Alzheimer's disease is a physical illness that causes changes in the brain. It is a form of dementia. Dementia affects a person's memory, mood, and behavior. Over 4 million people suffer from Alzheimer’s. The cause of this devasting disorder is not known.A person with this disease has trouble remembering,speaking,learning,making judgments,and planning. Some people feel restless and moody. It may take many years for Alzheimer's disease to get worse. You don’t feel Alzheimer’s. It just silently destroys your brain cells and steals your life little by little. The symptoms of Alzheimer's disease can be frustrating for a person with the disease. Dealing with these symptoms can also be difficult for family members and caregivers. It may help to understand that these changes are no one's fault. They are part of the disease.

{Mild Stage Alzheimer's Disease}
During the early stages of Alzheimer's disease , the person starts to lose memory. Most often, short-term memory is lost first. This is the ability to remember recent events. People in this early stage may complain of losing things or forgetting the first name of someone they know well. They may forget appointments, a phone call with their family, or the names of well-known objects. Simple tasks, such as balancing a checkbook become hard or even impossible. Most people at this stage can still live on their own, with little help. This stage usually lasts about 2 to 3 years. As Alzheimer's disease progresses, the problems become more obvious to friends and family.

{Moderate Stage Alzheimer's Disease}
As Alzheimer's disease moves from the mild to the moderate stage, friends and family will start to see the person's problems more clearly. At this stage people with Alzheimer's disease start to need much more help with even basic self-care and household tasks. Dressing and cooking meals are harder to do without help. Feeding and bathing may be close to impossible. People tend to get more and more frustrated as they lose their self-care skills. Agitation is common at this stage, as are confusion and anger. New fears arise. People with Alzheimer's disease may become lost in familiar settings or get agitated when they are in new places. They may start to wander or lose track of where they are. Others may begin to show signs of suspicious or paranoid behavior. Emotional outbursts are common as the person becomes more frustrated and fearful.

{Severe Stage Alzheimer's Disease}
In the final stages of Alzheimer's disease more severe symptoms occur. Many people at this stage cannot feed themselves. As a result, many suffer from weight loss and malnutrition. People may also have a hard time controlling their bowels and bladders. This loss of control may be caused by either infections or blockage. Or, it may result simply from the person forgetting where the bathroom is or how to use it. Many must go to live in a nursing home or extended care center. People at this stage often cannot understand simple requests, and are unable to complete most tasks. As the disease gets worse, those with Alzheimer's disease can no longer speak correctly and may substitute one similar sounding word for another. In time, they lose their ability to speak. People at this stage are unable to make decisions or solve problems. They may recognize a family member because of an emotional connection, but not know the relative's name or relationship. People with late-stage Alzheimer's disease may also require hospitalization. As they become less mobile, they are more prone to other medical problems, such as pneumonia and skin ulcerations. People with Alzheimer's disease may live for 7 to 10 years after the onset of the disease. Some people, however, live for up to 20 years.

The information compiled above is information that can be found from many sources. Not all of the symptoms apply to every person with the disease. In the case of my father, his Alzheimer’s begin at around the age of 53, he passed from this life when he was 66. One common factor that I have found with everyone I have talked with or read about is “In the end all that is left is a shell.”

Posted by Sharon @ 04:45 PM EST [Link] [Karma: -3 (+/-)] [509 comments]

Tuesday, February 17, 2004

Kim, this is working for me. thanks!

Posted by Sharon @ 08:36 PM EST [Link] [Karma: 7 (+/-)] [346 comments]

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