The Effect Of Alzheimer's Disease On My Family

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.

Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive, degenerative disorder that attacks the nerve cells, resulting in loss of memory, thinking and skills, and behavioral changes (America, 2014). This disease now has a huge impact on my own life, and the lives of those who are closest to me. Around the age of 67, my grandma started forgetting things periodically. I can remember her saying, “Where did I put those keys?” “I just had them.” People did not think much of it; they just figured that she was getting older. Unfortunately, that was not the case. Now, three years later, she is living a much different and confusing life then she had in the past. Her independence is fading and she must have someone with her most, if not all of the time. The once independent woman is so lost yet at the same time she doesn’t really realize it. Luckily, the progression is not happening as fast as they thought it could. She definitely has her days, and some are just better than others for her. She does not remember those who weren’t close to her. She does not even recognize acquaintances. Through out her life, she had good health. Besides the usual cold and flu, my mother said that she doesn’t remember her having any other major health issues. Now, with the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s, her health has seemed to decline with the passing years. Yes, she is aging, but it seems to be more than that. The fact that she no longer takes good care of herself has a lot to do with it.

The disease called Alzheimer’s is the fourth leading cause of death in the United States (Weiner, 1987). It is estimated that the elderly population will double between now and 2030. During this period, the number of elderly will grow by an average of 2.8% annually (U.S. Census Bureau, 2001). By 2050, the number of people with Alzheimer’s is estimated to range from 11.3 million to 16 million (Alzheimer’s Association, 2005). These startling numbers should prompt an examination into one of the leading causes of death among this group of people. Understanding what Alzheimer’s is and the known causes of the disease are a good starting point. For those who have aging family members, knowing the risk factors and warning

Alzheimer’s Disease is a disease of the future. With the growing aged population, this disease, which affects primarily the elderly, will become of increasing relevance to the medical profession. Also, the high frequency of Alzheimer’s, and the high cost in labor, money, and material of caring for its victims shall put considerable burden on the society as a whole. Here, however, these issues are not going to be debated. Instead the pathology of Alzheimer’s will be reviewed to the extent it is known today.

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).

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).

The topic of this article is about the effects that Alzheimer’s has on the patients, family members/caregivers. I believe there is a grave importance in this topic to help understand the effects of this disease and possibly help farther research. This might bring a few questions to the front of this discussion. How the relationship is after a patient is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s? How does this effect the family members/caregivers? What symptoms do family members experience with Alzheimer’s patients? What factors in life play a role in developing this disease? This paper will explore these questions with the respect of these news articles.

According to studies, more than 5 million people are living with Alzheimer’s and that number is

     It is inevitable that eventually each of us will grow old and begin to face more and more health problems as our age rises. Elderly people are challenged by many illnesses and diseases that unfortunately, are incurable. One disease that becomes more common as people age is Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s a common cause and a form of dementia and can severely damage a patient’s cognitive functions and can ultimately cause death. Living with Alzheimer’s disease can be saddening for both the sufferer and the family. Family and friends will find it very hard to cope when a loved one begins slipping away and losing memory of who they are.

Alzheimer 's is a slow and debilitating disease that generates multiple problems with cognitive skills including; memory, thinking and behavior. (MedlinePlus, 2015) It is especially painful for friends and family members who see their loved ones progressively lose their memory and ability to function as they normally have. Symptoms typically develop gradually and progressively get worse over time, becoming severe enough to put the person afflicted with the disease unable to complete daily tasks and placing themselves at risk. (MedlinePlus, 2015) Alzheimer’s is the most common diagnosed condition of dementia. (MedlinePlus, 2015) Sixty to eighty percent of dementia cases are designated as Alzheimer’s. (MedlinePlus, 2015) Although the greatest known risk factor for Alzheimer’s is increasing age, it is not considered a normal part of aging. The majority of those diagnosed with Alzheimer 's are approximately sixty-five and older. However, Alzheimer’s is not just a disease affected by the older age populations. About 5 percent of people with Alzheimer’s experience early symptoms and the onset Alzheimer 's and most often appears in their forties or fifties. As stated above, Dementia or Alzheimer’s symptoms gradually worsen over time. In the early stages, it is common to experience mild memory loss. Eventually, the ability to carry on a conversation is lost. The sixth leading cause of death in the United States is Alzheimer’s. After Alzheimer’s symptoms become publicly

Alzheimer’s is not a quick deterioration in health. “The patient gradually declines over a period of five to ten years” (Whitehouse 1). As the patient loses memory and other cognitive functions the family becomes greatly affected. “Legal and financial issues often become complicated when an individual is no longer competent to manage his or her own affairs.” (Whitehouse 1). Obviously, this neurological illness will affect the brain. “The disease involves shrinkage of the brain together with loss of nerve cells in several areas of the brain thought to be important for intellectual activity” (Whitehouse 1). Sadly, all of these effects will eventually lead to

Alzheimer’s disease is one of the most devastating degenerative diseases affecting the American population. It is one form of dementia. Dementia is a group of conditions characterized by impairment of at least two brain functions, such as memory loss and judgment. Symptoms include forgetfulness, limited social skills, and thinking abilities so impaired that it interferes with daily functioning. Alzheimer has very few treatment options even though it is increasing globally. Recently environmental exposures have been studied as a catalyst for the onset of the disease. This paper will review how genetic, biological, medication and sociological factors can increase the risk of Alzheimer onset.

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

Of the 5.3 million Americans with Alzheimer 's, an estimated 5.1 million people are age 65 and older, and

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