alzheimer's disease and the family what is alzheimer’s disease? prepared by: dr. jan park...

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?