Can you believe this when we say, every three seconds a person somewhere in the world is diagnosed with Alzheimer's or dementia? But this has been truly observed by Alzheimer's Disease International (ADI). Thereby, to find a solution for this disease and to spread awareness among the people World Alzheimer’s Day is observed on September 21, 2022. However, in recent times, Alzheimer’s Day is celebrated the whole month. Earlier this year, Alzheimer’s Cupcake Day and Alzheimer’s Advert were celebrated.
Alzheimer’s Walk has also been scheduled to happen in October in the United States. Quite recently in India, scientists from IIT Jodhpur and other national research institutes have found a new way to diagnose Alzheimer's. Alzheimer’s and Related Disorders Society of India (ARDSI) has estimated that by the year 2030, there will be around 7.6 million people in India affected by Alzheimer’s.
Each year, a theme is proposed for the celebration of Alzheimer’s day. As a part of it, the theme for this year is “Know dementia, Know Alzheimer's”
Sticking to the theme of World Alzheimer’s Day, this blog is filled with information like Alzheimer’s causes, treatment, and stages of Alzheimer’s.
Alzheimer’s Causes:
Alzheimer’s is caused due to the unusual build of protein in and around the brain cells. The deposition of Amyloid, a protein form plaques around the brain cells. Tau, another kind of protein form tangles around the brain cells. Over some time, the areas of the brain begin to shrink. Areas responsible for memory are the first to get affected. However, in some peculiar cases, memory, vision, and language get affected first.
Alzheimer’s Stage:
Alzheimer’s is categorized into 7 stages.
1. No Cognitive Decline - This is the initial stage and no symptoms are detected.
2. Very Mild Cognitive Decline - At this stage, the disease will still not be detected, and though there might be memory loss. Memory loss can be mistakenly attributed to being age-related.
3. Mild Cognitive Decline - This is the point where family and friends will start noticing the changes. Impaired Cognitive Functions can be found through memory tests.
4. Moderate Cognitive Decline - Symptoms become evident at this stage.
5. Moderately Severe Cognitive Decline - The patient is in the need of assistance with daily activities. Looks confused most of the time and finds difficulty even in remembering smaller things. Additionally, dressing also becomes difficult.
6. Severe Cognitive Decline - At this stage, professional care is needed. Constant supervision is crucial. Personality changes, problematic behaviors, difficulty in remembering faces, and decline in bodily functions are common at this stage. The patient will be constantly wandering. Assistance becomes important even while using the restroom.
7. Very Severe Cognitive Decline - This stage is a sign that the patient is nearing death. Difficulty in communication and responding. Every activity will require assistance. The patient might have difficulty swallowing.
Alzheimer’s Treatment & Tips:
Although there is no cure, medication and symptom management techniques may momentarily ease symptoms. However here are a few tips on how to take if your loved one with Alzheimer’s at home.
1. Ensure that your loved one feels loved.
2. Make them feel that they are living their life to the fullest.
3. Feed yourself with ample knowledge of Alzheimer's.
4. Don’t stick to one idea to make your loved one cooperative. Always think of different ways to make them cooperative.
5. Patience is the key. Don’t lose it at any time as you are dealing with something fragile.
6. Your loved one should feel safe and it is in your hands. Make the environment more suitable for them.
If you are a caretaker we would like to remind you to take care of yourself as well. We know this journey can be tiring, and challenging, and you might feel exhausted too. But always remember to pamper yourself. Never feel isolated, and maintain a healthy social circle. Only if you are healthy, you can take care of the elderly. You are doing it right!
Through this blog, we insist each individual learn or at least have a basic knowledge about dementia signs, dementia safety tips, forgetfulness and dementia differences, about Alzheimer's, its symptoms, stages, and how to take care of an individual at home if they have either of these ailments. With proper knowledge and awareness, Alzheimer’s can be defeated.
If you are searching for trained medical professionals for home healthcare services, Athulya Senior Care got you covered. Under Athulya Home Healthcare, we provide Doctor Visits to Home, Geriatric counseling, Critical Care at Home, Nursing Services, Physiotherapy at Home, Home Blood Collection, Medicine Delivery at Home, Non-Emergency Ambulances, and Medical Equipment and Consumables for rental and purchase.
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