Alzheimer’s Disease
I.
Attention catcher/Listener relevance: You’re at work and suddenly the telephone rings, it’s the
Director of Nursing calling from the Nursing Home two blocks up the street from your
house. She informs you that your father is being held there for you to come pick him up.
She states that he is unaware of his whereabouts and does not know his name, address nor
telephone number. You panic because you left your father at home with a sitter. You call
home and the sitter answers the telephone. You explain the situation to the sitter and ask
that he go and pick your father up.
II. Speaker credibility: According the 2009 Alzheimer’s Association it is estimated that as many as
5.2 million people in the U.S. have Alzheimer’s disease. This number is expected to grow
over the next 50 years as the population ages and life span increases.
III. Thesis: We are going to explore what Alzheimer’s disease is, the causes of Alzheimer’s disease,
the risk factors of Alzheimer’s disease, and the stages of Alzheimer’s disease.
Body
I.
First main point: Let’s get a clear picture to what Alzheimer’s disease is.
A. Subpoint: Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type of dementia. It is a progressive
and degenerative disease, which means that it gets worse over time.
B. Subpoint: When someone has Alzheimer’s disease, nerve cells die in areas of the brain
that are vital to memory and other mental abilities, and connections between nerve
cells are disrupted.
C. Subpoint: There are also lower levels of some of the chemicals in the brain that carry
messages back and forth between nerve cells. As a result, a person’s memory,
judgment, and thinking is affected, which in turn may hinder a person’s ability to handle
daily activities.
II. Second main point: The causes and risk factors of people with Alzheimer’s disease.
A. According to the 2009 Alzheimer’s Association, it is not know what causes Alzheimer’s
disease. Researchers suspect that it could be caused by factors that affect each person
differently.
B. Age is the main risk factor for people suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.
III. Third main point: Alzheimer’s disease progresses through three main stages:
A. Symptoms and early signs of Mild Alzheimer’s disease may include:
1. Difficulty learning and remembering new information
2. Difficulty managing finances, planning meals, taking medication on schedule
3. Depression symptoms (sadness, decreased interest in usual activities, loss of energy)
4. Still able to do most activities such as driving a car
B. Signs and symptoms of moderate Alzheimer’s disease may include:
1. Forgetting old facts
2. Difficulty performing tasks
3. Agitation, behavioral symptoms common
4. Deficits in intellect and reasoning
5. Lack of concern for appearance, hygiene, and sleep become more noticeable
C. Signs of severe Alzheimer’s disease may include:
1. May groan, scream, mumble, or speak gibberish
2. Behavioral symptoms common
3. Failure to recognize family or faces
4. Difficulty with all essential activities of daily living
Conclusion
I.
Thesis restatement: Today, we have explored what Alzheimer’s disease is, the causes of
Alzheimer’s disease, the risk factors of Alzheimer’s disease, and the stages of Alzheimer’s
disease.
II. Clincher:
References