Alzheimer’s disease, what is there to say about this disease? There is an uncomfortable ease about knowing that it is known that you develop this disease in old age, or do you. We will learn and understand about how (AD) Alzheimer’s disease was discovered, named, its’ myths, past and present treatments, signs and symptoms, and diagnosis. It will be known how it was considered a disease and not just a normal or regular part of becoming of age or aging.
With Alzheimer’s having several stages associated with it, we will discover that not everyone will experience all stages, symptoms, or progress at the same time or rate. Alzheimer’s was first discovered by a German physician by the name of Dr. Alois Alzheimer when he “specifically identified a collection of brain cell abnormalities as a disease” (A History of Alzheimer’s Disease, 2012, para. 1) in one of his patients that died after “years of severe memory problems, confusion, and difficulty understanding questions” (A History of Alzheimer’s Disease, 2012, para.
1). During this time within history, Alzheimer’s disease was not known as a disease, but just a normal part of aging. It was only because of a “discovered link between cognitive decline and the number of plaques and tangles in the brain” (A History of Alzheimer’s Disease, 2012, para. 2) that Alzheimer’s was recognized as something other than just people getting older. Next, we understood or take a closer look at the myths that were and still are associated with Alzheimer’s include that the memory loss factor within the disease is a normal part of aging.
There is an understanding that memory loss is a normal part of the aging process, but when it comes down to Alzheimer’s, it is considered more than just the basic reality of just forgetting a person’s name or birthdate. Alzheimer’s memory loss is more than just “occasional memory loss” (Myth 1: Memory loss is a natural part of aging, 2012, para. 1). Although it is very difficult to determine the normal memory issues from the memory problems that are associated with Alzheimer’s, there are ways that have been developed for us to determine the difference.
Although memory loss being a natural part of aging is a myth of Alzheimer’s there are others myths according to Alzheimer’s Myths, 2012 which include, Alzheimer’s disease is not fatal, only old people can get or develop Alzheimer’s, drinking out of aluminum cans or cooking in aluminum pots and pans can lead to Alzheimer’s disease, aspartame causes memory loss, flu shots increase risk of Alzheimer’s disease, silver dental fillings increase risk of Alzheimer’s disease, and there are treatments available to stop the progression of Alzheimer’s disease.
The last myth of there being treatment available to stop the progression of Alzheimer’s disease is a strange myth, but it is noted that “there is no treatment to cure, delay or stop the progression of Alzheimer’s disease” (Myth 8: There are treatments available to stop the progression of Alzheimer’s disease, 2012, para. 16). It is sad to know that there is nothing that can be done to prevent a person from not knowing who they are, their children are, their grandchildren, or anyone for that matter.
Alzheimer’s affects everything that a person has come to know about themselves and anyone else around them. This brings us to how to identify the signs and symptoms that are associated with Alzheimer’s disease. Here we will understand what to look for when trying to determine if one of our loved ones has developed or is developing the disease. The Alzheimer’s Health Assistance Foundation not only provides common early symptoms of the disease, but also gives symptoms for the three stages from mild to moderate to severe.
The common early symptoms include, confusion, disturbances in short-term memory, problems with attention and spatial orientation, language difficulties, changes in personality, and unexplained mood swings, (Symptoms & Stages of Alzheimer’s Disease, 2012, para. 1). These same symptoms are part of the Mild Stage, which is stage one of the disease. When you can associate getting lost, repetitive questions and conversations, losing things or misplacing them, and even poor judgment with things that a loved one is doing, it is best to consult with a physician about Alzheimer’s.
Stage 2, the Moderate Stage, is the stage where “the person with Alzheimer’s is clearly becoming disabled” (Symptoms & Stages of Alzheimer’s Disease, 2012, para. 5). This is the beginning of when they are becoming or at the point of where there is no more driving or not doing complicated tasks or activities. Stage 2 is where the symptoms from stage 1 are getting worse. Speech is becoming impaired, they are forgetting more and more things and people, and they are “becoming aware that they are losing control” (Symptoms & Stages of Alzheimer’s Disease, 2012, para.
5). The last and final stage, which is Stage 3, the Severe Stage is where Alzheimer’s has basically taken control of the individual. There is no control over bodily functions, speech, memory, and they become more prone to other illnesses. During this stage, continued medical care is needed. Someone has to be with and around the patients during this stage at all times. Next, we will understand how all of the symptoms and signs of Alzheimer’s is diagnosed, the tests included, and which professionals provide all of the help in both.
Alzheimer’s disease is diagnosed definitely through a brain autopsy, but that is only when the patient is no longer alive. According to Diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Disease, “physicians can correctly diagnose Alzheimer’s disease about 90 percent of the time based on the mental and behavioral symptoms, a physical examination, neuropsychological tests, and laboratory tests” (2012, para. 2). This means that they previous mentioned signs and symptoms of the disease is almost a sure way of physicians diagnosing a patient with Alzheimer’s disease.
The professionals that will assist in the diagnosis of the disease starts with the primary care physician, then possibly a (GNP) or Geriatric Nurse Practitioner, Geriatric Psychiatrist, which is a physician that specializes in mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders, Geriatrician, which specializing in the health challenges and diseases, a Geropsychologist, who specializes in mental health challenges, and also a Neuropsychologist, which specializes in the relationship between the brain systems and behavior.
Treatment, there is currently no treatment or cure for Alzheimer’s disease, but there are steps or advances that are being made to the treatment of the disease. Treatments are in the form of medications, but also non-drug approaches for improvement of the disease. Some symptoms have separate treatments, like in regards to cognitive and behavioral symptoms. Of course, a proper diet and regular exercise is always a way of prevention of any disease and they both promote healthy lifestyles, but medications like “cholinesterase inhibitors, (Aricept, Exelon, Razadyne, Cognex, and memantine (Namenda) is used to treat the cognitive symptoms (memory loss, confusion, and problems with thinking and reasoning) of Alzheimer’s disease” (Medications for Memory Loss, 2012, para. 1).
There are always new and improved clinical trials and studies that are being used to improve and treat the Alzheimer’s disease. In the beginning, Alzheimer’s was a disease that was mistaken for the common or normal part of the aging process and people were told that it was something that they had to just cope or deal with.
There was no real treatment, advances in treatment, or no steps towards helping the patient’s progress. Family members of Alzheimer’s patients were just told that they had to just deal or enroll the loved ones in nursing homes or facilities that provided an all-day adult care program. There are now medications and treatments available to help the Alzheimer’s patients and their loved one not only cope and deal with, but give hope of living a longer and more happier life.
There are clinical trials and studies that are being made to help these patients become more cognitive of the signs and symptoms of the disease and steps to better themselves. Although there is not currently a cure or designated treatment for the Alzheimer’s disease, there are enormous strides taken to get to the point of a cure and effective treatment. References Alzheimer’s Association. (2012). Alzheimer’s Myths. Retrieved from: http://www. alz. org/alzheimers_disease_myths_about_alzheimers. asp Alzheimer’s Association. (2012). Medications for Memory Loss.
Retrieved from: http://www. alz. org/alzheimers_disease_standard_prescriptions. asp American Health Assistance Foundation. (2012). A History of Alzheimer’s Disease. Retrieved from: http://www. ahaf. org/alzheimers/about/understanding/history. html American Health Assistance Foundation. (2012). Alzheimer’s Symptoms & Stages. Retrieved from: http://www. ahaf. org/alzheimers/about/symptomsandstages. html American Health Assistance Foundation. (2012). Diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Disease. Retrieved from: http://www. ahaf. org/alzheimers/about/diagnosis. html.