Senile Dementia of the Alzheimer's Type, generally known as Alzheimer's Disease, is a degenerative disease commonly observed in senior citizens ages 65 and up. Because the disease affects the brain, many of the body processes are disturbed, including vision, memory, mood and speech. The condition can arise earlier in life, then called early-onset Alzheimer's, then progress to more severe levels. As the disease advances, normal day-to-day life can be negatively affected.
Alzheimer's Disease
There are a wide range of symptoms that indicate Alzheimer's. Because it is seen most frequently in the elderly, the symptoms are often misdiagnosed as signs of old age. Although modern medicine has advanced significantly since the first diagnosis of Alzheimer's, a true diagnosis cannot be made until after death, when the brain can be studied more intimately. Until then, cognitive tests and brain scans can identify Alzheimer's with an accuracy rate of 90 percent.
Memory Loss
Frequently, the first sign of Alzheimer's is memory loss. The person in question will repeatedly ask the same question or will not recognize an immediate family member. The brain reverts to a time in history, which may also lead the Alzheimer's patient to fail to recognize his reflection in a mirror. Remembering simple things, such as the day of the week, or even the year, will be difficult. If he is in the early stages, he may suffer a memory lapse for a period of a few minutes, then his brain begins to function normally again and he will seem completely normal.
Concentration
As the disease progresses, concentrating on simple tasks will be complicated. Comprehending a book he just read will be difficult. Carrying on a conversation will seem daunting and may often cause frustration. Tasks that had once been routine will take much longer and require more effort. In advanced stages of Alzheimer's, it is not recommended that the patient drive. Even roads he's been driving on his whole life can become unfamiliar and very frightening.
Vision
Many Alzheimer's patients experience mild to moderate vision problems: Some lose the ability to see color; others can no longer judge distance. The eyes begin seeing normal things as illusions, causing many people to think a reflection in the mirror is someone else in the room. Inanimate objects begin moving, sometimes in a wave motion from side to side, and others in an up and down pattern.
Vision, concentration and memory problems combine to make familiar tasks, such as driving, cooking and cleaning the house extremely complicated for a person suffering from Alzheimer's. Unfortunately, these symptoms frequently become so severe that the patient can no longer live on his own. More advanced stages can require around-the-clock care.
Temperament and Mood
Even mild cases of Alzheimer's have the ability to totally alter a person's personality. Passivity is replaced with aggression and anger. The patient can become very impatient with others. Depression is exceptionally common, due to the frustration of the situation. Memory loss causes relatives to become "strangers," which makes the patient very suspicious and anxious.
Hygiene
Hygiene habits may change rapidly, mostly because of loss of memory. The patient will remember bathing and putting on fresh clothes recently, when the event he is really remembering was in his childhood.
Dealing with Alzheimer's
Alzheimer's is extremely wearisome, both for the patient and his loved ones. Because of the change in his situation, the patient will often become very sad, angry and even hysterical. Seeing the emotion in the patient can be very heartbreaking for the family. As with any disease, the key to treating Alzheimer's is early detection. Seeing any of these signs, especially in a senior citizen, should be cause for alarm and tended to quickly.
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