Has your loved one been recently diagnosed with Alzheimer’s? Your mind may be filled with a plethora of lingering questions. Here, the professionals at Visiting Angels are going to provide answers to the most common questions surrounding Alzheimer’s and Alzheimer’s home care.
Plainly stated, Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive, degenerative brain disorder that is characterized by memory loss, cognitive decline, and behavioral changes. These symptoms usually get worse over time. About 5.5 million Americans are living with Alzheimer 's. Most of those who live with Alzheimer’s are over the age of 65. It’s often considered a terminal condition, with an average life expectancy of 4 to 8 years after the diagnosis. Although, some live anywhere from 15 to 20 years after the diagnosis.
Dementia describes a large range of brain disorders that cause memory loss. Alzheimer’s is the most common form of dementia, accounting for anywhere from 60% to 80% of the total cases.
Alzheimer’s has a number of risk factors. While scientists are still researching the exact cause of Alzheimer’s disease, researchers have identified a number of risk factors.
The three biggest risk factors for Alzheimer’s are as follows:
Other risk factors include: sleeping problems, high stress levels, heavy smoking, heavy drinking, a history of head trauma, exposure to air pollution, and others.
Alzheimer’s disease has a wide range of symptoms. Most symptoms of Alzheimer’s, particularly early on, are expressed through a person’s speech, thought patterns, and behaviors.
The most prominent symptoms of Alzheimer’s include:
Researchers believe that Alzheimer’s disease begins many years before people with the disease begin to show symptoms. Symptoms typically start to appear in old age, though some cases of Alzheimer’s begin in a person’s 40’s or 50’s. Alzheimer’s is a gradual, progressive disease, with symptoms becoming worse over a period of years.
At first, symptoms will be mild and will have minimal impact on the person’s well-being. As the disease progresses, symptoms develop from mild to moderate to severe. By the final stages of the disease, the person may lose all short-term and long-term memory, the ability to speak and to understand speech, and the ability to perform basic personal activities, such as how to use the bathroom or eat on their own.
Currently, there’s no cure for Alzheimer’s. While scientists continue to search for a cure, doctors prescribe modern treatments that may prevent the disease, delay its initial symptoms, or slow its progress.
One option is to put your loved one in a nursing home or an assisted living facility, but this is often traumatic for the individual. Another would be to hire Alzheimer’s home care, like the services that Visiting Angels offers. This kind of care is personalized to cater to individuals who suffer from Alzheimer’s while being administered in the home.
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