Alzheimer's Disease: A Case Study

After Alzheimer's is diagnosed in a parent, or other elderly family member, the caregiver has the task of deciding what the best form of care for the patient is. In order to do this they have to fully understand what the disease is, and

Alzheimer is a disease that has and continues to affect the elderly cognitively and as a result decline in their daily functioning. This slow moving death causes the elderly to go through a transition that sometimes can lead to unintentional self injuries. Not only has this disease affected the the individual, but has extended to their family members who has to learn new methods of assisting their loved ones as well as how to cope as a caretaker. On a personal level, I have friends whom grandparents suffer from AD and I’ve noticed that it changes the dynamic of the family and the individual learning new ways to function. It was interesting to learn that in the 80’s, AD was the fourth leading cause of death in the United States, but this gave

By the numbers, Alzheimer’s disease looks even worse than it may be. The cost of Alzheimer’s overwhelms the caregiver and everyone involved with the patient. The price businesses pay for Alzheimer’s it detrimental to their industry, show by “A 2002 study showed that United States businesses lost $36.5 billion that year because employees missed work or quit and had to be replaced so that they could care for someone with Alzheimer’s disease” (Adams 24). The caregivers play vital roles in the lives of the sufferer, but the business take an even heavier loss. Heath care is necessary for someone with Alzheimer’s disease, however it can get expensive “The costs of

A major devastating and debilitating disease, Alzheimer 's is a public health issue that affects not only the United States but also countries all around the world. In 2010, there were 35.6 million people living with Alzheimer’s. Researchers and medical personnel expect this number to triple by the year 2050. The disease is costing America an exorbitant amount of money and has become a burden on families, caregivers, medical personnel, the healthcare system, and the nation’s economy. If attention is not focused on this major problem, “nursing homes will be overloaded, caregivers will be burned out, healthcare system will be overwhelmed, and federal and state budgets will be overtaxed” (Alzheimer’s Association, 2011).

The primary caregiver for the Alzheimer patient is often the spouse or the adult offspring. The spouse who is also facing developmental tasks of ego integrity versus despair, can easily become depressed and disheartened by the loss of an intact partner. The spouse may also have to cope with his/her own medical needs and feel caught up in a never-ending spiral to the grave. Support groups such as the Alzheimer 's Association focus a great deal of attention on the caregiver for just these reasons. Talking about one 's circumstances and meeting others with similar concerns is very helpful in maintaining a positive perspective.

Alzheimer’s is a worldwide disease that many people over the age of 65 years old are diagnosed. Alzheimer’s disease is a current situation in my household the past three years. It is one of the many health issues that do not yet have a known cause or cure. In this investigative report I researched how Alzheimer’s patients affect their family caregivers. All my information was cited from the West Warwick High School research tool as well as google to find articles related to my claim. Many families around the world are going through the same struggles as my own and are seeking advice from others on how to carry on with this daily hassle. My family as well as other families are not alone. There are different ways to cope with our issues depending

This stems from frustration, misunderstanding, and often times an actual inability for those afflicted to express themselves. Lives are forgotten, simple daily tasks become insurmountable feats, and those suffering can even have a distaste for the ones they love the most. The impact can be equally devastating for their family members and caregivers. A New York Times article even equated the emotional and physical toll of caregiving as similar to the effects of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (Graham). Over time, this disease becomes exponentially more domineering and destructive. Until we can better understand the functionally of Alzheimer's, people associated with the disease can seek counseling, support groups, and information on more efficient ways to cope. There is even a great outlook for these services to increase as The U.S. DHHS also included a goal to “Expand Supports for People with Alzheimer's Disease and Their Families” in the National Plan to Address Alzheimer’s Disease. As part of this goal, nationwide strategies include providing the resources to help family caregivers continue to provide care while maintaining their own health and well-being; assisting families in planning for future care needs; and helping to maintain the dignity, safety, and rights of people with Alzheimer’s (National Plan to Address Alzheimer’s Disease). As a result, quality of emotional

The most common type of care for Alzheimer’s patients are staying with family members or close friends. This is because many people cannot afford the care of a skilled nursing home. Often times it is children taking care of their parent that has Alzheimer’s. It is not easy taking care of someone who took care of you as a child. If the person is still working, it will hurt their career and may cause them to retire earlier. The “patients” care increases as they lose their ability to speak or do basic things on their own. In many cases, the caregiver will suffer from depression from the emotional and financial

Dementia is an extremely common disease among the elderly, with 4 million Americans currently suffering from the Alzheimer’s type alone. Figures show that 3% of people between the ages of 65-74 suffer from the disease, rapidly increasing to 19% for the 75-84 age bracket, and as high as 47% for the over 85s. Therefore, it is easy to see why Dementia is such a large part of many people’s lives, whether they are suffering from the condition themselves, or have an elderly relative who requires full time care just to undertake simple day to day tasks. The disease can be extremely traumatic for the patient and their families, as the person, who may have been extremely lively and bright throughout their

“Alzheimer`s disease is called a family disease” (ALZlive), because it impacts every family member who is slowly watching a loved one decline. Alzheimer’s disease has an impact on caretakers because caregivers can lead to a variety of emotions, from guilt to anger. When dealing with a client who has Alzheimer; caretakers have a huge responsibility, which can cause stress or depression. If the caretaking is a family member it might lead to finical problems, which can lead to the hard and controversial decision of putting someone in a nursing home, that is better equipped. Guilt is the main emotion that a caretaker can express “I have never spoken to my mother`s doctor, it occurs to me that other children of

Dementia can have a detrimental impact on takes a devastating toll on carers, affecting both their physiological and psychological wellbeing. According to the a poll, administered by the Alzheimer’s Association (2016) in the US, which questioned 3,102 adults in America about their attitudes, knowledge and experiences related to Alzheimer’s disease –, about 60 percent of carers of people with dementia carers rated their emotional stress of caring as high or very high, nearly 40 percent said they suffer from depression Aand approximately 74 percent said they are "somewhat" to "very" concerned about maintaining their own health .

     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.

More than five million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s(“What is Alzheimer’s?). Alzheimer’s is a disease that progessively worsens and eventually kills brain cells. The damaged brain cells lead to memory loss and trouble with cognitive thinking. Alzheimer’s deteriorates the brain slowly. Currently there is no cure for Alzheimer’s, but there are treatments. The treatmeants can’t reverse the damaged cells, but the process can be slowed. Placing a patient with Alzheimer’s in a long-term care facility is best for the patient’s health and well-being, because Alzheimer’s patients require around the clock care, caregivers will be overworked tending to

In the pamphlet Basics of Alzheimer’s Disease, the Alzheimer’s Association adds late onset, traditionally known simply as Alzheimer’s, targets primarily people 65 and older. The disease follows a series of steps from mild decline with little noticed changes to very severe cognitive decline where the final stage of the disease is in progress (Basic 19-21). Throughout the stages, independence becomes lost and family members will become care takers and in the later stages nursing homes or hospice may be needed. One book encourages the care giver to communicate through body language, tone, and written instructions to help alleviate as much stress as possible for those living with Alzheimer’s (Living 47). The book further adds when caring for a person with Alzheimer’s remember to maintain patience and to show respect .

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”(AFA 1). Millions of adults of the age 65 and older have been diagnosed with this serve diseases . Based on their condition they should be placed in a nursing home , because they're going to get the treatment they need . It also prevents the patients from hurting themselves and other members of the family. Nursing homes can benefit the patients in many ways and help, them accept their condition. Patients are able to interact with people with their same condition or have a different illness. They also provide counseling for the family members of the alzheimer's patients where they give them the support they need , and they’re able to learn more about the illness of their loved ones .