By: Danielle Nicholson

Definition Dementia is not a disease. It is a descriptive term for a collection of symptoms that can be caused by a number of disorders that affect the brain.

…  5 different kinds of dementia 1. Cortical Dementia: dementia where the brain damage primarily affects the brain's cortex, or outer layer. Cortical dementias tend to cause problems with memory, language, thinking, and social behavior.

…. 2: Subcortical dementia: dementia that affects parts of the brain below the cortex. Subcortical dementia tends to cause changes in emotions and movement in addition to problems with memory. 3: Progressive Dementia: dementia that gets worse over time, gradually interfering with more and more cognitive abilities.

…. 4: Primary Dementia: dementia such as AD that does not result from any other disease. 5: Secondary Dementia: dementia that occurs as a result of a physical disease or injury.  Can lead into Alzheimer’s Disease

What is Alzheimer’s Disease?  It is the most common form of Dementia.  It worsens in progress and eventually leads in death.  Alzheimer’s hits people over 65 years of age

Symptoms  Most common symptom is remembering recent events  Confusion  Irritability  Aggression  Mood swings  Trouble with language  Long term memory loss

Causes  The cause of Alzheimer’s is unknown  Several competing hypotheses exist trying to explain the cause of the disease

 Pre Dementia: starts with memory loss, stress and aging  Detailed neuropsychological testing can reveal mild cognitive difficulties up to eight years before a person fulfils the clinical criteria for diagnosis of Alzheimer’s There are several stages of Alzheimer's

Early stage  Increasing impairment of learning and memory loss  difficulties with language, executive functions, perception (agnosia), or execution of movements (apraxia) are more prominent than memory problems  Older memories of the person's life (episodic memory), facts learned (semantic memory), and implicit memory (the memory of the body on how to do things, such as using a fork to eat) are affected to a lesser degree than new facts or memories.

Early stage cont…  Language problems are mainly characterised by a shrinking vocabulary and decreased word fluency, which lead to a general impoverishment of oral and written language  the person with Alzheimer's is usually capable of communicating basic ideas adequately. While performing fine motor tasks such as writing, drawing or dressing, certain movement coordination and planning difficulties (apraxia) may be present but they are commonly unnoticed.

Moderate Stage  Progressive deterioration eventually hinders independence, with subjects being unable to perform most common activities of daily living  Speech difficulties become evident due to an inability to recall vocabulary, which leads to frequent incorrect word substitutions (paraphasias). Reading and writing skills are also progressively lost

Moderate stage cont…  memory problems worsen, and the person may fail to recognize close relatives. Long- term memory, which was previously intact, becomes impaired.  Behavioural and neuropsychiatric changes become more prevalent  Common manifestations are wandering, irritability and labile affect, leading to crying, outbursts of unpremeditated aggression, or resistance to caregiving.

Moderate stage cont…  These symptoms create stress for relatives and caretakers, which can be reduced by moving the person from home care to other long-term care facilities

Advanced stage  The final stage of Alzheimer’s is the worst.  The person had to 100% rely on you for their everyday needs.  Language is reduced to simple phrases or even single words, eventually leading to complete loss of speech.  aggressiveness can still be present, extreme apathy and exhaustion are much more common results

Advanced stage cont…  Muscle mass and mobility deteriorate to the point where they are bedridden, and they lose the ability to feed themselves  It is a terminal illness  Often causes pressure ulcers and severe pneumonia.  Eventually death will occur in this stage

Prognosis  The early stage of Alzheimer's is hard to diagnose.  The estimated life expectancy of AD is 7 years.  Fewer than 3% of people live more than fourteen years  Men have a less favorable survival prognosis than women  The disease is the underlying cause of death in 70% of all cases  Pneumonia and dehydration are the most frequent immediate causes of death, while cancer is a less frequent cause of death than in the general population

prevention  The components of a Mediterranean diet, which include fruit and vegetables, bread, wheat and other cereals, olive oil, fish, and red wine, may all individually or together reduce the risk and course of Alzheimer's disease  Long-term usage of non-steroidal anti- inflammatory drugs are associated with a reduced likelihood of developing AD  There are no actual preventions of AD there are jus things you can to to reduce the risk of getting it.

Treatment/cure  AD cannot be cured and is degenerative, the sufferer relies on others for assistance. The role of the main caregiver is often taken by the spouse or a close relative. Alzheimer's disease is known for placing a great burden on caregivers; the pressures can be wide- ranging, involving social, psychological, physical, and economic elements of the caregiver's life. In developed countries, AD is one of the most costly diseases to society.

Foundations for AD  Alzheimer’s foundation of America- Alzheimer’s provided optimal care and services to individuals confronting dementia, and to their caregivers and families through member organizations dedicated to improving quality of life’s foundation of America.

Devotion to AD  Wear purple on September 21 to end Alzheimer's  Turn Facebook and twitter purple for Alzheimer’s month

 My grandfather was a victim of dementia and Alzheimer's  He died just last month. He got Alzheimer’s a couple years ago and moved in with us 4 months ago.