how little was known about Alzheimer’s,” (Megan) Jerome Stone created the non-profit organization known as the Alzheimer’s Association just one year after meeting with the families, on April 10, 1980. 36 years later, the non-profit continues to thrive, arguably as the top organization in advancing the care for Alzheimer’s, as it has been able to raise large sums of money through donors and accomplish goals through United States federal legislation.

Relevancy Material: The information I will give you will help you notice the signs and symptoms of an Alzheimer’s patient.

This paper will provide an overview of Alzheimer’s disease. It will explore its etiology, pathophysiology, risk factors and their modification, diagnostic and medical treatment including pharmacology, health education, and nursing care of Alzheimer’s disease based off nursing literature. It will go into detail of a patient who has experienced Alzheimer’s for 11 years and their specialized plan of care including their medical history, physical assessment, concept mapping, nursing diagnoses, and specific interventions to the identified nursing problems. This plan of care will be evaluated based upon the patient’s responses.

According to the Alzheimer’s Association (AA), “more than 5 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s disease” and this number is expected to triple by the year 2050. The AA website states that Alzheimer’s is the 6th leading cause of death in our country with 1 in 3 seniors dying from Alzheimer’s or other types of dementia. Because this disease effects so many people and because its symptoms are so devastating, scientists are continually searching for the cause of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) in attempt to find treatment or a cure. Some scientists working in this field believe that microbial infections may be underlying causes of the disease. There are many theories and studies are being conducted to determine whether bacteria or viruses are playing some role in the development of AD and other forms of dementia.

Psychology is an applied as well as an academic field that studies both the human mind and behavior. The research in psychology attempts to explain and understand behavior, emotion and thought. The subject of psychology was created when Wilhelm Wundt opened up the very first psychology lab in Leipzig, Germany. Wilhelm Wundt believed that individuals who are appropriately trained would most likely be able to recognize the mental processes that are accompanied with feelings, thoughts and sensations (Wagner , 2009).

In 2009, I found out my father was diagnosed with dementia, early onset of Alzheimer’s disease. It was devastating to hear, especially not knowing what to expect, and only having information and ideas based on stereotypical behavior. I am familiar with some of the characteristics of a person living with AD, (Alzheimer’s Disease), however I really do not know what to expect as the disease progresses. My goal with this research paper is to develop my understanding of the disease as a caretaker, and find alternative treatments to go along with his current medical treatment plan. I am interested in finding out what I can do to make him as comfortable as possible, for as long as possible. I would like to develop a treatment plan as a Licensed

Imagine your greatest fear of a loved one growing old. Could it be a fear of your dearest going through tremendous pain and suffering, or perhaps just the fear of him or her dying? Now imagine that this loved one, with whom you have shared many wonderful memories, no longer recognizes you. It kind of worries you a bit now, doesn’t it? Although Alzheimer’s disease can be very hard on those stricken and their families, do not feel as if your case is a hopeless one. There are studies being conducted as to the cause and possible prevention methods of this disease. One such study has taken place at the convent of the School Sisters of Notre Dame on Good Counsel Hill in

There are many diseases and disorders in the world that can attack a human’s body and destroy certain organ systems in the process. In this paper, you will learn about a particular disease that has been studied by many scientists and doctors for decades. Research hospitals such as Mayo Clinic and John Hopkins University have studied Alzheimer’s disease in order to come to conclusions on what the disease is and what can cure the disease. This disease can cause critical damage to a human’s body from the symptoms to the treatment that is followed by the diagnosis. In the following paper, we will discover the symptoms, the organs affected, and the treatment for Parkinson’s disease.

Alzheimer’s disease, a type of dementia, is a serious neurological disorder that is common among elders of age seventy-one and older (Landau et al. 409). This disorder is the result of many diseases that act together and “damage brain cells or connections between brain cells” (Paiva and Abreu 794). People with this disease often get lost when they are outside alone or forget about what they have said or done a few hours or just minutes before. In other words, they lose their memories through time. They were taken away the ability to enjoy the lifestyle they wish to live, the goal they dream to accomplish and the memories they love to retain. Most Alzheimer’s patients are not allowed to live a normal life with relief and comfort such as