Alzheimer's Case Study

Once someone is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, members of that person’s family will be affected as well. Alzheimer’s is a rapidly growing disease meaning that more people are being affected by it in some sort of way now than in past years. Figures show that, in 2012, another American will be diagnosed with the disease every sixty-eight seconds, totaling about sixteen million (“factsheet”). By the year 2050, it is predicted that a new case of Alzheimer’s will present itself every thirty-three seconds (“factsheet”). This disease differentiates itself from others in that the family members have to understand that a patient cannot make a full recovery (Nizario). Alzheimer’s will never go away and will permanently change the lifestyle
In fact, some risk factors for caregivers can include anxiety and depression (Brinkley). Alzheimer’s disease usually changed the personality of patients when severe stages were reached. Patients can wander and lash out at others. This change in personality has an emotional toll on the family members or caregivers (Brinkley). As patients’ personalities change, it is important for families to learn to “differentiate between the disease and [their] loved one” (D’Antuono). Frustration, anger, fear, sadness, and concern over personal memory lapses are “a range of natural emotions” that caregivers of patients can experience (“Consumer/Patient”). Statistics show that up to fifty percent of caregivers experience psychological distress, usually depression (“Consumer/Patient”). Over eighty percent of families who have a member diagnosed with Alzheimer’s have reported some sort of stress-related side effect (“factsheet”). Sixty of that eighty percent rate the stress level as being either high or very high, and up
Maintaining a safe environment surrounding patients is the responsibility of the caregivers or family members (“Caregiving”). The constant need displayed by those with late stages of Alzheimer’s will require caregivers to quit their jobs if they cannot afford a nursing home (D’Antuono). Statistics show that the best approach to encouraging patients to maintain their hygiene is a lead-by-example approach (“Personal Care”). This approach requires family member to spend the majority of their time with their loved one as personal hygiene and personal decisions present themselves throughout the day. Caregivers and family members have to find time to create new ways to communicate with their loved ones (“Communication”). Short and simple is beneficial for the patients and only basic conversations will be achievable in latter stages of the disease (“Communication”). It is often a reoccurring problem for patients of this disease to forget to eat. Reminding patients to eat on a regular basis can be stressful for caregivers because it requires them to be in the presence of the patient several times a day (“Personal Care”). The caregivers have to devote time to watching the eating patterns of the patients as well (“Personal Care”). Simple tasks such as bathing, brushing their teeth, combing their hair,