Case study 5: Dementia (Alzheimer’s Disease) Patient description: SW is a 69 year old man, he is 5’9”, weighs 173 lbs. His blood pressure is 122/80 mmHg and total cholesterol is 204mg/dl, HDL-C is 47 mg/dl. He was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease 2 years ago, shortly after retiring from a career as a financial advisor. He has now reached symptoms consistent with stage 4 of the disease http://www.alzheimers.net/stages-of-alzheimers-disease/ .…
As Harry Johns, Alzheimer Association CEO and President says, “In the course of the past several decades, we have seen remarkable progress in the area of public health. Unfortunately, Alzheimer 's is not one of the areas in which we have seen that level of discovery because of the chronic underinvestment in Alzheimer 's research, which needs to be addressed now" (alz.org/research center).…
1) Hypothesize the ways in which damage to various parts of the brain might affect a person’s behavior and abilities.…
Fisher, Abraham. Advances in Alzheimer 's and Parkinson 's Disease: Insights, Progress, and Perspectives. New York: Springer, 2008. Print. This text goes in depth explaining the possible advances in curing Alzheimer’s disease. Also, it tells how far the research has come since the earliest research in curing the disease. Alzheimer’s disease research has advanced a lot since the beginning. The text includes a few graphs which depict the advances in technology used, and the progress that has been made in the ongoing research. The text is a decent source for those who are looking into the scientific research side of Alzheimer’s disease. It also shows how different perspectives on the topic have brought different outcomes in research. No matter the stance, the text clearly shows there have been advances in research and it gives a positive outlook to the reader.…
Having Alzheimer's doesn't mean that the life of the patient is over. Living with Alzheimer's means that the patient have to manage some life changes sooner than expected. The patient can carry on with his life by dealing with his physical and passionate well being, by taking part in exercises to revel in and by investing time with family and companions. The process of living with Alzheimer involves the patient to take care of himself, family and friends taking care of the patient ,also coping with changes .…
Alzheimer’s affects more than 5.1 million Americans and nearly as 44 million people worldwide. “Alzheimer's disease is a progressive, degenerative disorder that attacks the brain's nerve cells, or neurons, resulting in loss of memory, thinking and language skills, and behavioral changes,” (Alzheimer). Alzheimer’s is an illness that develops in individuals as they are aging and the number of cases of individuals developing Alzheimer’s have doubled in recent time. Alzheimer’s attacks the brain in ways the effects how a person lives their daily lives. It prevents people from being independent since it attacks the brain functions and causes them to become forgetful and confuse most of the time. During the early stages of Alzheimer’s individuals forget small things like where they placed something, and in later stages they…
Alzheimer's is a strange and mysterious illness. There are many frequently asked questions that must be answered.…
Approximately 5.4 million Americans now have Alzheimer's disease and by the year 2050, more than 15 million Americans could possibly be living with the disease, unless scientists or medical professionals develop new ideas to prevent, slow or cure it. (AHAF) Alzheimer’s is usually associated with old age but it can also be diagnosed in younger individuals. “Alzheimer's disease is the sixth-leading cause of death in the United States and the only cause of death among the top 10 in the United States that cannot be prevented, cured or even slowed.” (ALZ) This is considered to be one of the most heartbreaking diseases for a loved one to go through, because you’re basically watching them mentally fall apart often to the point when they don’t even remember who you…
Alzheimer’s is a dangerous disease that has been troubling the citizens of the United States of America. Approximately, 5 million Americans of all ages have developed this disease; but most of the people affected are above the age of 65. Alzheimer’s affects the nervous system; this neurodegenerative disease tends to occur when nerve cells in the brain slowly start to die. Billions of dollars are shelled out every year in order to contain this incurable disease. With this game plan, the government is pulling itself deeper into debt while the patients still unable to find a cure.…
As a person ages, it’s natural to become more inclined to forget things; from misplacing car keys to forgetting the name of an old friend. But the effects to ones memory caused by Alzheimer 's disease (aka: AD) are not at all considered normal. I think Belsky described AD best in saying “Alzheimer’s Disease directly attacks the core structure of human consciousness, our neurons. With this illness the neurons literally decay or wither away.” (“Experiencing the Lifespan”, Janet Belsky, 2007) According to the Alzheimer’s Associations informational website, alz.org, about 5 million people in the US are affected by the disease (What is Alzheimer’s, alz.org, April 1, 2010) . If the disease is not treated in good time, loved ones may experience a total over all change in the affected person’s demeanor. A normally calm, sweet person may become easily agitated and aggressive. Although there are no known cures at this time, the article I reviewed, Diagnosis and treatment of dementia: 1. Risk assessment and primary prevention of Alzheimer disease…
In one of the recent happenings, a judge slammed a woman for the sole reason of spending sick mother’s money on junk food items. The elderly woman has been reported to be suffering from Dementia and the amount spent by her daughter has amounted to approximately £250 a month on "unnecessary food". According to Judge Denzil Lush, the divorcee often used to turn up at a nursing home with different types of junk food items such as pork pies, biscuits and mini sausage rolls.…
Unfortunately, Alzheimer’s is an irreversible, progressive brain disease. Even when individuals are free of symptoms, toxic changes takes place in the brain. Abnormal deposits of proteins form amyloid plaques and tangles all through the brain and the healthy neurons begin to perform less proficiently. Eventually, neurons lose their ability to function and correspond with each other, and ultimately death…
One member in my family was greatly affected by Alzheimer’s disease along with dementia later on. My great grandmother, Alberta Klaska ended up forming Alzheimer’s then formed Irreversible Dementia. I was able to interview her granddaughter, my mother, Debbie Weidman. Because of my mother’s nursing background my family would constantly look to my mother for guidance on how to handle Alberta. My family members have constantly contacted my mother to ask questions determining how they could help with her condition. Throughout Alberta’s life with dementia and while it progressed, she was in constant need of more and more help.…
To decrease or prolong Alzheimer’s or memory loss, a diet rich in colors and high in nutrition, followed by daily physical activity maybe the best way to prevent memory loss. Being activate, is not only good for your physical health but also your mental health. Engaging with others in card games, deep conversation or learning a new language can engage your brain muscles decreasing it’s weakness to fall victim to forgetfulness’ or other symptoms of Alzheimer. For those who already have Alzheimer’s there are aggressive treatments available such as a treatment called Cholinesterase inhibitors. “These drugs work by boosting levels of a cell-to-cell communication chemical depleted in the brain by Alzheimer's disease”(Mayo Clinic Staff). Another option is Memantine also known as Namenda, “this drug works in another brain cell communication network and slows the progression of symptoms with moderate to severe Alzheimer's disease. It's sometimes used in combination with a cholinesterase inhibitor” (Mayo Clinic staff). These are only two treatments you can use, but with every option there will be a tough journey ahead of you and your family. If someone you know is suffering from Alzheimer’s the best thing you can do, is be there for them and listen. Listen to them as they try to remember their words, be patience and kind. Alzheimer patients need time, patience and a sense of independence, even if it is small. If you take to…
Many people are killed since their is no cure for Alzheimer’s due to the lack of funding provided for research. According to Kimberly Leonard, a health care reporter, $5 billion from the National Cancer Institute is given to cancer research, while $2 billion is given to HIV research which kills nearly 7,700 Americans a year. Although Alzheimer’s is not preventable since there is a lack of research for cures, cancer and HIV continue to receive significant more funding from the government. This problem is being caused since Alzheimer's is not a top priority. Even though Alzheimer’s is one of the main causes of death, other diseases such as HIV/AIDS are continuing to receive more funding for research. Since other, less persistent, diseases are…