Alzheimers

Alzheimer’s disease is a growing concern among the world’s retired population. Alzheimer’s disease is a neurological brain disorder named after a German physician, Alois Alzheimer, who first described it in 1906. It has recently gained greater importance is diagnostic in nature. It’s a progressive, degenerative disease that attacks the brain and results in impaired memory, thinking, and behavior, and subsequently death. People usually do not die from the disease itself, but from complications due to the disease. As we all age or have a relative or someone you love that is also getting older it’s significant to know signs and symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease, the stages of Alzheimer’s disease and diagnosing Alzheimer’s disease. Every minute, every day, scientists learn something new about Alzheimer’s disease.  The momentum of research is building, fueling excitement and moving scientists closer to understanding the causes of Alzheimer’s.

The basic symptoms of Alzheimer's disease include memory loss, difficulties in speech, difficulties in performing familiar tasks, disorientation to time and place, poor or decreased judgment, misplacing things, changes in mood or behavior, changes in personality, and a loss of initiative. There are two types of symptoms, cognitive and behavioral. Cognitive symptoms include memory loss, disorientation, confusion, and problems with reasoning and thinking. Behavioral symptoms include agitation, anxiety, delusions, depression, hallucinations, insomnia, and wandering. By the last stage of the disease, the victim has difficulty eating, walking, suffers bladder and bowel problems, may display inappropriate behavior in public, and is usually confined to a wheelchair or bed. Much still remains unknown about this destructive illness, research is being done on Alzheimer’s disease, and more is being learned about it each day. A lot of attention has been given to the care needed by Alzheimer’s victims and the problems faced by family...