
As people and individuals grow old, they are prone to suffer many health issues that affect them physically and cause them to start having problems mentally. One of the most commonly observed health issues is the disease involving the slow decline of memory. Due to such a decline, it can be quite difficult for individuals to remember their everyday lives and activities.
The most common disease that affects older adults is Alzheimer disease. Let’s understand the definition of Alzheimer’s disease, its symptoms, and some methods that can ensure that the progression of the disease is slowed as much as possible.
What is Alzheimer’s disease?
Alzheimer’s disease can be defined as a brain disorder that gradually reduces the brain’s ability to retain information, thinking skills, and the ability to do simple tasks. Discovered by Dr. Alois Alzheimer, the disease was discovered after the doctor found several clumps called amyloid plaques and several bundles of fibers known as neurofibrillary tangles. Another reason that causes the onset of Alzheimer’s is the connection loss among neurons can also cause Alzheimer’s disease. There are two forms of Alzheimer’s observed among people:
- Early-Onset Alzheimers occurs between an individual’s 30 to mid-60s and is quite rare.
- Late-Onset Alzheimers occurs at a later stage above the age of 60 years.
It is estimated that around 6 million Americans around 65 years or above can suffer due to Alzheimer’s disease. Therefore, such a debilitating disease needs take care of before being diagnosed. Here are the most common symptoms observed in an individual diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.
Symptoms of Alzheimer’s Disease
As mentioned before, there are two stages of Alzheimer’s disease. However, to understand Alzheimer symptoms, it is necessary to understand the entire onset and progression of Alzheimer’s Disease. People might have no observed symptoms during the preclinical stage of Alzheimer’s disease. However, changes are happening in the brain gradually. Some of the most common symptoms observed are as follows:
- Memory Loss
At the initial stages of alzheimer, individuals start experiencing memory loss. Some of the most common examples are as follows:
- Forgetting about recent events and conversations
- Placing items in a location and forgetting about them
- Trouble in recalling the names of places and objects
- Asking the same questions repeatedly
- Having trouble deciding and showing poor judgment
- Hesitance and inflexibility in trying anything new or outside their comfort zone
- Changes in personality and behavior
Some other notable alzheimer symptoms include the following changes in personality and behavior: –
- Depression
- Apathy
- Loss of Inhibitions
- Changes in sleeping habits
- Mood swings
- Distrust and delusions etc.
- Problems with recognition
One of the several Alzheimer symptoms is having problems with recognition. Several times, people who have Alzheimer’s disease cannot recognize anything in front of them. It can cause many issues as the individual cannot remember their home and become lost or hurt.
Apart from the above symptoms, older adults with dementia-like symptoms should get a health check-up done. It will help you understand the problems and get medical assistance for the affected family member at the earliest.
All the above symptoms make it necessary for the family members to take extra care of the individual and ensure that they are provided a safe space within the home. Additionally, preserved skills like reading, listening to songs, singing, story-telling, etc., can last long even though other memories decline.
Can memories lost in Alzheimer’s be recovered?
Due to the absence of any proper form of treatment, the best way to ensure that your loved one has Alzheimer disease is to live in the best way possible. The most effective ways of improving the quality of life and alzheimer memory care are focus on the following alzheimer treatment methods: –
- Slowing down and delaying the disease symptoms
- Aiding the affected individual in proper maintenance of brain health
- Management of behavioral symptoms
The memory loss can be quite overwhelming for the patient’s family and loved ones. Therefore, many families choose to place the individual suffering from Alzheimer diseases in a care facility for the best care. Although there has been a lot of scientific research on regaining lost memories in Alzheimer’s, it observe that there is a chance that people affected by this brain disease might have the ability to form new memories.
5 Ways Exercise Prevents Alzheimer’s Disease
Exercise is one of the most important factors in preventing Alzheimer’s disease. It can help with maintaining a healthy brain and it also provides other health benefits. Exercise can also be therapeutic, helping to alleviate stress and anxiety.
1) Physical exercise is a form of mental exercise that helps to keep the mind sharp, which is important for preventing Alzheimer’s Disease.
2) Exercise stimulates the production of hormones that are beneficial for the brain, such as endorphins and serotonin. Researchers have found that people who exercise regularly have higher levels of these hormones in their blood than people who do not exercise at all.
3) Regular physical activity has been shown to increase blood flow to the brain, which may help prevent Alzheimer’s Disease by increasing the delivery of oxygen, nutrients and other beneficial substances to the brain.
4) Physical exercise is a form of mental exercise that helps to keep the mind sharp, which is important for preventing Alzheimer’s Disease.
5) Regular physical activity has been shown to increase blood flow to the brain, which may help prevent Alzheimer’s Disease by increasing the delivery of oxygen.
Conclusion
With all the information provided regarding the topic of Alzheimer’s disease affected individuals to regain memory. It is a field in which a lot of research remains. However, the current state of memory in Alzheimer diseases is limits to providing the best level of care to ensure a good quality of life for the affected individuals.