Alzheimer's Disease and the Family What Is Alzheimer’s Disease? Prepared by: Dr. Jan Park Gerontology Specialist Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service April 10, 2002
Alzheimer's Disease and the Family What Is Alzheimer’s Disease? Prepared by: Dr. Jan Park Gerontology Specialist Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service.
Dec 28, 2015
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Alzheimer's Disease and the Family
What Is Alzheimer’s Disease?Prepared by:
Dr. Jan ParkGerontology Specialist
Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service
April 10, 2002
Alzheimer's Disease
“It is the worst form of all diseases, not just for what it does to the victim, but for its devastating effect on family and friends”, by Lewis Thomas, M.D., Chancellor of the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
What is Alzheimer's Disease?
What Alzheimer’s Disease IS NOT:
Normal aging Mental retardation Mental laziness Vitamin deficiency Brought on by stress, grief, neglect or family
problems Emotional illness Lack of blood or oxygen to the brain Preventable or curable
What is the Cause of Alzheimer's Disease?
Unknown
What are Risk Factors?
Age Female sex Heredity Head Injury
What Are the Warning Signs?
Memory loss Lack of judgmentInability to do familiar tasksDifficulty finding the right wordsChanges in personalityChanges in behavior, mood and
concentration
What Are the Warning Signs?
Disorientation to time and placePoor judgmentMisplacing possessionsLoss of motivationDifficulty learning new information
How Does Alzheimer's Disease Type of Dementia Progress?
Stage I
Develop symptomsLess initiativeTiredUnwilling to try anything new
Stage I
Give up favorite activitiesUnable to learn new skills or
informationMaintains a “social façade”Spouse and family cover make
excuses for changed behavior
Stage II
DiagnosisSymptoms of stage 1 more
pronouncedRequires supervisionRequires repetition and
reassuranceFamily becomes isolatedPerson becomes “someone else”
Stage III
Terminal stageBody weak Incontinence sets inNeeds total help with personal careUnable to communicateCannot recognize loved onesBedridden Nursing home care
Why is a Diagnosis Important?
Complete physical examination
Neurological examinationPsychiatric evaluationDiscovery reversible
conditions
What are the Benefits of an Evaluation of the Patient?
What an Evaluation can Determine:
Determine nature of illness.Whether the condition is
reversible.Extent of the disability.Identify functions still in tact.
What an Evaluation can Determine:
Determine if other health problems exist that affect mind.
Determine the social and psychological needs.
Identify resources for patient and caregivers.
Identify changes expected in the future.
What Should a Thorough Medical and Neurological
Evaluation Include?
Social supportCurrent abilitiesMedical HistoryMental Status examTests to rule out other health problems
that cause dementiaNeurological examinations status of
nerve and cell function Laboratory tests
What Should a Thorough Medical and Neurological
Evaluation Include?
Lumbar punctureEEGCT ScanMRIPET ScanOccupational therapy evaluationNeuro-psychological test
What Kind of Physician?
What is the Social Cost of Alzheimer's Disease?
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