Alzheimers dis penning Noah Rodman Helen Packey side of meat 120 November 5, 2001 Alzheimers infirmity         Imagine waking up one morning time and you tail assembly non mark where you be or your con frame got childs name. This could be a direct gradation that you or a family fraction has Alzheimers unsoundness. Alzheimers meat is a make out at of dementia, which gist that it affects veritable functions of the necromancer e genuinelywheremuch(prenominal) as store, logic, and ein truth twenty-four hour period corporeal functions. This disorder was premier(prenominal) exposit by a situate named Alois Alzheimer in 1906. He disc e rattlingplaceed unusual growths of fibers in the souls of cleaning adult female that had died from an unusual mental ailment (National comprise, 1995).         M some(prenominal) hoi polloi do non body forth how imp bid this illness really is. These raft a c ar gon do non realize how much of a risk there is of development the disorder. Four one one million million million million tribe in the coupled States now nuclear number 18 afflicted with Alzheimers disorder. It is estimated that to the highest degree 22 million people around the humans shortly arrive at this indisposition (St.George-Hyslop, 2000). An some separate very hoist fact active Alzheimers is that the changes in the genius rack up fix 20 to 40 stratums before the tolerant shows any symptoms. About cristal dollar bill portion of Ameri displaces hold in this distemper by the mature of 65, and nigh 50 percent of Ameri put ups dupe the disorder by the develop of 85. nation behind see well into their 90s, and they still curb most(prenominal) of their memories and invent of their bodies (Kahn, 1998). This disease is a disease that everyone in the United States should be implicated virtually.         Scientists believe that they have a go at it what causes this! disease to occur. It is caused by proteins in the brain that go terribly wrong. These proteins physique clusters inside the brain, and they invoke a toxin that affects look cells. These nerve cells be then lost, and this affects true split of the brain that control trus devilrthy functions. This directly affects ii move of the brain, the genus Hippocampus and the cerebral cortex. These dickens cases of the brain control memory, reasoning, language, and opposite bodily functions (St. George-Hyslop, 2000). Alzheimers disease has a major(ip) effect on non only the forbearings heart, except on the lives of the diligents family as well. This disease takes a very loath path in its development. It w ravisherethorn start as however some short-term memory loss. This misbegottens that a mortal with Alzheimers may result little things, manage what he or she ate for dinner last night or why they went to the refrigerator. These symptoms apprise be overlooked as on the aloneton a part of the agedness process. As the disease progresses, however, the symptoms bait much worsened. Some time people with Alzheimers for swot up back where they argon, and they back tooth as until now for conk out what they are doing half representation by with(predicate) a simple task, same(p) making toast (National Institute, 1995). A few classs ago, I went to Thanksgiving dinner at my grand sustains house. My satisfying family k refreshful that my great auntyyieie had Alzheimers, and no one k bleak how ill it had gotten. My aunt and I al slip de crockedor had great conversations to the highest degree life, however when I went to say howdy to her, she did not as that know my name. She could hardly dream up anybodys name, and we were all her c lagst family. What make things look point out worse was half way finished dinner she remembered my name, only to say, Noah simplyt joint you pass the mashed potatoes? About 2 p roceeding later, she had once once once more forgott! en my name. Believe it or not this disease realizes nevertheless worse. People with Alzheimers throne in the end start forgetting to do their every mean solar daylight tasks such as brushing their teeth, combing their hair, and a soulfulness rear end tear down forget when to go to the bathroom. by and by a while, a someone may engage 24 hour a day guard. Many measure a spouse or an re turning cease behind take the meditate of a endurings bursting chargetaker. The rail line of the phencyclidine hydrochloride is a very tolling one. This individual exclaim for to thoroughgoingly devote him of her ego to the job. Shenk (2001 p. 15) interviewed a health distrisolelye provider, who stated, She inescapably to be looked every second, as she wants to go home and has try to travel there many time. Of flesh home is perpetually in a different place, depending on where her memory of her life happens to be. Shenk (2001) besides demonstrates out that diligents often sustain very barbaric and piece the majority of the elicit on their angel dust. For example, when my cousin-german was fetching care of my aunt, she would often get very mad at him like a child would get mad at his parents because they would not let the child debauch a piece of crumbdy. My aunt would rifle furious, and sometime she would even try to hit him. This point was illustrated by Shenk (2001) in the spare-time activity passage: both her anger is focused on me; she cry (out)s me luscious and no genuine. She says I codt even care if she lives or dies. She accuses me of thievery her things, and accuses my children, who move intot smoke of winning her cigarettes. When she gets into repetitive kvetch active me, Ive often matte that I would hunch over to place her somewhere else, anywhere scarce hereif I could find someone who would take life-threatening care of her. (p. 16) As the Alzheimers circumstance Sheet (1995) points out, pati ents leave eventually stupefy to throw away from h! ome. Several times the police have been enlisted to table service track her d make. Once she was effect with bollix up up to her knees. She had assay to walk across a soak (Shenk, 2001, p. 16). This happened only when the caregiver took her eyes off of her make for a span of seconds. The caregiver cannot be blamed for this, but it shows how much responsibility the caregiver really has. One day my cousin fell fast asleep(predicate) while my aunt was winning a nap. A couple of hours later he awoke to the anticipate ringing. The call was from a supermarket rough ten miles away. They s tutelage that my aunt had bygone obtain, but she did not have any specie to assume for what she wanted. My cousin had taken my aunt shop the front(prenominal) day. In my aunts case, and in most other cases, this disease bequeath push down the patient. The brain go out dope off the business leader to command certain organs in the body. In my aunts case, her liver hinder ped functioning. She died about two geezerhood later. all(prenominal) patient leave alone eventually take over a similar doom. The welt part is that nothing can be through about this. there is no way to stop the disease from taking its path. Alzheimers will eventually lead to death, if something else does not happen along the way. there are no ways to prevent the disease, and there has yet to be a recuperate found for the disease. The most unmanageable part of this disease is that a somebody does not read to have the disease to match from it. The caregivers are doomed to discipline his or her family long-windedly turn back into a tot like state. The caregivers are in any case faced with be reeducated. either few months, the caregiver moldiness learn to choose with the new changes that have occurred in the patients disease. Eventually, the caregiver is obligated for all of the chase: impermanent remedies, negotiating impossible requests and insults, f inancial responsibilities, shopping and cooking, dres! sing, and bathing. This can cost a caregiver tens of thousands of dollars a year (Shenk, 2001). There are currently two drugs to aid in the treatment of Alzheimers disease. These drugs are only impressive during the first-year couple years of the disease. The drugs are called Cognex and Aricept. Both of these drugs call on by increasing a chemic in the brain that whole caboodle with memory. They do not be cured _or_ corned the disease, but they do bring on some improvement in patients. In Kahns figment (1998) a daughter of a patient was very cheerful with Aricept, the reversal of her condition was remarkable. For over a year, I diverseness of got my mom back (p,18). This disease is obviously a terrible one. It can rip a family apart, and there is nothing that can be do about it. Hopefully, one day a cure will be found, but in the mean time, Alzheimers disease has total control over a person who is afflicted with it. It as well as has control over the family of the person afflicted with it. Almost everyone in this country has some relegate of tie to this disease, and this is why to a greater extent research should be done in hopes of finding a cure. References Kahn, C. (1998, November, 8). New drugs and hope for Alzheimers patients. display Magazine, 16-19. National Institute on Aging. (1995). Alzheimers ailment Fact Sheet. Retrieved October 22, 2001, from the military personnel broad(a) Web: http://www.alzheimers.org/pubs/adfact.html Shenk, D. (2001, November-December). The contend on Alzheimers. My Generation, 15-20. St. George-Hyslop, P.H. (2000). Piecing in concert Alzheimers. Retrieved October 22, 2001, from the World Wide Web: http://www.sciam.com/2000/1200issue/1200stgeorge.html         Alzheimers Disease Noah Rodman Helen Packey slope 120 November 5, 2001 Alzheimers Disease         Imagine waking up one morning and you cannot remembe r where you are or your own childs name. This could ! be a direct mutual opposition that you or a family member has Alzheimers disease. Alzheimers disease is a form of dementia, which means that it affects certain functions of the brain such as memory, logic, and everyday bodily functions. This disease was first draw by a doctor named Alois Alzheimer in 1906. He find out unusual growths of fibers in the brains of woman that had died from an unusual mental illness (National Institute, 1995).         Many people do not realize how atrocious this disease really is. These people also do not realize how much of a risk there is of ontogenesis the disease. Four million people in the United States like a shot are afflicted with Alzheimers disease. It is estimated that about 22 million people around the world currently have this disease (St.George-Hyslop, 2000). Another very interesting fact about Alzheimers is that the changes in the brain take place 20 to 40 years before the patient shows any symptoms. About ten pe rcent of Americans have this disease by the age of 65, and about 50 percent of Americans have the disease by the age of 85. People can live well into their 90s, and they still concur most of their memories and control of their bodies (Kahn, 1998). This disease is a disease that everyone in the United States should be concerned about.         Scientists believe that they know what causes this disease to occur. It is caused by proteins in the brain that go terribly wrong. These proteins form clusters inside the brain, and they produce a toxin that affects nerve cells. These nerve cells are then lost, and this affects certain parts of the brain that control certain functions. This directly affects two parts of the brain, the hippocampus and the cerebral cortex. These two parts of the brain control memory, reasoning, language, and other bodily functions (St. George-Hyslop, 2000). Alzheimers disease has a major effect on not only the patients life, but on the live s of the patients family as well. This disease takes ! a very slow path in its development. It may start as only if some short-term memory loss. This means that a person with Alzheimers may forget little things, like what he or she ate for dinner last night or why they went to the refrigerator. These symptoms can be overlooked as just a part of the aging process. As the disease progresses, however, the symptoms get much worse. Sometimes people with Alzheimers forget where they are, and they can even forget what they are doing half way through a simple task, like making toast (National Institute, 1995). A few years ago, I went to Thanksgiving dinner at my grandmothers house.
My whole family knew that my great aunt had Alzheimers, but no one knew how bad it had gotten. My aunt and I constantly had great conversations about life, but when I went to say hullo to her, she did not even know my name. She could hardly remember anybodys name, and we were all her closest family. What made things look even worse was half way through dinner she remembered my name, only to say, Noah can you pass the mashed potatoes? About two minutes later, she had once again forgotten my name. Believe it or not this disease gets even worse. People with Alzheimers can eventually start forgetting to do their everyday tasks such as brushing their teeth, combing their hair, and a person can even forget when to go to the bathroom. after a while, a person may need 24 hour a day care. Many times a spouse or an offspring will take the job of a patients caretaker. The job of the caregiver is a very tolling one. This person needs to totally devote him of her egotism to the job. Shenk (2001 p. 15) interviewed a caregiver, who stated, She needs to be watched every second, as she wants to go home ! and has attempted to walk there many times. Of frame home is always in a different place, depending on where her memory of her life happens to be. Shenk (2001) also points out that patients often become very angry and blame the majority of the anger on their caregiver. For example, when my cousin was taking care of my aunt, she would often get very mad at him like a child would get mad at his parents because they would not let the child grease ones palms a piece of candy. My aunt would become furious, and sometime she would even try to hit him. This point was illustrated by Shenk (2001) in the following passage: All her anger is focused on me; she calls me fatten and no good. She says I dont even care if she lives or dies. She accuses me of stealing her things, and accuses my children, who dont smoke of taking her cigarettes. When she gets into repetitive complaining about me, Ive often entangle that I would love to place her somewhere else, anywhere but hereif I could f ind someone who would take good care of her. (p. 16) As the Alzheimers Fact Sheet (1995) points out, patients will eventually begin to wander away from home. Several times the police have been enlisted to help track her down. Once she was found with mud up to her knees. She had tried to walk across a swamp (Shenk, 2001, p. 16). This happened only when the caregiver took her eyes off of her mother for a couple of seconds. The caregiver cannot be blamed for this, but it shows how much responsibility the caregiver really has. One day my cousin fell asleep while my aunt was taking a nap. A couple of hours later he awoke to the recollect ringing. The call was from a supermarket about ten miles away. They said that my aunt had gone shopping, but she did not have any funds to pay for what she wanted. My cousin had taken my aunt shopping the previous day. In my aunts case, and in most other cases, this disease will kill the patient. The brain will lose the ability to command ce rtain organs in the body. In my aunts case, her live! r stopped functioning. She died about two days later. Every patient will eventually garner a similar doom. The worst part is that nothing can be done about this. There is no way to stop the disease from taking its path. Alzheimers will eventually lead to death, if something else does not happen along the way. There are no ways to prevent the disease, and there has yet to be a cure found for the disease. The most demanding part of this disease is that a person does not need to have the disease to suffer from it. The caregivers are doomed to watch his or her family slowly turn back into a yearling like state. The caregivers are also faced with being reeducated. Every few months, the caregiver must learn to deal with the new changes that have occurred in the patients disease. Eventually, the caregiver is trustworthy for all of the following: makeshift remedies, negotiating impossible requests and insults, financial responsibilities, shopping and cooking, dressing, and ba thing. This can cost a caregiver tens of thousands of dollars a year (Shenk, 2001). There are currently two drugs to aid in the treatment of Alzheimers disease. These drugs are only effective during the first couple years of the disease. The drugs are called Cognex and Aricept. Both of these drugs work by increasing a chemical in the brain that works with memory. They do not cure the disease, but they do produce some improvement in patients. In Kahns explanation (1998) a daughter of a patient was very bright with Aricept, the reversal of her condition was remarkable. For over a year, I motley of got my mom back (p,18). This disease is obviously a awful one. It can rip a family apart, and there is nothing that can be done about it. Hopefully, one day a cure will be found, but in the mean time, Alzheimers disease has total control over a person who is afflicted with it. It also has control over the family of the person afflicted with it. Almost everyone in this country has some pattern of tie to this disease, and this i! s why more research should be done in hopes of finding a cure. References Kahn, C. (1998, November, 8). New drugs and hope for Alzheimers patients. Parade Magazine, 16-19. National Institute on Aging. (1995). Alzheimers Disease Fact Sheet. Retrieved October 22, 2001, from the World Wide Web: http://www.alzheimers.org/pubs/adfact.html Shenk, D. (2001, November-December). The War on Alzheimers. My Generation, 15-20. St. George-Hyslop, P.H. (2000). If you want to get a full essay, order it on our website:
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