Getting the care you need, to deal with this difficult disease
Alzheimer’s Disease is a profoundly difficult problem for a family to deal with. It is difficult to watch an Alzheimer’s sufferer as he or she deteriorates. In addition, the Alzheimer’s patient can become increasingly difficult or even abusive to people around him or her, including family members to whom he or she has previously been very loving. In cases like this, families need to seriously consider getting proper professional care for loved ones with Alzheimer’s.
Alzheimer’s defined
Alzheimer's Disease (AD, occasionally called Alzheimer Disease) is the single most common cause of dementia. There are nearly 25 million Alzheimer’s sufferers worldwide. Alzheimer’s Disease is a progressive, degenerative and terminal disease that attacks the brain initially resulting in short term memory loss and eventually impaired thinking and behaviour. It has no known cure.
Evaluating and diagnosing Alzheimer’s
If a senior is experiencing difficulty in learning, thinking or remembering or is showing changes in personality, it's essential to arrange for a medical evaluation.
A number of other causes might be responsible for memory loss, including the effects of anesthesia, drug interactions or injury. It's important to identify the reason, and whether it's treatable or even reversible. An evaluation should also pinpoint the needs and resources of the affected person and the caregivers.
Consider these quick facts about Alzheimer's:
- The loss of short-term memory is one of the first indicators, although long-term memory might persist for some time
- Alzheimer's affects men and women equally and does not depend on personality or any social factors
- With Alzheimer's Disease memory loss is permanent. The course might be slow or rapid, but progressive memory loss that is never restored is a major sign.
Support for families dealing with Alzheimer's
There are a variety of organizations that offer support and information for families dealing with Alzheimer's Disease. These include:
Getting Alzheimer’s care
Over the past decade or so, much has been learned about Alzheimer’s Disease, its effects and treatment. Consequently, you can now find retirement homes experienced at dealing with this disease. An Alzheimer’s Care Unit is specially secured to deal with people suffering from this form of dementia. Most Alzheimer’s care homes will have certified nurses on premises (or at least on call) 24 hours a day.
It can be very beneficial to pay for specialized Alzheimer’s care as public hospitals in Ontario and other provinces seem to be facing continuing shortages of both staff and funds. In a 2008 report, it was estimated that most seniors in publicly funded long-term care facilities in Canada receive an average of 2.6 hours of care per day.
