Neurological:
- Brain Imaging:
- A CT Scan- Machine that creates a 3d picture of the internal body using X-rays
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging- More common than a CT scan. This is a medical structure that creates a picture of a person's interns like the CT scanner, but clearer.
- Other tests
- Reflex , motor skills, sensory function, balance and coordination, and several other tests
Psychiatric:
- Mental Tests: The psychiatrist checks for possible symptoms like forgetfulness to analyze the patient for Alzheimer's
People with Alzheimer's eventually cannot do simple tasks like swallowing because of their memory loss. They might give a taxi driver a hundred dollars due to their impaired judgment. Patients with Alzheimer's might get lost frequently or have difficulty in learning new things or ways. A person with Alzheimer's may live up to 10 years on average, though there have been reports of people living over 20 years with it.
Lots of research goes on for this subject, with scientists getting closer to a cure. Every now and then,
we see drugs that seem to be closing in to cure the disease. Some drugs such as Donepezil or Memantine can be used in combinations and claim to stop dementia in its tracks. The latest research revealed on July 30, 2008 is the development of Rember and “PBT2” pills.
So how can we take care of a person with Alzheimer's? It puts a family in a very frustrating and awkward position to watch a loved one in such a condition. It is important that we understand that people with Alzheimer's have special needs as compared to people who do not. People with Alzheimer's find many of the simple things we do hard. For example, we may need to repeat any directions given to the person more than just once saying it in simple words. Labeling things around the house such as utensils and its use or which drawer holds what will help the person remember. Letting the person wander off out of supervision probably could result disastrous since the person can forget where he/she is and/or cause problems. While keeping the person safe, it is also important for us to take care of them by creating recreation in their life. We don't need much more than a normal person requires to be given to the affected person. For example, taking the person to a movie, partaking in a physical activity with them, and giving them a chance to socialize with other people keep their alertness and intelligence levels up. As we keep the affected person healthy, its also important that stress shouldn't affect us in forms of guilt embarrassment or anger, since the patient's condition is most likely not yours or their fault.
If you or someone you know has Alzheimer's it is crucial to see that you are not alone in the situation. There are many places where you can find support, if it be online, or physical. The Alzheimer's Association has a great list of locations across the U.S. Their website contains a whole other wealth of information as well.
The Alzheimer's disease affects the patient in a cruel way. Research and Technology will eventually find a cure for it, but until then we have to keep ourselves informed about the possible dangers of not only this, but other diseases.
