November is more than the month of giving, it is the month that spreads awareness for Alzheimer's Disease. Alzheimer's is a type of dementia that causes problems with memory, thinking and behavior. Alzheimer's is the most common form of dementia and accounts for sixty to eighty percent of dementia cases. Even though a majority of people with Alzheimer's are older,five percent of people with the disease have early onset Alzheimer's disease which occurs in their forties and fifties. Many people are not aware of the disease and do not know what the symptoms of the disease are. The symptoms that are provided by the Alzheimer's Association are listed below.
1. Difficulty remembering newly learned information.
2. Disorientation.
3. Mood and behavioral changes.
4. Deepened confusion about events, time and place.
5. Difficulty speaking, swallowing or walking.
There are also stages throughout the disease that shoes an increase of the symptoms. In the early stage, also known as the Mild Stage, of Alzheimer's Disease the person is still able to function independently but will have problems when coming up with words or misplacing objects. The Middle Stage, also known as the Moderate Stage, is typically the longest stage. As this stage progresses the person will need more care. The person starts becoming angry or frustrated, acts in unexpected ways and is at a higher risk of becoming lost. Severe Alzheimer's Disease, also known as the late stage, is the stage where the person requires around the clock full-time care, needs high assistance to accomplish personal care and will experience changes in their physical abilities.
Many people wonder, Is there a cure for this disease? And unfortunately, the answer is no. There is not a cure for the disease but there are drug and non-drug treatments that can help with the behavioral symptoms. Most people also do not realize how many people are actually impacted by this disease. Forty-seven million people across the globe are living with dementia and it is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States. By 2030 it is expected that seventy-six million people worldwide will be living with dementia.
According to the Alzheimer's Association in 2015, 15.9 million family and friends provided 18.1 billion hours of unpaid care to those suffering from Alzheimer's and dementia. Keep in mind that these caregivers are not getting paid for the 18.1 billion hours of care that are giving. A lot of people worldwide spend majority of their days caring for their loved ones. On average these caregivers actually lose over $15,000 in annual income as a result of reducing their work ours to care for someone with the disease. Nearly sixty percent of caregivers fate the emotional stress of caregiving as high or very high and about forty percent suffer from depression. Seventy-four percent of caregivers even report that they are very concerned abut maintaining their own health. So not only does Alzheimer's affect the person with the illness, it has a big effect on their loved ones.
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