Alzheimers Facts
Important Alzheimer’s Facts You Should Know
Alzheimer’s facts are startling: as many as five million people in the United States suffer from the disease. Ten million of the baby boomer generation will develop Alzheimer’s at some point in their lives.
• If you have Alzheimer’s, or care for someone who does, you have probably heard the myths already:
• People still say that memory loss is a normal part of aging, but the fact is, if you suffer from severe short-term memory loss, it may be a precursor to Alzheimer’s.
• People think that Alzheimer’s is not fatal, but it can and will kill you. Alzheimer’s destroys brain cells as it progresses, and gradually robs of you everything that makes you unique. It also takes away your ability to eat, walk and interact with other people.
• Do you still think only elderly people can get Alzheimer’s? Facts now confirm that people can be diagnosed with the disease in their thirties, forties and fifties. Half a million people under the age of sixty-five suffer from Alzheimer’s.
• Dementia is the main symptom of Alzheimer’s, although dementia can also be caused by other things. Dementia itself refers to a loss of memory that is severe enough to interfere with your daily life. Alzheimer’s accounts for about fifty to seventy-five percent of all cases of dementia.
• It's important for you to familiarize yourself with the warning signs of Alzheimer’s if you are affected, or you have someone you suspect might be. These signs include a difficulty in communicating, thinking, learning and reasoning – symptoms that make it difficult for you or your loved one to function in your daily routine.
• The most common warning sign of Alzheimer’s is loss of memory. This is not to be confused with the occasional forgetfulness that everyone experiences in this hectic day and age. Usually, people can recall the information later. Alzheimer’s sufferers cannot.
• Difficulty in performing tasks which used to be routine is another sign that you or your loved one may be suffering from Alzheimer’s. Facts elude you when they used to be "right there", and you may not remember all the steps in planning a meal, or some other chore.
• If you suffer from Alzheimer’s, you may begin to show a problem with your language skills. You may forget words and substitute other words that don't belong in the sentence you were saying. You may also become lost in what used to be a familiar neighborhood, or dress inappropriately, like wearing no coat on a cold winter day.
• You may find yourself misplacing things more than the average person does. And you might not be able to even express exactly what it is that you've misplaced, which makes it hard for others trying to help you.
• There is currently no cure for Alzheimer’s. Facts from studies are conflicting sometimes, but there are treatments both drug and non-drug which can help with your behavioral and cognitive symptoms.