| According to a survey by Alzheimer's association | | | | individuals may be employed or have children still |
| of America, as many as 5.3 million Americans are | | | | living at home, and they face different issues |
| currently living with Alzheimer's disease. This figure | | | | including ensuring financial security and helping |
| is expected to increase significantly as baby | | | | children cope with the disease. Experts estimate |
| boomers reach the age of 65 and a larger | | | | that some 500,000 people in their 30s, 40s, and |
| proportion of people in our country grow older. | | | | 50s have Alzheimer's disease or a related |
| Alzheimer's destroys brain cells and is the most | | | | dementia. |
| common form of dementia, a general term that | | | | Caring for patients with Alzheimer's is no easy |
| describes loss of memory and other mental | | | | task. One Alzheimer's caregiver said in an |
| functions involving thinking and recalling information. | | | | interview that caring for someone with the |
| Alzheimer's impairs memory, judgment, thinking, | | | | disease is "…like a black cloud that follows you all |
| and behavior. It is a progressive illness that | | | | the time because you know it's going to get |
| continues to develop and become worse over | | | | worse but you don't know how you are going to |
| time. While there is currently no cure, medications | | | | deal with it." |
| are available to slow the progression of the | | | | The first step in caring for a person with |
| disease. | | | | Alzheimer's disease is acknowledging that you |
| Early-stage Alzheimer's describes the onset of the | | | | can't deal with it alone. Being a caregiver is a |
| disease. During this stage, problems with memory, | | | | tough job, and it can be particularly challenging |
| thinking, and concentration may begin to appear in | | | | when the person you are caring for has |
| a doctor's interview or medical tests. Individuals in | | | | Alzheimer's or another form of dementia. |
| the early stage typically need minimal assistance | | | | Try to educate yourself about this disease. Learn |
| with simple daily routines. At the time of diagnosis, | | | | everything you can about the disease, treatment |
| an individual may have progressed beyond the | | | | options, disease progression, legal and financial |
| early stage since later stages are easier to | | | | concerns, and resources in your area. Finding a |
| recognize. | | | | professional caregiver to support you and your |
| The term younger-onset refers to Alzheimer's | | | | loved one is crucial as the disease progresses. |
| that occurs in people under age 65. Younger-onset | | | | |