How Does Alzheimer's Affect My Family

“Alzheimer`s disease is called a family disease” (ALZlive), because it impacts every family member who is slowly watching a loved one decline. Alzheimer’s disease has an impact on caretakers because caregivers can lead to a variety of emotions, from guilt to anger. When dealing with a client who has Alzheimer; caretakers have a huge responsibility, which can cause stress or depression. If the caretaking is a family member it might lead to finical problems, which can lead to the hard and controversial decision of putting someone in a nursing home, that is better equipped. Guilt is the main emotion that a caretaker can express “I have never spoken to my mother`s doctor, it occurs to me that other children of

I have always kinda thought about this topic. The reason for that is because Alzheimer’s runs in my family. My grandma’s mom was affected by this disease which eventually lead to her death. This disease made her very forgetful and did not even know my dad's name at some points. Of course she eventually became violent and angry, but she was not like this all the time. Another event in my life that made me interested in this topic was when I heard a speech about Alzheimer’s at a speech meet. The way that the character was trying to get people to realize that she was not a lost cause was very inspiring.

Alzheimer’s is a disease that affects roughly 3 million families each year, including my own. Around this time three years ago my parents got a call that changed our entire lives. At 3 A.M. they received a phone call from a police department, in a surrounding town, that they had pulled over my step-grandpa, who was driving down the highway on the wrong side of the road. This was the first of many calls that my parents received in regard to my grandfather. There were instances of him showing up to work, although he was 20 years in retirement. He would go out to eat and not realize that he had been at the restaurant 10 minutes prior to eat. Quickly, my parents realized that something was off and medical assistance was needed. After some series of testing, it was very clear to the doctor that Alzheimer’s was the answer to his lack of memory and at the age of 86, he was officially diagnosed with the disease. This news was hard for my entire family, and extremely hard for my step-father. Not only did the doctor determine that Alzheimer’s was causing these events to occur, but that there was a genetic link and my step-father could also carry the gene. He has personally chosen not to test for the gene, and to continue to live his life to the fullest. As a family, this is something that has changed our lives

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder with relentlessly progressive losses in cognition, memory, and language. According to research by Herbert, Weuve, Sherr, and Evans (2013), 5.3 million people are affected by AD, and that number is expected to almost triple by the middle of the century. As cognitive decline progresses, independence and the ability to perform self-care is lost as caregivers must assume this considerable burden. Given the prevalence of AD, its devastating pathology, and its impact on loved ones and caregivers, the social impact of this disease cannot be overstated.

However, in a study by Brodaty and Luscombe, there were associations between psychological problems and the severity of the dementia (Brodaty and Luscombe, 1998). Caregivers need different ways of coping during each stage of Alzheimer’s similar to the patient themselves. In the beginning stages (early/mild), the caregiver is dealing with the emotional stress of seeing their family member decline slowly. They are dealing with the transition in their life of gaining another person to care for. The patient has good and bad days during this time period which causes the caregiver to be confused as to the level of the disease (Callone, 2006).

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.

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.

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) affects everyone involved: the victim and his/her’s loved ones. First of all, caregivers are often overlooked, and never realized for what sacrifices they give up to care for their loved one. Secondly, the financial burden of caring for someone with Alzheimer’s is a big job that can hurt the opportunities that needed more time to get a better degree. Thirdly, although the victim of Alzheimer’s disease is the ill one, usually, they aren’t the only one suffering from this terrible disease. People must know that the caregivers are fighting just as much as the victim of the disease.

Alzheimer’s is a progressive and degenerative disease that destroys memory and other cognitive functions. The effect and manifestations of the disease is awful and sad. There is no cure, but treatment to relieve and manage symptoms. Additionally, I will always remember this resident and the experience I had in helping to care of him.

January 2013 my grandmother passed away after battling Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s disease is a brain disease that is permanent and is affecting more elderly people every day. This horrible disease changes the memory and thinking in the brain. Researchers, for years, have been trying to find a way to stop the progression of Alzheimer’s. Researchers, with the help of doctors have been successful finding a way to slow down the progression, but not completely stop it. Although Alzheimer’s is a disease that affects millions of people, with new cases being diagnosed every day, researchers are still working frivolously to find a cure.

Alzheimer’s disease has been a very sensitive topic within my family for approximately 12 years as my mom has been diagnosed with it. This topic was selected as a result of growing interest by the primary researcher for several years in seeking to understand the impact of Alzheimer’s disease on children of other parents since my mom was diagnosed with the disease for some years now thus affording me my own experience. Through consistently having to visit my mom in a nursing home each month in a different state, I wanted to find out how other individuals of parents particularly those in the later adolescence stage cope and feel about the disease knowing that no cure has been discovered so far. The selected research topic would be deemed beneficial

In the pamphlet Basics of Alzheimer’s Disease, the Alzheimer’s Association adds late onset, traditionally known simply as Alzheimer’s, targets primarily people 65 and older. The disease follows a series of steps from mild decline with little noticed changes to very severe cognitive decline where the final stage of the disease is in progress (Basic 19-21). Throughout the stages, independence becomes lost and family members will become care takers and in the later stages nursing homes or hospice may be needed. One book encourages the care giver to communicate through body language, tone, and written instructions to help alleviate as much stress as possible for those living with Alzheimer’s (Living 47). The book further adds when caring for a person with Alzheimer’s remember to maintain patience and to show respect .

Alzheimer’s Disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that results in dementia, disorientation, problems with speech, and behavioral issues within a person. This disease is detrimental and has no cure. Almost every single person knows someone that has this disease, or has known someone that has had this disease. That is the reason that I chose to research this particular topic. In 2013, my great uncle was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease. He was the most down to earth man you would ever meet. He had a great sense of humor and always kept a smile on his face as well as the faces of the people that he was around. When he was diagnosed, we were devastated because we knew that this disease would eventually consume and take over his life. One of the very bold memories that I have of him after a year after his diagnosis was when we took a family trip to the mountains. We have a pretty large family, so we stayed in a mountain house. Well, the kids wound up sleeping down stairs together. On the second night that we were there. I woke up at 3 o’clock in the morning to yelling that was coming from the top of the stairs. I immediately recognized that it was my uncles voice and I began to get worried. Everyone was asleep, but I could hear him telling my aunt that he needed to go down stairs and make those kids stop playing basketball. I knew in that moment that his diagnosis was getting worse and worse by the day. This was the type of thing that scared me. Alzheimer’s

Alzheimer’s is a disease that attacks the brain and can result in brain death. This disease is chronic and lately a lot of elderly are being diagnosed with it. Alzheimer’s disease can be referred to as a silent killer because once a person gets the diagnosis, they will have it permanently. Alzheimer’s Patients have a decreased short-term memory; this can result with the onset of confusion. At times, families with loved ones that encounter this disease usually have to change their lifestyle by adjusting it to their love ones needs. This book shows a great outlook on dilemmas families come across when a loved one is diagnosed with this disease.

sometimes unable to remember their loved ones. As hard as it is for these individuals,