The researcher of this paper will be researching the effects of Alzheimer’s on society as well as the individual. Alzheimer’s disease is a disease that causes mental deterioration. The researcher will discuss the effects of Alzheimer’s disease on the individual, the effects of Alzheimer’s on the caregivers, and the effects of Alzheimer’s on society.
Alzheimer’s disease is like many other diseases; early detection is best because deterioration of the brain cells can be delayed. (Greutzner, H) Alzheimer’s disease has a tremendous effect on the lives of those who live with the disease. Forgetfulness is just one of the symptoms that Alzheimer’s disease causes. Alzheimer’s disease ranks as the most common cause of dementia in the elderly population.
(Davidson, F. G.) Due to the nature of dementia being a neuropsychological disorder, those affected by the disease tend to look like they will not require much care, which, in reality, they often require more care than the caregiver originally expected, leading to stress and burnout. Another effect caused by this can be the caregiver blaming themselves by feeling like they are failing to give proper care, which, in reality, can often be very far from the truth. If the caregiver does not receive help from anyone else, the task of watching over the victim becomes a daunting twenty for hour task. Sometimes, the caregiver won’t be allowed quality sleep. Over 66 percent of home caregivers suffer from some form of psychological or physical illness. The most common illness that is resulted from giving care to Alzheimer’s disease is depression. The caregiver needs to monitor their emotional well-being as well as the well-being as the person that they are giving care to. Usually, giving care to those with dementia is actually more stressful than giving care to those with cancer. When the caregiver is a family member and not a professional, the emotional toll is often even greater. It is important for caregivers to remember that they need to take care of themselves first and
Alzheimer’s disease is a form of dementia affecting the older population. Symptoms are more noticeable over time due to the severity of the stages worsening. Alzheimer’s is the most common form of dementia. It accounts for fifty to eighty percent of dementia cases. Contrary to belief Alzheimer’s is not a normal part of aging. Different parts of the brain are affected causing multiple symptoms sometimes not diagnosed until later stages in the disease.
Informal supports, such as aid for housekeeping and running errands, are crucial to maintaining the lifestyle of individuals with Alzheimer’s in the community; however, the disease’s erosion of physical, cognitive, and communicative abilities often creates tremendous strain for family caregivers. Individuals and family caregivers dealing with Alzheimer’s often experience increasing social isolation as the disease’s progression undermines both mobility and the capacity for meaningful and appropriate engagement with the community (Banerjee et al., 2003). A number of studies have documented the physical and mental health costs borne by unsupported caregivers, and the link between caregiver stress and the institutionalization of their ill family members (Andren & Elmstahl, 2005; Banerjee et al., 2003). Taken together, the stress and isolation of dealing with Alzheimer’s disease undermine the health and quality of life of everyone involved, eventually precipitating institutionalization.
Gainey, R. R., & Payne, B. K. (2006). Caregiver Burden, Elder Abuse and Alzheimer's Disease: Testing the Relationship. Journal of Health and Human Services Administration , 29, 245-259.
Alzheimer’s Disease is the most common cause of dementia. Alzheimer’s is a type of dementia that causes problems with memory, thinking and behavior. Symptoms usually develop slowly and get worse over time. It can become severe enough to interfere with daily tasks. Allie Hamilton is suffering from dementia.
Alzheimer’s is a disease that many people have heard of, but few really know much about. Imagine not being able to remember your loved ones and friends or even how to do simple tasks like dressing yourself and brushing your hair. Now imagine having to dress your mother, who rarely remembers you anymore. This is the reality of life for millions of older people afflicted with Alzheimer’s disease and the families that care for them. Alzheimer’s causes cognitive function to decrease gradually overtime. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia - affecting around 5 million Americans (alz.org). It is the most fatal disease affecting older people and needs to be taken seriously.
Individuals who suffer from dementia become more dependent on other people. Eventually, they will be unable to carry out simple activities, otherwise known as activities of daily living or ADLs. Activities of daily living include things such as proper hygiene, paying bills, or preparing food. The patient will often experience personality changes. Someone who was once kind may become defensive and angry. Patients may display inappropriate behavior and experience paranoia and hallucinations. The affected individual may have to adjust to many different things throughout the course of the disease such as losing the ability to drive, carry out everyday tasks, and in some cases, move to a care facility. Dementia brings an increased risk of neglect and abuse, especially to the patients who are being cared for by a family member at home. Neglect is known as the failure to provide proper attention or care such as food, medication, and clothing. Causing physical, financial, or emotional harm to a person with dementia is also considered
Deciding to place a family member with Alzheimer's disease or Dementia in a medical facility is a very difficult decision to face. Alzheimer’s disease is a cognitive disease. As the disease progresses, it affects physical capabilities, as well. When a family member has been the sole caregiver of the patient, feelings of guilt, despair, and failure can surround the decision. Nonetheless, there are numerous reasons to move a family member into a nursing home. The Alzheimer patient would benefit from being moved to a medical facility because they will have trained medical staff, twenty-four hour care, and a safe, structured environment.
This paper uses the movie The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks, to discuss Alzheimer’s Diease. First, the topic of caregiver burden is approached using Noah’s character. He dedicates his life to caring for Allie, while enjoying this, caregivers must also be aware of limitations and burn out. The second topic discussed is Allie’s awareness of her own disease. Alzheimer’s patients in the later stages of memory loss, have moments of lucidity where they can remember what they once couldn’t. Lastly, the movie prompts the analysis of Alzheimer and other dementia’s care in skilled facilities and what healthcare providers can do to improve the
Leggett, A., Zarit, S., Taylor, A., & Galvin, J. (2010). Stress and burden among caregivers of patients with lewy body dementia. The Gerontologist, 51(1), 76-85.
Alzheimer’s disease is a form of dementia which is a brain disorder that impairs mental functioning. Dementia attacks the part of the brain which controls memory, language, and thought. It makes everyday tasks like remembering to brushing your teeth, or to pay your bills next to impossible to do, which is why so many people who are diagnosed with this disease are in complete care. This disease has different phases, the first being slight forgetfulness and then the persons emotions may heighten as well as language impairment, violent outbursts, loss of bladder control and from there it keeps getting worse until complete dysfunction of the brain occurs and eventually death, which most of the time is the result of infection.
Alzheimer's disorder is a mental disorder that affects your brain, and in particular the disorder affects the memory part of your brain. The disorder slows down the memory section of your brain, and as a result the number one symptom of Alzheimer's is memory loss. The disorder usually doesn't affect younger people, but instead affects people that are older than the age of sixty. The disorder can get so serious that the patient could loss there of about everything that has ever happened in their life. Patients usually loss their memory of their childhood during the most severe, intense, and last stage of the disorder. Alzheimer's disorder can also have a drastic effect on the patient's family, because during the disorder the patient can forget about their entire family.
The first sign of Alzheimer’s is memory loss, followed by personality changes and then progresses to loss of control over bodily functions. These changes happen over a long period of time. The early stages of Alzheimer’s disease, the symptoms are not immediately present but the patient starts to suffer from short memory lapses (e.g. forgetting faces of familiar people).
This assignment critically discusses about dementia, a widespread disability among older adults today. It provides an introduction to dementia and analyses its prevalence in society. The various forms of dementias are elaborated with description about dysfunctions and symptoms. Nursing Assessment and Interventions are provided in the further sections which discusses about actions nurses should take on while evaluating patients and treating them. Finally, communication, an important Activity of Daily Living (ADL) is explored and patient/carer advice is presented so as to maintain good health conditions in the patient.
This paper is on dementia, a late-life disorder, as it pertains to the geriatric population. “It is estimated that 24.3 million people around the world have dementia and that, with an estimated 4.6 million new cases every year, we can expect about 43 million people and their families to have to handle the challenge of dementia by 2020.” (McNamera, 2011) I will cover three relevant points concerning this disorder that cause changes in the brain.
Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive brain disease which slowly destroys thinking and memory skills. These changes are severe enough to interfere with day to day life. This irreversible disease is the most common cause of dementia amongst the elderly, with an appearance of first symptoms after age 60.