Everything you need to know about Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia and memory loss is a key sign of Alzheimer’s.The primary symptom that is associated with the disease is that it diminishes people’ memory. At first, people with Alzheimer’s struggle to recollect recent events, however, they may easily remember things that happened years ago. This particular illness is not part of ageing and a person can live with Alzheimer’s disease for just a few years or a few decades. More often, people live with it for about 9 years.

Symptoms of Alzheimer’s

• Trouble communicating and focusing
• Feeling confused or irritated
• Dramatic mood swings
• Getting lost easily
• Feeling disoriented and confused

Stages of Alzheimer’s’ disease

Stage 1 – Normal outward behaviour

Alzheimer’s disease starts affecting the brain slowly and symptoms are not shown at the beginning of this disease. Only the PET scan can reveal whether or not a person is affected by it.

Stage 2- Very mild changes

A person still doesn’t notice any difference in the behaviour, sometimes they might pick up small changes like forgetting words and misplacing objects.

Stage 3- Mild decline

This is when people notice the change in the patient’s behaviour. They ask questions over and over again, have difficulties in organizing and can’t remember names when meeting new people.

Stage 4- Moderate decline

Stage 3’s symptoms get more obvious and new issues also appear. They forget details about themselves, forget the month, have trouble cooking food, they struggle to use the telephone and they won’t be able to understand what was said to them.

Stage 5- Moderately severe decline

One might start to lose track of where they are and what time it is. They might have trouble remembering their address, phone number, or where they went to school. They could get confused about what kind of clothes to wear for the day or season. If they are not able to remember facts and details, they might still be able to tell a story.

Stage 6- Severe decline

As Alzheimer’s progresses, they might recognize faces but forget names. They might also mistake a person for someone else, for instance, think their wife is their mother, sometimes delusions might set in, such as thinking they need to go to work even though they no longer have a job. In this stage, they might lose weight, they might notice changes in their sleep patterns, trouble walking. One might have to feed them and get dressed also.

Stage 7- Very severe decline

In this stage, people with Alzheimer’s disease need a lot of help from families or caregivers. Many people at this stage can no longer tell if they’re thirsty. Also, basic abilities in a person with Alzheimer’s, such as eating, walking and sitting up, fade during this period.

Five strategies to prevent memory loss

• Physical fitness and mental fitness go hand-in-hand. Exercising regularly can prevent mindfulness and memory loss.
• Keeping the mind engaged and stimulating the brain may help prevent memory loss by enhancing connections between cells in the brain that support memory.
• Staying connected and engaging with others help lower stress and prevent depression, which can contribute to memory loss.
• Sleeping well can rest and restore your brain, it also helps consolidate memory.
• Quit smoking and drink moderately.

If your family members show any of these symptoms, It is a good idea to seek professional help. Although there is no cure for this illness, the symptoms can be temporarily improved with continuous medication and treatment.