Elder Care
Alzheimer’s Disease
“Like
the rest of your body, your brain
changes with age. Starting in your
twenties, your brain begins to lose cells
and produces fewer of the chemicals to
make it work. Over time, these
changes affect the way information is
stored and retrieved.”
http://www.pbs.org/theforgetting/diagnosis/index.html
“There is a big difference
between forgetting where
you parked your car and
forgetting what your car
looks like.”
10 Warning Signs
1.
Memory Loss
2.
Difficulty Performing
Familiar Tasks
3.
Problems with Language
4.
Disorientation to Time
and Place
5.
Poor or Decreased
Judgment
6.
Problems with Abstract
Thinking
7.
Misplacing Things
8.
Changes in Mood or
Behavior
9.
Changes in Personality
10. Loss of Initiative
Developed by The Alzheimer’s Association
Normal or Not Normal
Forgetting your
ATM pin number
or where you
parked your car.
Forgetting what
an ATM card is
or what kind of
car you own.
This is one of the most common early signs. Someone with
Alzheimer’s will progressively forget more information.
Alzheimer’s attacks the brains hippocampus first, so short-term
memory is usually the first to fail. In the late stage of Alzheimer’s,
new memories become impossible for the brain to make and store.
10 Warning Signs
1.
Memory Loss
2.
Difficulty Performing
Familiar Tasks
3.
Problems with Language
4.
Disorientation to Time
and Place
5.
Poor or Decreased
Judgment
6.
Problems with Abstract
Thinking
7.
Misplacing Things
8.
Changes in Mood or
Behavior
9.
Changes in Personality
10. Loss of Initiative
Developed by The Alzheimer’s Association
Normal or Not Normal
Forgetting how
to do an everyday
task, like writing
a check.
Forgetting what
you were about
to say.
People with Alzheimer’s may find it difficult or impossible to do
things that were once commonplace, such as writing checks or
cooking a familiar recipe. These tasks become progressively more
difficult over time.
10 Warning Signs
1.
Memory Loss
2.
Difficulty Performing
Familiar Tasks
3.
Problems with Language
4.
Disorientation to Time
and Place
5.
Poor or Decreased
Judgment
6.
Problems with Abstract
Thinking
7.
Misplacing Things
8.
Changes in Mood or
Behavior
9.
Changes in Personality
10. Loss of Initiative
Developed by The Alzheimer’s Association
Normal or Not Normal
Frequently
forgetting
everyday words
or terms.
Occasionally
grasping for a
word while
sharing a story.
People with Alzheimer’s often have trouble finding the correct word
to use and will substitute descriptors for common, well-known
terms. The temporal lobe plays a key role in memory, language and
high-level sensory processing, like understanding speech. Early in
the disease, problems in the temporal lobe start to cause aphasia—
the inability to remember or recall words.
10 Warning Signs
1.
Memory Loss
2.
Difficulty Performing
Familiar Tasks
3.
Problems with Language
4.
Disorientation to Time
and Place
5.
Poor or Decreased
Judgment
6.
Problems with Abstract
Thinking
7.
Misplacing Things
8.
Changes in Mood or
Behavior
9.
Changes in Personality
10. Loss of Initiative
Developed by The Alzheimer’s Association
Normal or Not Normal
Forgetting which
day of the week
you had a dental
appointment.
Getting lost in
your own
neighborhood.
Disorientation—not knowing where you are or what time it is—
happens when the parietal lobe starts to deteriorate. This common
symptom can be very worrisome to the individual and to family
members.
10 Warning Signs
1.
Memory Loss
2.
Difficulty Performing
Familiar Tasks
3.
Problems with Language
4.
Disorientation to Time
and Place
5.
Poor or Decreased
Judgment
6.
Problems with Abstract
Thinking
7.
Misplacing Things
8.
Changes in Mood or
Behavior
9.
Changes in Personality
10. Loss of Initiative
Developed by The Alzheimer’s Association
Normal or Not Normal
Dressing inappropriately
or placing an
inappropriate amount
of trust in an unknown
person.
Making a poor
decision once in
a while.
People with Alzheimer’s experience changes in the frontal lobe of
their brains—the part of the brain that helps us carry out
purposeful behaviors and complex reasoning. People with
Alzheimer’s may exhibit behaviors that are completely out of
character, and judgment may become cloudy.
10 Warning Signs
1.
Memory Loss
2.
Difficulty Performing
Familiar Tasks
3.
Problems with Language
4.
Disorientation to Time
and Place
5.
Poor or Decreased
Judgment
6.
Problems with Abstract
Thinking
7.
Misplacing Things
8.
Changes in Mood or
Behavior
9.
Changes in Personality
10. Loss of Initiative
Developed by The Alzheimer’s Association
Normal or Not Normal
Having a
checkbook that
is occasionally
off balance.
Completely forgetting
how to perform mental
tasks, like calculations
or estimations.
The brain suffering from Alzheimer’s has fewer nerve cells and
synapses. Over time, this makes complex mental tasks more
difficult. When Alzheimer’s strikes, victims often lose the ability to
plan and initiate complicated activities.
10 Warning Signs
1.
Memory Loss
2.
Difficulty Performing
Familiar Tasks
3.
Problems with Language
4.
Disorientation to Time
and Place
5.
Poor or Decreased
Judgment
6.
Problems with Abstract
Thinking
7.
Misplacing Things
8.
Changes in Mood or
Behavior
9.
Changes in Personality
10. Loss of Initiative
Developed by The Alzheimer’s Association
Normal or Not Normal
Misplacing or
losing your keys
or wallet.
Putting the ice
cube tray in the
oven instead of
the freezer.
Even in the earliest stages (long before diagnoses can be made)
plaques and tangles can be found in the brain of a person with
Alzheimer’s. Researchers believe that the components of these
plaques and tangles disturb the chemical and electrical signals in
the brain, resulting in loss of memory. This may cause people with
Alzheimer’s to misplace things or put them in strange places.
10 Warning Signs
1.
Memory Loss
2.
Difficulty Performing
Familiar Tasks
3.
Problems with Language
4.
Disorientation to Time
and Place
5.
Poor or Decreased
Judgment
6.
Problems with Abstract
Thinking
7.
Misplacing Things
8.
Changes in Mood or
Behavior
9.
Changes in Personality
10. Loss of Initiative
Developed by The Alzheimer’s Association
Normal or Not Normal
Feeling moody or
blue periodically.
Severe mood
swings not caused
by depression or
another illness
Once Alzheimer’s disrupts the brain’s emotional center a person
may display surprising, and out-of-character behaviors such as
paranoia, emotional outburst and inappropriate sexual advances. A
person with a typically calm personality may suddenly turn hostile
and anxious due to shifts in the amygdala, which regulates basic
emotions such as fear and anger.
10 Warning Signs
1.
Memory Loss
2.
Difficulty Performing
Familiar Tasks
3.
Problems with Language
4.
Disorientation to Time
and Place
5.
Poor or Decreased
Judgment
6.
Problems with Abstract
Thinking
7.
Misplacing Things
8.
Changes in Mood or
Behavior
9.
Changes in Personality
10. Loss of Initiative
Developed by The Alzheimer’s Association
Normal or Not Normal
Becoming more
or less talkative
as you age.
Extreme
confusion,
suspicion, fear
or dependency
People with Alzheimer’s may experience severe personality and
mood swings. They may also do things that are completely out of
the ordinary or that seem insensitive to the feelings of others. It is
important to remember that these changes are beyond the person’s
control, as the disease attacks and changes the person’s brain.
10 Warning Signs
1.
Memory Loss
2.
Difficulty Performing
Familiar Tasks
3.
Problems with Language
4.
Disorientation to Time
and Place
5.
Poor or Decreased
Judgment
6.
Problems with Abstract
Thinking
7.
Misplacing Things
8.
Changes in Mood or
Behavior
9.
Changes in Personality
Normal or Not Normal
Wanting to rest
and avoid social
appointments
when tired.
Dozing in front of a
television for hours
on end, sleeping
more, not showing
interest in things.
With this warning sign, it’s important to rule out other potential
medical conditions, like depression. For anyone concerned with
memory loss or impaired thinking, a depression screening is a must.
In early stages of Alzheimer’s people may sense that something is
not quite right and may feel depressed and down. An early
intervention and accurate diagnosis can help the person feel more
control and give them a sense of direction with their care.
10. Loss of Initiative
Developed by The Alzheimer’s Association
The Forgetting: A Portrait of Alzheimer’s
http://www.pbs.org/theforgetting
Alzheimer’s Disease
Coping and
Planning Ahead
“Alzheimer’s disease doesn’t develop
overnight, and you don’t need to
cope overnight. Try to take things
one step at a time”
http://www.pbs.org/theforgetting/diagnosis/index.html
Steps for Managing the Future
1. Get a diagnosis
2. Ask your doctor about treatment options
3. Find Support
4. Read helpful pamphlets. They’re free.
5. Locate legal and financial documents
6. Find out about care options
http://www.pbs.org/theforgetting/diagnosis/index.html
Step 1: Get a diagnosis
Don’t assume that it is Alzheimer’s.
Have a physician make the medical
assessment. The earlier you get an
accurate diagnosis, the more options
you have for treatment and planning.
If you notice any of the
10 Warning Signs of
Alzheimer's in yourself or
someone you know, don't
ignore them. Schedule an
appointment with your doctor.
http://www.pbs.org/theforgetting/diagnosis/index.html
Step 2: Ask your doctor about
treatment options
Get the maximum benefit from available
treatments – You can explore
treatments that may provide some
relief of symptoms and help you
maintain a level of independence
longer. You may also increase your
chances of participating in clinical drug
trials that help advance research.
“Volunteering for a clinical trial
is one of the greatest public
services that an individual with
Alzheimer’s can contribute.”
“These clinical trials may also
offer you or your family free
care and monitoring by health
care professionals who
specialize in Alzheimer’s
http://www.pbs.org/theforgetting/diagnosis/index.html
Step 3: Find Support
•
Find a group—you will be much more effective and
helpful if you are healthy and happy.
•
Call in the troops—talk to your friends and family,
and let them help you. Alzheimer’s is bigger than
one person should handle on his/her own.
•
Consider a Geriatric Care Manager—who can help
with planning issues like arranging care services,
acting as a distance care liaison, counseling,
reviewing finances, and determining assistance
eligibility.
•
Caregivers—limit what your loved one needs to
remember. Keep appointments for them, take the
person places, help with tasks like housework and
bill paying
- The Alzheimer’s Association
- The Area Agencies on Aging
- A doctor, nurse, social
worker, psychologist, or clergy
member you trust
On-Line Support Groups
- The Alzheimer’s List
- The Elder Care Chat Forum
- The Alzheimer’s Association
Message Boards
http://www.pbs.org/theforgetting/diagnosis/index.html
Step 4: Read Pamphlets
A few recommended pamphlets include the
“Caregiver Guide”, “Home Safety for
People with Alzheimer’s Disease”, and
“Challenging Behaviors: Special Issues for
Family Care”.
Visit trusted websites to gather information
and to ask for materials.
The Alzheimer’s Association
1-800-272-3900
The Alzheimer’s Disease
Education and Referall Network
1-800-438-4380
The Area Agencies on Aging
Hotline: 1-800-677-1116
Formed in 1980, the Alzheimer's Association advances
research to end Alzheimer's and dementia while
enhancing care for those living with the disease.
http://www.pbs.org/theforgetting/diagnosis/index.html
Step 5: Locate Legal and
Financial Documents
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Wills and Living Wills
Durable health care power of attorney *
Financial powers of attorney
Insurance policies
Stock and bond certificates
Bank and brokerage statements
Pension and retirement benefit
summaries
Social Security payment information
Rental income paperwork
Deeds and mortgage papers or
ownership statements
Monthly or outstanding bills
*For explanation go to
“If you have been diagnosed
with early stage Alzheimer’s,
you will need to prepare for the
management of your finances.
It is important to find someone
you trust to assist you with your
financial matters. The sooner,
the better. For caregivers, it is
important that financial and
health-care durable powers of
attorney are prepared and
accessible.”
http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/durable-power-of-attorney-health-finances-29579.html
http://www.pbs.org/theforgetting/diagnosis/index.html
Step 6: Find Out About Care
Options
“From home health aides to adult day
programs to assisted living, there are a
range of options to explore in addition to
full-time home care or nursing home
placement. Your decision will depend on
your unique situation, including finances,
the disease’s progression, availability and
physical capabilities.”
The support groups and organizations
found in Step 3 can help you with what
would work best for the person, family
members and caregivers.
“Know your options
before you become
overwhelmed”
http://www.pbs.org/theforgetting/diagnosis/index.html
Visit The Alzheimer’s Association
website at https://www.alz.org/
Find the section shown below on
their home page
Click
and click START TOUR
http://www.pbs.org/theforgetting/diagnosis/index.html
Sparrow Video
1. List information from today’s
lesson that would explain why
the father could remember the
diary but not the word sparrow.
2. Why did this video affect Ms.
Abbonizio more than it did you?
3. For what purpose do you believe
this video was made?
http://www.pbs.org/theforgetting/diagnosis/index.html