Alzheimer's Disease Research Paper

Anatomy and Physiology 2, SCI 136 Research Project # 40904000 Doing research on Alzheimer’s disease was very disheartening, just knowing what some people have to deal with on a daily basis was hard to imagine. I mean the simple definition of the disease is “progressive mental deterioration occurring in middle or old age, due to generalized degeneration of the brain.” As you can imagine, that can take a toll on someone’s emotional stability, which can eventually lead to depression. Most people often mistake the symptoms of Alzheimer’s for just old age or stress. In fact, somebody can actually show the signs of early AD for up to eight years before they are actually diagnosed. Alzheimer’s is usually diagnosed clinically from the patient
This stage of Alzheimer’s gets in the way of independence and everyday activities. The affected become helpless, usually having to rely on caregivers to get through their daily lives. Not only does it become more difficult to read and write, but it also becomes an everyday challenge to simply have a conversation with anyone. In addition to that, the risk of falling also increases. This is because as time goes by, motor sequences become less coordinated. This in laments terms, means it is more complicated to stand and walk around compared to people who do not have the sickness wearing on them. In my opinion, the worst part of Alzheimer’s disease is the inability to recognize who certain people are. This affects not only the person who is suffering with the illness, but also their
There are three methods of treatment available for AD thus far; these being either pharmaceutical, psychosocial, or simply care giving. Although they never truly help to delay or stop the disease, pharmaceutically speaking there are five medications that treat various side effects and soothe some pain. The psychosocial interventions, which are used as an alternative to drugs, help to reduce specific behavioral problems. The last and most exercised treatment in use would be care giving. That may sound odd, but because Alzheimer’s renders people incapable of tending to their own needs, they need somebody to look after and take care of them. Simple modifications to an individual’s living environment can increase the patients’ safety and also help reduce the caretakers’