The most important risk factor is age. Risk for the disease doubles every five years after the age of 65. Other risk factors include incidents and disease states where the brain has trauma or damage:
Because the disease is progressive, symptoms appear over time. At first, there may be no outward signs, but small memory issues will appear and become worse as the disease advances. Family usually notices these signs first as they are very subtle. The person may:
While mild memory loss with aging may be normal for some people, those with Alzheimer’s will show a rapid decline in memory and other cognitive skills. Recent memory is usually first to be affected. The person may not remember what they ate for breakfast or if they had a visitor just a few hours ago.
Patients with Alzheimer’s disease need special care. The patient can present with a variety of symptoms based on their current stage of the disease. However, the hallmark signs of the disease is that it is a progressive disorder with memory loss and an increased physical impairments over time. Symptoms needs to be monitored, and any changes in behavior or activity should be reported. Notice their changes in behavior or personality. If they suddenly became upset or angry or get depressed, try to identify the problem and report the behavior to the nurse. The patient may hide objects or lose interest in objects. They may wander excessively, pace or become inappropriate with others. The patient may also have delusion or hallucinations. Remember not to argue with the patient. Comfort the patient if they are fearful or use distraction techniques, but if they become combative get help. The Alzheimer patient can be well cared for if the providers are able to understand the disease progression and needs of the patient.