For numerous people the thought of becoming an elderly, and the time period of which one is entering old-age, can be an incredibly scary feeling to cope with. The human body undergoes countless changes both physically and mentally as it ages. Some of these changes are difficult for people to adapt to and evoke a vast amount of stress in numerous people. One of the most common fears of people within the topic of aging is becoming demented. Dementia is a family of diseases characterized by cognitive and behavioral deficits involving some form of permanent damage to the brain. (CITE!!!bookpg288) When discussing dementia many people think of Alzheimer’s disease, as it is the most common and well-known form of dementia. People with Alzheimer’s …show more content…
Brain health is included and it is not uncommon for people to overlook the importance of feeding and exercising the brain properly, just as every other part of the body. There has been a sufficient amount of data to support techniques that will help in reducing the risk of dementia, Alzheimer’s in particular. Among these are increasing physical activity, receiving treatment for depression, quit smoking, control type two diabetes, have a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, fostering social engagement, control blood pressure and cholesterol levels, and participate in intellectually stimulating activities. The research currently documented does not necessarily state that these measures prevent Alzheimer’s directly, but rather enhance the overall health of people, which in return aids in preserving brain health as well. Research is continuously being conducted on Alzheimer’s and other related disorders of dementia, but for now the most widely accepted methods of prevention are becoming and staying healthy. Proper nutrition begins at an early age. It is easy for people to disregard the importance of their health when they are young since their choices are not typically directly affecting them. This is what needs to change. People need to be properly educated on the effects that their current life choices have on them in the future. The foods people eat, drugs people take, and overall lifestyle that people live will affect their overall
Alzheimer’s disease is a form of dementia, “a brain disorder that seriously affects a person’s ability to carry out daily activities (Shenk 14)”. Alzheimer’s is a progressive and irreversible brain disorder that slowly destroys a person’s memory and ability to learn, make judgments, communicate, and accomplish daily activities. As Alzheimer’s progresses, individuals may also experience changes in personality and behavior, such as anxiety, suspiciousness or aggravation, as well as illusions or hallucinations.
No one wants to lose their mind. But the reality is that the risk of dementia doubles every five years after the age of sixty-five. Is there anything that can be done to prevent this age-related loss of brain function? Are There Ways to Reduce Dementia Through Lifestyle Changes? European researchers analyzed 1,433 people over the age of 65 to determine what lifestyle factors would reduce the risk of dementia the most. After getting a complete medical history on the participants, they tested their cognitive function at intervals over a seven year period. What did they find? According to this research, the two best ways to reduce the risk of dementia is to eliminate diabetes and depression - both of which are dementia risk factors. If both of these factors were eliminated and more people were encouraged to eat fruits and vegetables, the number of new cases of dementia would drop by 21%. There 's some controversy as to whether depression actually increases the risk of dementia - or whether it 's simply an early sign of the disease. This study suggests that depression probably does increase the risk of the disease - and isn 't just a symptom. It 's not surprising that diabetes is a risk factor since it 's associated with insulin resistance. Some studies show insulin resistance increases the risk of dementia. Another way to reduce dementia risk is to encourage people to be literate and educated. This study showed that the number of new cases of dementia would drop by 18% if
Dementia refers to a syndrome which results in deterioration in thinking, memory, behavior, and ability to execute everyday activities and duties. Despite the fact that the syndrome is mainly associated with the older people, it is not a normal aspect or part of ageing. One of the major causes of dementia is the aspect of Alzheimer's disease. This disease contributes to about 60 to 70 percent of the cases of dementia. Dementia possesses psychological, physical, economic, and social impacts in relation to the family, caregivers, and the entire society. Dementia affects each individual in a diverse or different way with reference to the impact of the disease and personality following the development of the syndrome (Gao et al, 2013 p. 447).
Lifestyle changes to help prevent AD, according to The Alzheimer’s Prevention Foundation International include ‘four pillars of building a better memory”; diet and vitamins, stress management, exercise and pharmaceutical drugs. Diet and vitamins: the brain requires nutrition, blood flow and energy that comes from a diet that is moderate in calories, high in good fats and clean proteins. Stress management: reducing depression and improving your ability to deal with stressful situations. Exercise: mental and physical exercise is essential for brain health. Effective workouts include brisk walking, swimming, and Tai chi mental exercise such as visiting museums, crossword puzzles, reading, taking educational classes, and socializing with friend’s arte all excellent ways to keep your brain in shape. Pharmaceutical drugs: medications such as Aricept, Exelon, Reminyl, and Namenda, taken with the supervision of a physician, can play an important role in delaying the progression of mild memory loss due to Alzheimer’s disease. Natural hormone replacement
There is more evidence that suggests the condition of your heart has an effect on the condition of your brain, so people who suffer from high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, high cholesterol and diabetes are at higher risk of developing dementia. It is suggested that to help reduce the risk of developing dementia it may help to try and stay healthy by eating a well-balanced
One of the most prominent and perhaps most feared condition associated with aging is dementia. The family of disorders can cause individuals to lose their mind, reducing one from being a complex, thinking, feeling human being to being confused and vegetative, unable to recognize their loved ones. Serious dementia affects nearly 37 million people globally, but predictions of how those numbers will change over the next few decades are conflicting (textbook). Although we know dementia as to do with damage to nerve cells in the brain, there are ongoing studies looking at correlations between other health issues and these types of diseases.
It is inevitable that eventually each of us will grow old and begin to face more and more health problems as our age rises. Elderly people are challenged by many illnesses and diseases that unfortunately, are incurable. One disease that becomes more common as people age is Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s a common cause and a form of dementia and can severely damage a patient’s cognitive functions and can ultimately cause death. Living with Alzheimer’s disease can be saddening for both the sufferer and the family. Family and friends will find it very hard to cope when a loved one begins slipping away and losing memory of who they are.
The second most common form of dementia is vascular dementia, which happens when there is a blockage in the blood vessels that is in the vast system of the arteries that feeds the brain. Vascular dementia is known to affect the thinking process and older people are generally more prone to developing this disorder. Vascular Dementia, also known as multi-infarct dementia, occurs when cells in the brain are deprived of oxygen. Mini-strokes, also known as silent strokes, are the cause of partial blockage of the blood vessels. The people that suffer from strokes have a 30% chance of getting dementia within three months of their stroke (Kumral and Özgören, 2017).
Alzheimer’s disease is ten leading cause of death in women ages 65-74, the five leading cause of death in women ages 75-84, and the four leading cause of death in women ages 85 and older. The rate of Alzheimer's disease with women exceeded men because the women are living longer than men and the different life of women's would raise the incidence of this disease. Also, genetic variation and biological all affects aging of women. The prevention methods of Alzheimer’s diseases are first, lifestyle people who engage in intellectual activates such as reading, playing board games, completing crossword puzzles, and playing musical instruments all this activates reduced risk for Alzheimer’s disease. Second, diet people who eat a healthy and Mediterranean
Alzheimer’s and Dementia are becoming more prevalent in America, caretakers and medical professionals are urging people to become more self-aware of these diseases. Dementia is a disease that can develop into other disorders such as Vascular Dementia or Parkinsons Disease; however, in most cases, it usually ends up as Alzhiemers. It 's a typically seen in older people; about, sixty five and older, so of course one would automatically put themselves, and their family out of the picture, that is until one of you gets it. In most cases one primarily thinks of Alzheimer’s and Dementia as diseases that they, as well as anyone close to them would necessarily not get anytime soon, or maybe even ever. Due to increased medical costs, and scarce specialized facilities; seniors with Alzheimer’s and Dementia are not quite the recieving proper, sustainable long-term care.
Alzheimer’s Disease is a common form of dementia that progressively deteriorates one’s brain causing serious memory loss, and eventually, the inability to perform common daily tasks. This disease is also known as “The Mind Robber,” or the “Disease of Forgetfulness.” The unfortunate thing about this disease is that there is no cure. Medicines have been developed to slow the progression of the disease. It has moved up into the rankings on the leading causes of death in America to number six and the number of deaths are increasing. As of 2013, nearly 5 million Americans were suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease, most of them over the age of 60.
Most of the older persons in my family have developed dementia at their old age. “Attempting to avoid dementia development, some risk factors taken into account include ones that are unable to be modified: age with age-influencing early-life deleterious conditions, gender, and genetic influence. Additionally, several inborn physical attributes factor in such as lack of early education, environmental stress, and major unexpected circumstances that include accidents and trauma associated with increased risk for dementia. Physical activity has been suggested to weaken the pathophysiology of dementia through constant blood flow to the brain (sustained cerebral perfusion) due to the established relationship between hypertension and dementia. Some examples of physical activity include: dancing, undergoing either usual care or exercise for 60 minutes twice a week. ‘Physical activity’ refers to ‘usual care plus physical activity.’” Although some studies suggest that nutrition-wise antioxidants, fish oil, omega-3 fatty acid, and other supplements help delay the onset of dementia, there has been no absolute prevention from neither physical activity nor nutrition.”
My basic knowledge of Alzheimer’s and dementia comes from my work experience and from my classes. I’ve also attended many educational Alzheimer’s seminars, and I know that maintaining a healthy diet, exercising, avoiding mind-alternating drugs, and sleeping more all help in preventing or delaying Alzheimer’s.
Although age and genetics are the two biggest determining factors of causing Alzheimer’s disease, there are other small factors that can be controlled in order to help lower the risk or the age at which symptoms start to become prominent. Several scientists are digging into prevention strategies such as diet, exercise, and “brain games” can help delay or prevent Alzheimer’s disease and age-related cognitive decline. They are also investigating how certain medical conditions, such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and diabetes, influence risk for cognitive impairment (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services). After studying those risk factors, results have demonstrated that certain health and lifestyle factors does not slow down
Studies have indicated that exercise improves memory and cognition in older adults and we know nutrition at all stages of life has an important role. All of these ways to keep the brain healthy and even improve its health are, in a sense, external. What can the brain do to help itself? At what point in development should it start? This is not a question a parent thinks about for their child when contemplating their welfare. It is not something one thinks about as a child, adolescent, young adult or even mature or senior adult. There are more “important” things to consider than to try speculating on a future so far ahead as to whether a person is going to develop Alzheimer’s disease (AD) or dementia.