Learning More About Alzheimer’s Disease

Posted by Jan Long Bill Young Joyce Singer

April 19, 2009

by Jan Long Bill Young Joyce Singer

In it’s early stages, Alzheimer’s Disease can be difficult to diagnose, and if you suspect that you or someone you know is experiencing symptoms, you are undoubtedly searching for answers to some of the most common Alzheimer’s-related questions. This article is intended to provide general information to seniors and their caregivers, but is not intended to take the place of a physician’s advice or diagnosis.

There are many early symptoms of Alzheimer’s Disease that caregivers and seniors should be aware of. The general symptoms include: personality, behavioral, and mood changes, difficulty performing familiar tasks, losing things, forgetting appointments and events, and time and spatial disorientation. Early detection is key to receiving the maximum benefits from all available treatment options, and the sooner a diagnosis is made, the sooner individuals can begin to plan ahead, and have more involvement in the process.

Alzheimer’s Disease is classified by seven distinct stages, which, depending on the individual, occur at different rates. In general, most people die four to six years after being diagnosed, but the normal range of the disease is anywhere from three to twenty years.

In the early stages, there is little or no mental impairment and the afflicted person is generally able to care for themselves independently. It is not until the second and third stages when mild to moderate cognitive decline usually becomes apparent. By the fourth stage, a doctor’s examination will usually reveal difficulties in performing independent tasks and in cognition, and by the fifth stage, classified as moderate to severe cognitive decline, the patient shows increasing symptoms of spatial confusion, trouble with abstract thinking, and a decrease in over all independence. By the sixth and seventh stages, people generally need total assistance with daily tasks, forget the names of those close to them, lose most of their awareness of recent experiences, and may suffer from delusions and/or visual or auditory hallucinations. Believing that their caregivers have been replaced by impostors is a common delusion.

Early detection is the key to making sound treatment and care decisions when it comes to Alzheimer’s Disease. Speak with a doctor as soon as you are able, and be sure to take an active role in the decisions relating to the care and treatment of yourself or the person under your care.

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