Alzheimer’s is the most common type of dementia and occurs when plaques and bundles of proteins build up between nerve cells in the brain, ultimately causing brain cell death. Individuals often experience confusion, memory loss and inability to care for themselves. The disease is physically degenerative and is often mentally and emotionally draining on both the individual with the disease, as well as family members around them.
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, you likely have a lot of questions. At BrightStar Care, our team has experience in working with clients and families dealing with Alzheimer’s and want to help you better understand the road ahead.
Causes & Diagnosis of Alzheimer’s
When caring for a loved one with dementia, knowledge and understanding of their condition can be invaluable. Although every case of Alzheimer’s disease is unique, there are some commonalities in terms of causes, symptoms and general prognoses.
What causes Alzheimer’s?
For people diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, the exact timeline, symptoms and primary causes will vary. There are many possible causes of Alzheimer’s disease that include genetic, environmental and/or lifestyle factors. Diet, sleep patterns and a lack of both cognitive and physical exercise may all play a role in the causes of Alzheimer’s.
What is the difference between Alzheimer's and dementia?
Dementia is not a disease itself, but rather a group of symptoms that impact brain functionality caused by various diseases and conditions. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia, accounting for 60-80% of dementia cases.
What is the 12-question test for Alzheimer’s?
The 12-question test for dementia, also known as the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), is a clinical tool used to evaluate cognitive impairment. It assesses several cognitive functions including memory, orientation to time and place, language abilities, and calculation skills. By asking a series of 12 questions, healthcare providers can gauge a person's cognitive status and help determine the likelihood of dementia.
Alzheimer’s Symptoms & Prognosis
The earliest detectable signs of Alzheimer’s include memory trouble, apathy and depression. People in the early stages of Alzheimer’s might have problems completing familiar tasks or misplace things and be unable to retrace their steps. As the disease progresses, more severe symptoms—including impaired communication, poor judgment and disorientation—may emerge.
Each individual’s experience with Alzheimer’s is unique. Your doctor and medical team can help you better understand your condition, symptoms and any treatment options as they relate to you.
What are the symptoms of Alzheimer’s?
Alzheimer’s is most commonly characterized by mental confusion and forgetfulness. Some common tell-tale behaviors are forgetting familiar names, getting lost in familiar places, and an inability to complete routine tasks.
How can I tell the difference between Alzheimer’s and typical signs of aging?
While forgetfulness and confusion are associated with Alzheimer’s, these symptoms also accompany normal aging. So, how can you tell the difference? The Alzheimer’s Association lists memory loss as a challenge that disrupts daily life, challenges in planning or solving problems, and difficulty completing familiar tasks. They also differentiate these symptoms from the milder signs of normal cognitive decline. For instance, while a normal older adult might occasionally struggle to balance their checkbook or forget an important name or date and then remember it later, these difficulties are more persistent or extreme for an Alzheimer’s sufferer.
For example, occasionally losing your keys or forgetting what you had for breakfast that morning is common among older adults. However, a person with Alzheimer’s may show even more pronounced lapses in memory. For instance, they may not only lose their keys, but also completely forget what keys are for, showing a stark decline in cognitive connections.
What’s the typical Alzheimer’s prognosis?
For people diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, the exact timeline, symptoms, and severity of their disease can vary. However, the trajectory of the disease tends to flow through seven distinct phases, originally outlined by Dr. Barry Reisberg of New York University.
The arc generally begins with symptoms similar to those of normal aging, proceeds through gradually worsening stages that can include difficulty with simple arithmetic and forgetting personal details, and ends with severe decline typified by the inability to swallow.
- Early stages: Early stage Alzheimer’s typically includes mild decline, such as difficulty in finding the right word during conversation, losing personal possessions and having trouble remembering familiar names. At this stage, family members can typically manage care for their afflicted loved one.
- Middle stages: This period is marked by moderate decline in mental faculties, including poor short-term memory, inability to manage personal finances, difficulty dressing or grooming and significant confusion. In these stages, a person with Alzheimer’s may need occasional in-home care or nursing services.
- Late stages: In the final stages, severe decline is present, including inability to recognize familiar faces, inability to remember personal details, loss of bladder control and major personality changes. Individuals at this stage either relocate to a residential facility or have a full-time in-home caregiver.
Is there a cure for Alzheimer’s?
There’s no known cure for Alzheimer’s, only treatments that can ease symptoms. The FDA has approved two types of medications (cholinesterase inhibitors, such as Aricept, Exelon, and Razadyne, and memantine, found in Namenda) that diminish mental confusion, memory loss, and other cognitive symptoms, but these do not reverse the underlying causes.
Recent research and clinical trials have made potential breakthroughs with immunotherapy treatments and monoclonal antibodies. Many also suggest herbal supplements like gingko biloba and coenzyme Q10, but these lack confirmation through clinical trials. Additionally, non-drug interventions such as cognitive behavioral therapy as well as caregiver support programs can improve quality of life, especially in early stages.
Alzheimer’s Prevention and Management
Understanding the nature of Alzheimer’s and how to manage it can positively impact families affected by this disease. Having accurate information about risk factors, early warning signs and how to manage each stage of Alzheimer’s can help support family caregivers throughout the progression of the disease.
How can I prevent Alzheimer’s?
There are no proven ways to completely prevent Alzheimer’s. As with many degenerative illnesses, a healthy lifestyle, including regular exercise, balanced diet, and effective sleep habits, may help lower the risk of developing Alzheimer’s. Research has shown a correlation between high blood pressure and high cholesterol and the incidence of the disease. Doctors recommend getting these numbers to a healthy level, not only for Alzheimer’s prevention but for general good health.
There are a variety of ways to maintain good brain health that can also work toward a lower likelihood of Alzheimer’s disease. Regular social interaction, brain stimulating activities such as puzzles and learning new skills, and managing stress levels can help maintain cognitive health. Certain forms of physical exercise can also support brain health such as walking, swimming and strength training.
Is Alzheimer's hereditary?
There are rare familial forms of dementia caused by genetic mutations such as familial Alzheimer’s disease, frontotemporal dementia and familial vascular dementia, which are more likely to occur in people under the age of 65. However, research shows that most cases of Alzheimer’s are not linked to genetics.
How prevalent is Alzheimer's?
Before the age of 65, only 1 out of every 1,000 people develop dementia. The chance of having the condition rises sharply with age to 1 person in 20 over the age of 65. Over the age of 80, this figure increases to 1 person in 5.
How does Alzheimer's disease progress over time?
Alzheimer’s is a degenerative disease that progresses in stages from mild to moderate to severe. The disease usually starts with mild symptoms such as increasing forgetfulness, then progresses to general confusion and disorientation. Finally, Alzheimer’s patients end up with severe symptoms, such as an inability to communicate or care for themselves.
Caregiver Support for Alzheimer’s Disease
Caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease can be difficult from both a physical and emotional perspective. Family caregivers can benefit from trusted resources to help them more effectively communicate with their loved one with Alzheimer’s. Having the right resources and information can help them learn to manage difficult behaviors like agitation and wandering, and ensure safety and fall prevention in the home.
At BrightStar Care, we can help connect you with resources to support family caregivers, including support groups, education and training. For those with family members in the early stages of Alzheimer’s, we offer respite care to help give you a much-needed break. And as their condition progresses, our team can match you with compassionate, qualified memory care professionals. Reach out today and let us know how we can help.
Resources
- https://alz.org/abam/?_ga=1.84317712.865058079.1393898811#getTheFacts(Opens in a new window)
- https://www.alzinfo.org/articles/testing-alzheimers-disease-guidelines(Opens in a new window)
- https://nihseniorhealth.gov/alzheimersdisease/faq/faq8.html (Opens in a new window)
- https://www.alzheimers.net/stages-of-alzheimers-disease(Opens in a new window)
- https://www.alz.org/alzheimers_disease_treatments.asp(Opens in a new window)
- https://www.alz.org/alzheimers_disease_standard_prescriptions.asp(Opens in a new window)
- https://www.helpguide.org/articles/alzheimers-dementia/alzheimers-and-dementia-prevention.htm(Opens in a new window)