“The human mind is a channel through which things-to-be are coming into the realm of things-that-are”, a notable quote from Henry Ford in 1930. The mind is a powerful thing. It has the ability to control our body in order to live, to talk, to share with others. Civilizations can be built, movements can start, governments can be constructed, etc. all because of the mind giving you a process. When there is a mental illness, it can make the process difficult. Alzheimer’s affects more than 5.2 million people today. Symptoms, myths, misconceptions, treatments are all fundamental in the understanding of Alzheimer’s disease, and to hopefully prevent others from acquiring it in older age. * In 1906, Dr. Alois Alzheimer was the first one to …show more content…
Past treatments included treating some of the symptoms because there was no known cure. Medication to treat depression and memory loss were able to help some of the symptoms, but some had seen cognitive effects because of this. * There are signs and symptoms that accompany Alzheimer’s disease. With memory loss, there are certain things to distinguish between normal memory loss and early onset of Alzheimer’s. Everyone can have lapses in memory however, repeated statements and questions (without knowing that you are doing it), forget conversation, appointments, events, and not remember them later, putting objects in illogical places, forgetting names of family members and everyday objects are some of the warning signs of Alzheimer’s. When it comes to interacting with others, disorientation can also increase. Forgetting what day it is, what’s going on in your personal life, what season it is, are examples of the disorientation that can happen. This can lead to someone getting lost in familiar places, and difficult to understand the surroundings. Speaking, writing, thinking, making judgments, can also suffer because Alzheimer’s can prohibit the brain from concentrating to make full sentences, recognize and deal with numbers, or even solve everyday problems. A person’s personality can also change. Because of the brain not making the connections it needs to maintain healthy memory,
Alzheimer’s Disease is a form of dementia affecting more than one third of those over ninety-five years old. Its effects vary per person and become systematically more extreme as time wears on. Alzheimer’s is currently incurable and impossible to slow, destroying neurons and brain tissue, resulting in loss of memory, judgment, awareness, communication, behavior and capacity for emotion. Changes in personality and loss of initiative are also common symptoms of Alzheimer’s.
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.
With Alzheimer’s there are 3 stages in which a person will go through. First, there is the early stage. You may observe mild memory loss, and as the disease worsens so do the symptoms. In the moderate stage you may notice a difficulty of managing personal finances, household tasks, personal care, sleep routine and many more. As you progress to the severe stage you may experience forgetfulness of family members, communication, lack of control over bladder or bowel, and the need for help of activities of daily living. Symptoms of dementia can vary greatly. In order to be diagnosed with dementia at least two things will need to be present within the following: memory, communication, the ability to focus, reasoning, and vision perception. The symptoms of dementia start off slowly then gradually increase, this is known as a progressive
Many believe that Alzheimer’s is a non-lethal disease, however, they couldn’t be more wrong. Alzheimer’s is a disease that leaves no survivors. It is lethal and has absolutely no mercy towards any one. It does not discriminate between race or gender, rich or poor. Anyone can be a target. So much, that it is now the sixth leading cause of death and it continues to rise each year (Ryan). Yet, the scariest thing about Alzheimer’s, is not just the memory loss, but also the fact that it has no cure and is irreversible. All hope, however, is not lost. New research has shown that if caught at a very early stage, the rate of deterioration of the brain due to Alzheimer’s, can be slowed down through treatments and therapy (Robinson). Although it is no cure, it can buy more time with a loved one diagnosed with this mindless killer. By catching Alzheimer’s at an early stage and looking out for the symptoms, one can slow down the deadly effects of Alzheimer’s.
“There is one thing Alzheimer 's cannot take away, and that is love. Love is not a memory - it 's a feeling that resides in your heart and soul.” (Fade to Blank). The human brain is a remarkably complex organ that processes, stores, and recalls information. “Alzheimer 's disease (AD) is a slowly progressive disease of the brain that is characterized by impairment of memory and eventually by disturbances in reasoning, planning, language, and perception. Many scientists believe that Alzheimer 's disease results from an increase in the production or accumulation of a specific protein (beta-amyloid protein) in the brain that leads to nerve cell death.” (Crystal). It is the most common form of dementia, accounting for 50 to 80 percent of dementia cases, and currently has no cure. (# 3) Research continues to be done to develop better ways to care for those affected with the disease, as well as to find support for family members, friends, and caregivers. Alzheimer’s is a devastating illness that is not a normal part of aging. In order to find a cure, awareness needs to increase to improve understanding, develop effective treatments, and to essentially prevent the disease.
Alzheimer’s disease is incurable, but there are many stages, warning signs, and risk factors that can serve as detection devices for those who have older adults in their lives. One of the most common early signs of this form of dementia is memory loss. While it is normal for people to occasionally forget things, such as appointments and names, people with Alzheimer’s tend to forget these things more often and are not able to recall them even after a period of time. Other signs that signify a possible case of Alzheimer’s is difficulty performing familiar tasks (cooking, brushing teeth), problems with language (using odd words, failing to remember correct words), disorientation (forgetting where one lives, not knowing how he got to a certain place), problems with abstract thinking (forgetting what numbers represent), misplacing items (putting a hair brush in the freezer), moodiness, personality changes (confusion, suspicion, fearfulness), and loss of initiative
What Alzheimer's affects more is mostly the brain. What happens too the brain is their are what are know as Clusters of protein fragments (Beta-Amyloid Peptides) that collect outside the signaling system. Making a message not fully get to the brain. There are differences between brains A healthy brain looks; dense, compact, wrinkly grooves and ridges many people like to use “its neatly wrapped like a gift”.While on the other hand an Alzheimer patients brain look like it been wrapped by a five year old it has hole,shriveled ridges, and gaps.That's why many of Alzheimer patients suffer from memory loss and can not complete daily task.Symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease ; difficulty thinking and understanding, confusion in the evening, delusion, disorientation, forgetfulness, making things up, mental confusion, difficulty concentrating, inability to create new memories, inability to do simple math , inability to recognize common things. Behavioral; Aggression, agitation, difficulty with self care, irritability, meaningless repetition of own words, personality changes, lack of restraint. Moods do change as well anger, empathy loneliness, or mood swings. Treatment even though it has no way to be treated there are ways to help get it under control. And their are ways to exercise the brain.The patient can try Drugs there are two types of drugs that are currently being used:
Many people have heard of Alzheimer’s Disease, but very few of them would know that more than 5 million Americans h ave the disease. This number will keep increasing if the current population trends continue. That number also constitutes people who are unaware that they even have the disease, because the symptoms of Alzheimer’s are not easily recognized. This is due to the fact that Alzheimer’s disease affects brain cells and cannot be seen visually. In addition, Alzheimer's symptoms vary from person to person because each person with the disease is unique, and can be at different stages of disease development. More importantly, there is no cure for Alzheimer’s disease, which brings to my attention the question of why there is no cure or prevention
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.
Dementia, memory loss, and cognitive breakdown are some of the major signs and symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease. The disease damages brain cells, which in turn, impairs the memory and leads to loss of memory and the ability to perform tasks. The slow elimination of cells weakens the brain’s ability to remember things, perform normal
Alzheimer’s Disease is a common form of dementia that progressively deteriorates one’s brain causing serious memory loss, and eventually, the inability to perform common daily tasks. This disease is also known as “The Mind Robber,” or the “Disease of Forgetfulness.” The unfortunate thing about this disease is that there is no cure. Medicines have been developed to slow the progression of the disease. It has moved up into the rankings on the leading causes of death in America to number six and the number of deaths are increasing. As of 2013, nearly 5 million Americans were suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease, most of them over the age of 60.
Alzheimer’s disease is a chronic illness which degrades the neural ganglia of effected individuals. This typically results in a rapid decline of the individual’s mental health. Behavioral, cognitive, and emotional changes will be noticed within the individual at varying levels of severity. However, there is no cure in order to prevent the progression of the disease. Today, it is estimated that about 5.5 million Americans suffer from this degenerative disease. It is a growing area of concern which needs rapid medical attention. Research on Alzheimer’s disease has been increasingly published in hopes of gaining an understanding of the disease in order to develop treatment or prevention plans. Health psychologists can assist the individual by allowing them to learn to live with the disease. This is seen through the use of psychological theories which allow the individual to understand their behavior in terms of their health.
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
In this essay I will be writing about the research I’ve done on the brain disorder Alzheimer’s. I will discuss all aspects of the disease, from how it first gets diagnosed to how it affects your body and how it may end with your eventual demise. I will also discuss my first-hand experience with my grandma and her battle with Alzheimer’s. I will explain the happenings inside of the brain in an Alzheimer’s brain vs the regular healthy human brain.
“Have you ever walked along a shoreline, only to have your footprints washed away? That's what Alzheimer's is like. The waves erase the marks we leave behind, all the sand castles” (“Alzheimer Quotes.”). Famous head coach of the University of Tennessee’s women basketball team, Pat Summitt, said this after revealing she had Early Onset Alzheimer’s Disease. Alzheimer’s disease affects the memory of people suffering with it. 5.5 million people in America are currently living with it. The disease can be caused by many factors, and though it is incurable currently, there are ways to prevent further progression. Alzheimer’s disease is related to dementia; however, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease having similarities and differences. Many people believe they are the same, yet they have different symptoms, treatments, amounts of people who have it, etc. It is vital for society to get rid of their misunderstandings on Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia; therefore, it is important for them to know the differences between the two and how to prevent it.