Alzheimer's Disease Essay

1. Information of the Disease Alzheimer’s disease happens to be the most common type of dementia—which occurs mostly in elderly people as a form of memory and cognitive loss. The irreversible disease destroys brain tissue, which can then lead to the termination of memory, thinking skills, and the ability to carry out simple tasks (“What Is Alzheimer’s”). According to the Alzheimer’s Association, this disease itself can account for nearly 60 to 80 percent of all dementia cases. The majority of those with Alzheimer’s are people age 65 years and older, with the disease not being a normal part of the aging process. Although, as noted, Alzheimer’s is considered an elderly condition, it can impact younger people as well. Although rare for this younger

This period of time can last for years and is referred to as the preclinical Alzheimer’s disease, which can be extremely difficult to diagnose without special testing. (“Stages of Alzheimer’s”). After the preclinical stage, symptoms of Alzheimer’s usually occur in three different overlapping stages and can be equally as difficult to detect as signs of the disease. Only a medical physician in the field of dementia and Alzheimer’s can officially diagnose a patient with Alzheimer’s disease. The three stages of the disease include: mild Alzheimer’s disease, moderate Alzheimer’s disease, and severe Alzheimer’s disease (“Stages of

It can last up for years and the person diagnosed with the disease will require a significant amount of care than previously needed, as they will not be as independent as before (“Stages of Alzheimer’s”). Damage to the neurons in the brain will progress, and symptoms will worsen and become more noticeable to others. The symptoms of this stage include: deepening confusion and poor judgement, greater memory loss, significant changes in personality and behavior, and increased dependency of help with daily activities (Mayo Clinic