Demystifying Alzheimer's: Early Signs and Prevention Tips You Must Know!
Alzheimer's Disease: Alzheimer's disease is a type of dementia that affects memory, thinking, and behavior. Symptoms eventually become severe enough to interfere with daily life. Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia, a condition in which memory and other cognitive abilities decline and become severe enough to interfere with daily life. Alzheimer's disease accounts for 60-80% of dementia cases. (Data source: https://tinyurl.com/292w6ax2)
Early symptoms of Alzheimer's disease
▸ Impaired memory, such as difficulty remembering events
▸ Difficulty concentrating, making plans or solving problems
▸ Difficulty completing daily tasks at home or at work, such as writing or using tableware
▸ Confusion of geographical location and time awareness
▸ Visual or spatial impairments, such as inability to accurately judge driving distance, getting lost or misplacing things
▸ Language problems, such as unclear expression or reduced vocabulary in speaking and writing
▸ Lack of judgment when making decisions
Disease stage
According to the development of the disease, it can be roughly divided into three stages:
The first stage (amnesia): This stage is characterized by a significant decline in memory, such as forgetting what was said, what was done or important appointments at the beginning, and slowly forgetting even the past. At the same time, thinking analysis, judgment ability, visual-spatial discrimination function, calculation ability, etc. are also reduced, but sometimes familiar work or skills can be maintained in the past.
The second stage (confusion stage): In addition to the worsening symptoms of the first stage, the most prominent manifestation is the obvious worsening of visual-spatial recognition disorders, and it is easy to get lost. It is also common to have difficulty dressing, or wear pants as clothes: not recognizing the faces of friends or relatives, and not remembering their names, and not being able to talk to others, although sometimes talking to oneself. The third stage (extreme dementia): The patient enters a state of total decline and cannot take care of himself, such as eating, dressing, and bathing. He needs help, and he is incontinent.
FDA-approved medications to treat symptoms (Source: https://tinyurl.com/2p7fz56y)
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved medications to treat symptoms of different stages of Alzheimer's disease (mild, moderate, and severe). These stages are based on test scores that assess memory, the ability to tell time and place, and thinking and reasoning skills. Most people with Alzheimer's disease take one or more of these medications during treatment:
▸Cholinesterase inhibitors.
▸Memantine.
▸Brepazine.
Help and Support
No one should face Alzheimer's disease alone. The Alzheimer's Association is here for you, day and night. Our programs and support services connect you with peers and professionals to help you make the plans and adjustments necessary to live your best life for as long as possible.
▸24/7 Helpline: Call 800.272.3900 any time for free, confidential support. Get reliable information, advice, crisis assistance, and emotional support from a trained staff. (Source: https://tinyurl.com/4jjsmf4z)
▸Local Resources: Find local offices that offer free or low-cost support groups and educational programs, often in multiple languages. Call a hotline to find resources. (Source: https://tinyurl.com/4jjsmf4z)
▸Support Programs: Connect with others through local or online support groups like AlzConnected® for encouragement and shared experiences.
▸Educational Programs: Learn about Alzheimer’s through a variety of educational programs offered in the community or online, covering topics such as understanding Alzheimer’s, managing money, and more.
▸Early Engagement: The Alzheimer’s Association Early Social Engagement Program offers a comfortable way to get out, get active, and connect with others in the early stages of Alzheimer’s or other dementias.
▸Online Tools: Take advantage of free tools like ALZConnected® for community support, ALZNavigator™ for mentoring, TrialMatch® for clinical research, the Community Resource Finder, and the Live Well tool for navigating challenges. (Source: https://tinyurl.com/4jjsmf4z)
▸ Safety: Be prepared for safety issues such as driving and medication management; consider joining a wandering response service to maintain independence longer.
For more details or assistance, please contact the Alzheimer's Association Helpline.
