Part Three Of Caring For Alzheimer’s Disease: An Irreversible Brain Disorder – Senior Care Houston

Life With Alzheimer’s Disease

For individuals living with Alzheimer’s disease, maintaining a quality of life is definitely a goal that can be achieved. The secret to making every day the best lies in the use of strategies that reduce frustration, enhance independence and creating emotional connections and confident feelings.

For those in the earlier stages of dementia, routines can ease the burden associated with the loss of short-term memory. The use of a wall calendar to record upcoming appointments and events by your caregiver, or placement of house keys on a hook right next to the door may make you feel more in control and calmer if you have Alzheimer’s disease.

Patients usually find it harder to express their wants and needs to others verbally as the disease progresses. There are however strategies that can be used by caregivers and patients to overcome this hurdle. Crafting “yes” or “no” answers, avoiding distractions such as TV and maintaining a positive mood are some of the strategies that can have significant results. Furthermore, non-verbal signals and body language can be great at expressing what words can no longer communicate.

Early Onset Alzheimer’s Disease

Early-onset Alzheimer’s, which accounts for 5% of all Alzheimer’s dementia cases, is a phrase used to refer to patients below 65 years of age. A genetic mutation inherited from parents which causes Alzheimer’s, almost certainly, is present in about 7-12% of these patients. About five hundred families from all corners of the world with this specific type of early-onset Alzheimer’s disease have been identified by scientists. The same risk factors for patients with late-onset Alzheimer’s disease are to blame for everyone else diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease; the complicated and yet to be understood interaction between environmental influences, lifestyle, and genetics which increase the likelihood of developing this condition. Early onset Alzheimer’s patients who develop the disease in their thirties, forties or fifties face distinct issues. They might be forced to cope with, the financial and emotional, effects on their families including young kids, in addition to the fact that they may need to switch careers or stop working altogether resulting in financial stress. The Alzheimer’s Association and other similar organizations can offer social support opportunities and relevant information on how to handle these special challenges.

Resources For Caring For Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer’s dementia prevalence is estimated to be one in every ten individuals at or past the age of 65. This roughly translates to five and a half million Americans; a figure that is expected to increase substantially in the coming years as advancements in healthcare continue to push the mortality rate upwards combine with a rapidly aging population due to the baby boomer generation. These estimates point to an increasing number of families and patients in dire need of relevant services, education and any other type of assistance as more individuals develop Alzheimer’s. Information relating to how to secure support services, connect with healthcare providers, researchers in need of participants and other opportunities can be found on internet portals such as Alzheimers.gov created by the US federal government to provide the necessary assistance. Another essential resource is the Alzheimer’s Association; a highly rated non-profit organization. To offer assistance to anyone affected by the disease in the community, the organization maintains a toll-free helpline round the clock, in addition to message boards. Some organizations adopt a more targeted approach when it comes to offering assistance. A good example is NeedyMeds, an organization designed to solely assist Alzheimer’s patients who are unable to meet the cost of the prescribed meds.

 

Should you have a loved one that needs the proper attention, or have any questions about care, we at Assisting Hands are here to help; call or contact us immediately to help your loved ones today. Click here to read the first installment of this article.