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Alzheimer's disease, like cancer, is one of the most feared diseases in the western world. It can be frightening to see a loved one succumb to Alzheimer's or to worry that you may be showing signs of it or have a genetic predisposition for Alzheimer's. It can help ease your fears if you truly understand the disease, you know that scientists are working hard on discovering a cure and treatment, and you are aware that there are options for Riverview, MI, Alzheimer's care. It can be difficult to care for a loved one with Alzheimer's yourself, and it is important that someone suffering from the disease gets the proper attention. What Is Alzheimer's? Alzheimer's is a disease that affects the brain. It is not a normal part of aging, but it is much more common in people over the age of 65. When Alzheimer's symptoms start manifesting earlier than this, it is often referred to as early onset Alzheimer's. While not all symptoms of memory loss are a sign of Alzheimer's, it is the most common cause of dementia. Because it is a degenerative disease, expect symptoms to steadily get worse over time. Eventually the disease can be fatal. In fact, Alzheimer's is in the top 10 leading causes of death in the United States. Alzheimer's causes memory loss and difficulty retaining new information. One of the earliest signs of Alzheimer's is an inability to remember newly acquired information. This is because the part of the brain responsible for learning is generally first affected by the disease. The disease will start to affect other areas of the brain as it progresses, causing symptoms to worsen. Confusion, mood changes, paranoia, severe memory loss, and difficulty speaking, walking, and swallowing, are all progressive symptoms of Alzheimer's. What Can Be Done? Unfortunately, there is currently no cure for Alzheimer's disease. That doesn't mean that a diagnosis is cause for despair. Scientists and healthcare professionals are working hard to find out all they can about this deadly disease. Progress on Alzheimer's research has been speeding up rapidly. The majority of what scientists and researchers currently understand about the disease has only been discovered in the last 15 years. There is certainly still hope for a cure or a breakthrough treatment that will significantly improve symptoms of the disease or slow its progression. Meanwhile, there are some treatments that can help with symptoms. There are some drugs that are available that can help improve memory loss for a time while some non-drug treatments can also show some success. Who Can Help? Caring for someone in advanced stages of Alzheimer's can be incredibly difficult. Besides losing memories, this disease can cause behavioral symptoms that can cause distress for family caregivers and be dangerous in some cases for the person suffering from Alzheimer's. The disease can cause people to become aggressive, suspicious even of trusted loved ones, depressed, agitated, anxious, and can even cause hallucinations. Unless you are prepared to be a full-time caregiver, it is unrealistic to think that you can completely care for a loved one with advanced Alzheimer's. If you are still working or have other responsibilities, you will need to seek out help. Riverview, MI, Alzheimers care is available. If you feel that you want to keep your loved one at home, you can search out home care professionals who can come in during the day and give assistance. There are also many different quality full-care facilities that will provide advanced Alzheimer's and dementia treatment. It can be a relief to know that your loved one has around-the-clock access to trained nurses and professionals.
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