Tag: Alzheimer’s

Symptoms of Alzheimer’s

When word Alzheimer’s is mentioned, the first thing that comes to mind is memory loss. This assumption is correct given that the doctor’s have determined this to be a disorder that usually happens to old folk.

There are many symptoms of Alzheimer’s and doctors often associate it with the seven stages. There is no cause of alarm yet in the first two stages since even the smartest people tend to forget things every so often.

The first two stages may last for four years. However, when this happens more frequently, the patient could already be in the third or fourth stage and this is just going to get worse. A simple example could be if the individual is unable to complete a simple task that was easily done in the past like doing some basic arithmetic.

People will definitely notice the changes. This is the reason some family members take shifts watching over the loved one or get a nurse to watch over the person.

The fifth stage is better known as moderate Alzheimer’s because aside from not being able to recall names or do things without assistance, the individual will become disoriented and may at times get lost.

One precaution often being taken is for the patient to wear an ID card in the neck or placed in the pocket. This contains the name, address and contact person of who should be called when this happens.

The sixth stage of Alzheimer’s is when the person also begins to have mood swings. The patient may be jolly to talking to other people when suddenly everything changes and the attitude is now hostile to whoever is there.

The worse part about the disorder during this stage is that the person will act like a baby. Tantrums may be thrown but the worse part is seeing the patient defecate on his or herself. The caretaker will have to clean up the mess as though the person was an infant and are advised to use adult diapers, which is more convenient when cleaning up the mess.

The seventh stage of Alzheimer’s is not that bad anymore. This is because the body’s systems will slowly shut down. The patient won’t speak or do anything and will usually just stare into space.

It is like the person gave up the will to live. The body may be there but the mind or the soul has gone off to another place.

Anyone who is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s will have less than 10 years left to live. Doctors only catch on in the third and fourth stages since the symptoms of short-term memory loss are hardly noticeable and often attributed to aging.

What can people do for those who have Alzheimer’s? Unfortunately, there is not that much anyone can do because there is no cure yet for this disorder. There are drugs available that can only slow down the process before it gets worse but those who care are just delaying the inevitable.

Research shows that there are more than four million people in the country that are suffering from this disease. The figure will go higher as the baby boom generation also reaches the same age.

As long as there are drugs that can delay the process, doctors may be able to buy a little more time so that the person may live to see the day that a cure has been made.

Stages of Alzheimer’s

Medical science has determined a lot of things through the years. It has discovered various diseases and its causes. Unfortunately, there are still a lot of unknowns. Doctors are unable to determine the cause of cancer, the cure for AIDS and even something that called Alzheimer’s disease.

Alzheimer’s is considered to be a disorder that will affect one’s mental and physical state. It normally happens to people 65 years of age and above that can affect anyone regardless of sex.

There are seven known stages for this type of disorder and it only gets worse as time goes by.

In the first stage, the individual and those around will not notice anything wrong. The person may forget a thing or two, which everyone experiences so there is no cause for alarm yet.

During the second stage, the person may already feel something wrong as this memory lapses happen more frequently. Again, there is no need yet to be alarmed because people tend to forget things due to aging.

The third stage is the time when someone can be suspected of having this disease. The person will falter at work or be unable to accomplish some simple tasks and people will take notice of these changes.

In the fourth stage, the individual can no longer handle certain activities and will require the assistance of those around to accomplish it.

The fifth stage is what doctors describe to be moderate Alzheimer’s disease. The individual will not only forget other people but also be unable to recall certain facts about oneself. There will also be periods of disorientation.

In the sixth stage better known as moderately severe Alzheimer’s, there will already mood swings. The patient may be happy and in the next minute appear hostile to those around. There will also be fecal and urinary incontinence just like a baby who is not yet toilet trained.

The seventh and final stage is called severe Alzheimer’s. The individual will not be able to speak much and do anything anymore. The patient will probably just stare into space so there will be times that those around will have to carry and force feed to be able to stay alive.

Alzheimer’s disease happens gradually. The only thing people can do is slow down the process before it gets to the succeeding stage by using drugs and giving proper care to the patient.

As the patient’s condition gets worse, the person is no longer treated as a human being by merely as a subject with the disorder. This shouldn’t be the case given that the individual at point in life accomplished a lot of things and never wanted this to happen in the end.

There are more than four million people in the United States that are diagnosed with this disorder. This number will definitely grow in the years to come as more and more Americans will reach the retirement age.

Those who have family members who are suffering from this disease should learn about the various stages to be able to understand what the patient is going through to give the proper help.

There are books and other information on the web as well as support groups since this disease affects not only the patient but also those who have to live with it.

Brain Exercises can help Reduce the Risk of Mental Illness

Brain Exercises can help Reduce the Risk of Mental Illness

There are many different types of mental illness in the world, and they affect people differently. This is why it is often so hard to pinpoint what they situation is and then to find the right course of treatment for it. The goal with such treatment is to help the individual have as good of a quality of life as possible. Since there is no known cure for mental illness this is the next best thing to offer.

There has been some research to indicate that brain exercises can help to reduce the effects of some mental illnesses. Many people suffer from Alzheimers where they cant remember things very well. This typical affects older individuals and the onset of it is generally slow. However, it can make the quality of life very poor for such an individual. They can become a threat to themselves as well so they need constant care.

By engaging in brain exercises at a young age though it may be possible to prevent such a mental illness from taking control of your brain functions. As a person gets older it is natural for their cognitive abilities to decline. However, there is also research that shows it doesnt have to be this way at all. Instead it is possible for a person to continue improving on a cognitive level as they get older.

Most people dont realize that they should work to train their brain. Allowing it to just format any way that it will without some direction from you isnt a good idea. Yet that is a concept that too many people have never given any thought to. How can you expect your brain to form the way you want it to if you dont have any defined goals about what that is?

Many people have coined brain exercising to reduce the risk of mental illness as mental fitness. It is never too late for someone to change how their thinking process is. That is the good news because people too often assume that what a person has always done is what they are destined to continue doing. Change can be difficult but it can also be accomplished with dedication and a good game plan.

The younger that you are when you start engaging in brain exercises to reduce the risk of mental illness the better off you will be. Those individuals with a family history of mental illness definitely want to do all they can in order to prevent it. There is still plenty of research in this area though that has to be done. While we are far from having all of the answers, we are also on the right path.

The more that you work your brain the better it is going to be. The effort you put into it is going to help you live a happier and healthier life. The time you invest in the process today is going to pay off for you in the days ahead. Decades from now you can continue to be a confident and productive member of society as well. There is a great deal of personal power that comes from brain exercising so dont underestimate it.

Another benefit is that you will be able to get your mental health and your physical health in balance with each other. This is important because they are both a part of how you will look and how you will feel. When one of them isnt getting the attention it needs then you as a person will suffer. Exercising your brain is every bit as important as exercising your body.

The fact that brain exercises do offer so many benefits is a good reason for you to take part in them. There is still plenty of research that has to be done in order to fully determine how they can help people with mental illness. Taking part in such activities though can help you do all you can to reduce the risk of suffering from such problems when you get older. Since it is possible that such benefits exist you want to give yourself the opportunity to really benefit from them.

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