Alzheimer’s Dementia
Submitted by Jill
Petzinger, CHUC, of
All Alzheimer’s is dementia, but not all dementia is Alzheimer’s. The Latin word “dementia” means irrationality.
Types of dementia may include:
Diseases that can result in dementia:
A person with dementia might:
Alzheimer’s Disease is a disease of the brain that causes problems with memory, thinking and behavior. It is not a normal part of aging. It is a fatal disease that slowly destroys the brain and the ability to learn, reason and carry out daily activities.
As the Baby Boomer generation gets older, there will more people with the disease. The biggest risk factor in developing dementia is age. Most individuals with Alzheimer’s are 65 and older, although it can manifest as early as 40. After the age of 85 the risk is much higher, nearly 50%.
Alzheimer’s is the 7th leading cause of death in the
Another risk factor we can’t control is family history and genetics. People with Downs Syndrome are also at increased risk. Other risks include serious head injury and heart disease. Damage to the blood vessels is also a large contributor. It was previously thought aluminum could be a factor, but studies have failed to prove this theory.
There currently is no cure for Alzheimer’s Disease. It gets progressively worse over time. It can be compared to a cliff eroding over time. Gradually changing until a large chunk falls away suddenly. This can be quite disturbing to families who have gotten used to the gradual decline.
Staging systems provide points of references to help understand and to prepare for the future. According to some experts, there are seven stages. (www.alz.org)
Stage 1
Shows no impairment, no memory problems.
Stage 2
Normal age related changes, memory lapses.
Stage 3
Friends and family begin to notice difficulties or changes. A doctor may be able to detect problems in memory or concentration.
Stage 4
Mild or early stage may include forgetfulness of recent events and some of own personal history. May have difficulty performing some tasks such as planning a project, managing finances, etc.
Stage 5
Moderately severe cognitive decline. Gaps in memory and thinking are noticeable. Begin to need help with day to day activities. May become confused easily.
Stage 6
Severe cognitive decline. Memory loss continues, showing some personality and behavioral changes, which may include suspiciousness, delusions, depression, hallucinations, paranoia, wandering, anxiety, agitation, aggression and combativeness. Six out of ten people with Alzheimer’s’ will wander and get lost.
Stage 7
Very serious cognitive decline. Final stage. Cannot respond to the environment.
One thing we can do is to eat healthy, don’t smoke and drink alcohol in moderation, if at all. Exercise both body and mind and use a helmet if any risk of falling. Get routine checkups by a skilled physician. Dementia can be diagnosed with 90% accuracy. A physician will test for anemia, infection, diabetes, kidney or liver disease, vitamin deficiencies, thyroid abnormalities and problems with the heart, blood vessels and lungs. Any of these can cause confusion, trouble focusing or memory problems. A neurological exam, MRI or CT may be ordered and one may be referred to specialist such as a neurologist, psychiatrist or psychologist.
Once a person has been diagnosed and staging has begun, the family will need to consider how to provide increasing levels of care, as well as other changes. If the staging is soon enough in the process the patient can be included in the decisions. Familiarity is helpful. A lot of changes can create more confusion, which can turn into agitation and aggression. Patience is needed as the thinking process slows.
One of the most challenging and disturbing changes is behavior. This may include anxiety, agitation, aggressiveness, combativeness, and sleep disturbances. Inhibitions are gone and you often see behaviors that the person would never have done before the disease.
We don’t know yet what all the causes are or how to prevent, but hope is on the horizon. Scientists say the outlook is excellent for major breakthroughs over the next ten years.
On the lighter side, a bumper sticker was reported to say:
“One good thing about Alzheimer’s…you get to meet new people every day.”
Resources:
www.alz.org
www.helpguide.org
www.mayo.clinic.com.
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Member #:________Name:_______________________________________________
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Subject: Alzheimer’s Disease
Submitted by: Jill Petzinger, CHUC, of
Objective: To identify facts about Alzheimer’s
Resources: Accompanying article submitted by Jill Petzinger.
Instructions: After reading the article, please circle the best
answer.
1. Staging of Alzheimer’s Disease is said to include ____ stages.
a. 2
b. 4
c. 5
d. 7
2. What is the biggest risk factor for developing Alzheimer’s Disease?
a. Being Caucasian
b. Aluminum products
c. Age
d. Family history/genetics
3. Behaviors attributed to Alzheimer’s Disease could include:
a. forgetting where you car is parked
b. suspiciousness, depression, anxiety
c. low blood pressure and blood glucose
d. all of the above
4. In what stage does memory loss, wandering, and/or personality changes occur?
a. 4
b. 5
c. 6
d. 7
5. Approximately how many people in the
Disease?
a. 25,000
b. 300,000
c. 1 million
d. more than 5 million
6. Alzheimer’s is a disease of the brain that:
a. makes the patient do crazy things
b. destroys the ability learn
c. can be cured with the correct medication
d. only affects lower income adults
7. Alzheimer’s Disease is the _____ leading cause of
death in the
a. 3rdh
b. 7th
c. 10th
d. 50th
8. Approximately how many people with Alzheimer’s Disease live at home?
a. 10%
b. 30%
c. 50%
d. 70%
9 . Which age group is the highest risk of developing Alzheimer’s?
a. 40-50
b. 50-60
c. 65-70
d. over 85
10. Who can diagnose Alzheimer’s disease?
a. MD
b. psychiatrist
C. neurologist
d. All of the above