What is Alzheimer’s and how does it affect us? As we age, there are normal changes in our health. Some of these changes are warning signs of Alzheimer’s Disease.
What are the warning signs of Alzheimer’s?
Memory loss is often the first sign of Alzheimer’s disease. Challenges in solving problems, remembering how to do things and recognizing friends and family are more early warning signs. The most frightening warning signs are those of confusion, loss of time or space and loss of words. It’s frightening to not be able to communicate your needs to someone.
Why we become forgetful as we age?
Becoming forgetful is normal as we age. As brain cells age some of them lose function. Illness and loss of sleep can also cause forgetfulness. These types of forgetfulness are normal and often only temporary. Everyone has occasional memory loss for example when you walk into a room and forget what you went into the room for (See also Why do Alzheimer’s patients forget family members).
What Happens to the Brain
Electrical charges that travel within cells and the activity of the brains neurotransmitters are disrupted in the patient due to nerve cell death and tissue loss throughout the brain. The patients activity patterns change as in life as they meet new people, learn new skills and gain new experiences. This pattern also changes when the patient is afflicted with Alzheimer’s disease. Over the course of the disease the brain shrinks affecting all of its functioning capacity.
Who is most likely to get it?
Alzheimer’s is not particular. The average patient is over the age of 65. The likelihood of disease increases about every five years after age 65. After the age of 85 the risk nearly doubles. It’s a mystery to doctors why the disease risk rises so rapidly as we age.
Are certain people more prone to Alzheimer’s?
If you have a parent, brother, sister or child with Alzheimer’s you’re more likely to develop the disease. Many diseases run in families through either hereditary, genetics or environmental factors. There is also a possibility of head trauma and heart patients being at a higher risk for Alzheimer’s disease.
Why do Alzheimer’s patients forget family members?
As the brain functions begin to decline patients often lose portions of their memory that house the names and faces of family members.
When should medical attention be sought?
It’s important to seek medical attention as soon as it’s suspected the patient is having problems. The doctor can then evaluate the patient and work with you on a treatment plan to help your loved one. Treatment goals will change as the patient journeys through this disease. Understanding all of the options for treatment will benefit you as the family member and the patient.
How can Alzheimer’s be prevented?
Evidence suggests that healthy lifestyles may help keep the brain as well as the body fit. Exercise, a healthy diet, watching your cholesterol and blood pressure are all ways to help prevent Alzheimer’s disease. Keeping weight within the recommended guidelines, not smoking and avoiding heavy drinking as well as staying connected socially are all steps we can take to help prevent this disease.
As you can see, Alzheimer’s Disease is not discriminatory. By educating yourself and recognizing the signs you can tell whether you or a loved one is at risk for Alzheimer’s and begin appropriate treatments as soon as possible. For more information on Alzheimer’s you can go to the Alzheimer’s Association website.