Alzheimers Disease Association

What Exactly is Alzheimer’s Disease?

2009-06-26T00:32:00.000-07:00

What Exactly is Alzheimer’s Disease?

As uncommon as the name of the Disease sounds, its prevalence and incidence rates are not. In fact, almost four million people in the United States are affected by this problem. All can be affected, men or women, across all social status and economic position in life.

Alzheimer’s is a progressive and degenerative problem under the umbrella of Diseases called dementia. It is characterized by disorientation and impaired memory. It is apparently caused by an attack in the brain, affecting one’s memory, thinking skills and judgment. Most patients will experience a change in language ability, in the way they use their mental processes and of course their behavior.

While anybody can be affected by this problem, only those that are older than age 65 experience the lagging in their thinking skills. Still, there are some who gets Alzheimer’s even when they are just 30 years old but these cases are very rare and can only account for a small percentage of the total number of cases. One out of 10 people over the age 65 has Alzheimer’s and nearly half of these patients are over 85 years old. In a national survey conducted in the United States, almost 19 million Americans have one family member who suffers from this dreaded problem.

In addition to old age, family history of dementia can also predispose someone to the Disease. This is because Alzheimer’s is said to be caused by a problem in the genetic mutations. Still, when you study the cases, Alzheimer’s is commonly the result of a host of other factors besides genes. In fact, environmental factors such as hobbies and mental pursuits are things that can help prevent the onset of the problem.

What is difficult with Alzheimer’s is the fact that its symptoms are basically the same with ordinary signs of old age. At the beginning, there will be some memory loss. The person with Alzheimer’s will also experience confusion and disorientation even with things that they are used to doing. The trick is to make sure that one can recognize what a normal memory loss is against something of Alzheimer’s caliber.

Often, there will be a gradual memory loss. They will find it hard to read or to write or to think clearly. After which they will experience a decline in the ability to perform tasks that are already automatic and routinary. Believe it or not, in cases that are already in the terminal stage, the patient may even forget how to brush their teeth or how to use a spoon and fork, something that is really pretty basic with a lot of people.

This is one example of the difference of Alzheimer’s from ordinary memory loss. Forgetfulness will not affect tasks that are routinary. There will also be difficulty in learning new things and in memorizing things. Some patients may even forget the language that they are speaking with while others will no longer recognize their family. Personality will change in terms of the way they communicate with other people and the way they behave.

There is actually no change in personality per se but because of the problems in their memory, they may appear aloof and suspicious perhaps because they cannot recognize the people that they know before. Some may even become extremely fearful and passive for the simple fact that they cannot remember you. As the Disease worsens, the patient will then become so incapable of taking care of themselves that they will require help even in eating and in sleeping.

What Exactly is Alzheimer’s Disease?

Alzheimer’స Disease Information

2009-06-26T00:31:00.000-07:00

Alzheimer’s Disease Information

Unbelievably, one out of ten people over the age of 65 have Alzheimer’s Disease. In fact, in a recent statistic polls, almost 19 million Americans suffer one way or the other from this dreaded progressive disease. Below are some information that you will find useful about the disease.

What is Alzheimer’s Disease?

Alzheimer’s Disease is a degenerative problem characterized by memory loss as well as loss in thinking skills. It is actually part of a constellation of memory and brain problems called dementia. It can lead to behavioral changes, loss of language skills, disorientation, confusion and increasing dependency. Most experts believe that Alzheimer’s is caused by a problem in the genetic make-up and is often associated with old age.

What are the signs and symptoms of Alzheimer’s Disease?

What is however difficult with this problem is the fact that the onset of the disease will often manifest in symptoms often associated with forgetfulness when getting old. What separates this problem though is the fact that people with Alzheimer’s will eventually even forget normal routines and simple tasks. For instance, patients with Alzheimer’s can forget how to hold a spoon and fork while others will forget how to brush their teeth and take a bath. Believe it or not, some medical experts even say that some even forget hoe to breathe, something which comes quite naturally with a person.

One problem though with this is the fact that one can actually have no way of knowing whether it is ordinary forgetfulness or Alzheimer’s when it is just in the initial stages. It can start with ordinary forgetting of names and faces until it progresses to something major that can render the person totally incapacitated.

Who are affected by Alzheimer’s Disease?

Although there are cases of Alzheimer’s that affected people in their 30s, most patients are over the age of 65 and a vast majority is over the age of 85. In addition to old age, experts believe that a family history of the same problem or of dementia may predispose someone to the disease. This is because experts pinpoint a defect in the genetic make up of the person who has Alzheimer’s Disease.

People who are not much into mental pursuits or work that do not much involve mental strains will also most likely develop the disease compared to people who often stretch their mental muscles. In fact, one of the way to prevent the onset of dementia is to exercise the brain all the time especially during old age.

Even when one is already retired from work, old people should not forget to still use their minds by engaging in mental pursuits such as reading, answering crossword puzzles and even playing board games.

How do you diagnose Alzheimer’s Disease?

As mentioned earlier, it is extremely difficult for a person to differentiate an ordinary case of forgetfulness and dementia at the beginning of the progression. Some of the symptoms of the disease such as slow mental processing and forgetfulness may be attributed to other problems such as thyroid gland problems, reactions to medications that are being taken, and even just a normal aging process.

To really ensure that the problem is indeed Alzheimer’s, doctors rule out other possibilities and conduct series of tests. The only way actually to conclusively determine the presence of Alzheimer’s is to examine a cross section of the brain tissue when a person is already dead.

Alzheimer’s Disease Information

Origins unknown, the battle with Alzheimer's continues

2009-06-26T00:29:00.001-07:00

Origins unknown, the battle with Alzheimer's continues

One could trace back the history of Alzheimer’s Disease from a presentation and lecture made by a German psychiatrist in 1906 during 37th Meeting of Southwest German Psychiatrists held in Tübingen.

Dr. Alois Alzheimer presented his findings on a woman who had died after years of having memory problems and confusion.

When Dr. Alzheimer autopsied the patient's brain, he found thick deposits of neuritic plaques outside and around the nerve cells. He also found a lot of twisted bands of fibers or neurofibrillary tangles inside the nerve cells.

Today, medical specialists need to find the presence of the same plaques and tangles at autopsy in order to have a conclusive diagnosis that Alzheimer’s Disease indeed caused the disease. And due to this lecture and achievement in research and studies, the medical community has bestowed the honor of naming the disease after Dr. Alzheimer.

However, Dr. Alzheimer's work only signaled the start of years of medical research and studies which could only resolve the mysteries of the disease by so much. Up until now, Alzheimer’s Disease has still unknown origin and remains to have no cure. At first, the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Disease was limited for individuals between the ages of 45-65 since the symptoms of pre-senile dementia due to the histopathologic process are more common and prominent during this age.

However, during the 1970s and early 1980s, the term Alzheimer’s Disease began to be used to refer to patients of all ages that manifest the same symptoms.

Statistics show that around 350,000 new cases of Alzheimer’s Disease are being diagnosed each year. It is estimated that by 2050, there are 4.5 million Americans afflicted by the disease. Recent studies have shown that there is an increase risk of contracting and developing Alzheimer’s as one grows older.

It has been reported that 5 percent of Americans between the ages of 65 to 74 suffer from Alzheimer’s Disease. Also, half of those in the 85 years and older age group are more likely to have the disease.

Generics have also been seen as a factor in the development of the disease. Scientists have found out that mutations on chromosomes 9 and 19 have been associated with the later stages of Alzheimer's. However, not everyone that manifests the mutations results to having the disease. Up until now, the relationship between genetics and late-onset Alzheimer's is still a grey area.

Meanwhile, other research have associated trauma as a factor that increases the risk of acquiring the disease. There are also evidences which suggest that lack of exercise increases the risk factor of Alzheimer's. It is important to avoid high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and low levels folate in order to decrease the risk of developing the disease.

There are basically three stages of Alzheimer’s Disease. Stage 1 or Mild Stage is the early of the disease. At this stage patients become less energetic and will experience slight memory loss. Often times, the symptoms at this stage are either go unnoticed or are ignored as but trivial or normal occurrences.

At Stage 2 or Moderate stage, the patient needs to be assisted in some complicated tasks and memory loss is no highly noticeable. The final stage is the severest stage. Because the disease already progresses too far this point, the patient is unable to perform simple tasks and will lose the ability to walk or eat without help.

Origins unknown, the battle with Alzheimer's continues

Living With Alzheimer’s Disease

2009-06-26T00:27:00.000-07:00

Living With Alzheimer’s Disease

When someone is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease, those around should not think that it is the end of the world. The best thing to do is help the one who is suffering from it until the person dies.

There are drugs in the market that can help ease the pain but not reverse the process or stop the disease from spreading. The only thing it can do is slow down the process that could buy enough time until a cure has been found.

Family members should give this or hire a caregiver to do that when no one is able to take care of the person.

In time, the sufferer may not even recall the name of the children. One way to help the one living with Alzheimer's is through the use of visual aids. The name and the picture of the person can be shown in a card and someone can conduct memory exercises on the individual.

It will also be a good idea to talk as often as possible with the patient. The person should be within the line of sight of the individual and must say each word slowly in order to understand each word being said.

The best place to treat someone with Alzheimer's is in the home. The people who are there should make sure that there is order in the house and it is quiet at all times because noise will just aggravate the patient.

Living with someone who has Alzheimer's can be compared to taking care of a toddler. This is because the person will touch anything in sight and might even get hurt in the process. The best thing to do is to take make sure there is no clutter in the house and items that are deemed unsafe are hidden from view.

Alzheimer sufferers are known to wander off. The person can lock the doors but should the patient manage to get out, it is best to have either a bracelet or a pocket card inserted in the clothing. This must have the name, address of the patient as well as the contact number where someone can be reached to pick up the wanderer.

Studies show that those who are suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease really get worked up in the evening. This can be prevented by coming up with evening rituals such as washing the dishes, watching television or walking around for a while to make the patient calm and sleep tight.

Those who are suffering from Alzheimer's aside from the medicine prescribed by the doctor also need exercise. It doesn’t have to be anything extraneous but just enough to keep the strength up. An early morning walk or lifting small weights are just a few examples to promote a certain level of fitness for the patient.

It is not easy living with someone who has Alzheimer’s Disease because the task of taking care of someone is both tiring and frustrating. People have to understand that no one wanted this to happen but the reality is that the problem is there.

It is a good thing there are support groups out there that can help family members and patients cope with this disease. The people can also live closer because it won't be long before the inevitable will happen and this person will go off to a better place.

Living With Alzheimer’s Disease

Treatment and Care for AlzheimersPatients

2009-06-26T00:26:00.000-07:00

Treatment and Care for AlzheimersPatients

Many breakthroughs and important discoveries have been found throughout the years of research and testing regarding the cure and treatment of Alzheimersdisease. Despite that though, there continues to be no known cure or prevention for Alzheimers. Furthermore, once the disease has started, there can be no repairing or slowing down the damage of abnormal deposits of proteins in the brain.

People with Alzheimershave abnormal deposits of protein in their brains. These brain protein coat the brain and interacts with the neurons, neurotransmitters and nerves, causing damage and massive atrophy. Eventually, the brain will continue to shrink and the otherwise wrinkled surface will start to smoothen out. This is basically what causes the degeneration in the mind and in the person's body.

There however are some drugs and treatments that seem to relieve symptomatic conditions slightly in some cases. These drugs and Alzheimerstreatments are especially important during the onset and early stages of the illness when the sufferer can still be aware of what he or she is going through.

For instance, a person with Alzheimersat the early stages may suffer from depression or restlessness and certain drugs and Alzheimerstreatments can be administered to help with this somewhat. Also, there have been some cases where memory loss at the beginning of dementia can still be improved somehow. Other possible symptoms that can be momentarily alleviated are sleep disorders and hallucinations.

Beyond these, the proper Alzheimerstreatment of caregivers for patients is a highly specialized skill and needs to be administered by a professional. This will mean that the patient will eventually have to be entrusted in institutionalized care for the proper Alzheimerstreatment needed.

Of course, loved ones of the Alzheimerspatient will want to administer care personally but the care and Alzheimerstreatment needed by the patient will be full time and specialized so it is best for a professional caregiver to ensure dignity is maintained throughout the course of the person's disease.

Despite the present lack of Alzheimerstreatment and cure, hope should never be abandoned. After all the technological advancements that have been made in the field of science and medicine, it probably won't be long before the proper Alzheimerstreatment and cure will be discovered.

If not the cure or Alzheimerstreatment, then perhaps the methods of prevention against Alzheimerswill be found to help other individuals not fall into this predicament. Perhaps in the near future, there will be vaccines for Alzheimersdisease much like we all have vaccines against diseases like small pox and the like. All those diseases in the past posed a challenge to humanity then just like Alzheimersdoes now.

In the meantime, if you or someone you know and care about suffers from Alzheimers, it is best to consult a professional for possible options for instance for eventual institutional care, or for support groups or counseling advice that can be given to the patient and to his or her friends and relatives.

There may be some misconceptions and even some difficulty in accepting the situation of this disease whether it is on the side of the patient or from the people around him or her. For instances such as these, the right counseling and guidance is needed as part of the proper Alzheimerstreatment.

Treatment and Care for AlzheimersPatients

Preventing Alzheimer’s Disease

2009-06-26T00:24:00.000-07:00

Preventing Alzheimer’s Disease

When one reaches the later years of one’s life, systems will slow down and bones will weaken. This is the time when you will not be able to do the things that you used to do before or if you were still able to do it, you would not be able to do it with the same speed and strength as you used to before.

That is the sad fact about aging. Things will slow down and eventually, little by little, disappear.

But that is not always the case. For some people, the aging process can speed up especially in the area of the brain.

This is what scientists call Alzheimer’s.

It is a degenerative and progressive disease that targets the brain, particularly the areas that deal with learning and memory. Although it often affects people over the age of 80, there are some who are diagnosed with the problem as early as their 40s and 50s. There are also rare cases when Alzheimer’s attacks at late 20s.

Alzheimer’s Disease is characterized by a progressive memory loss and inability to focus attention on one thing. People with this disease will forget their names, their addresses and will cease to recognize their husbands, children and people who are close to them.

When it is on its later stages, language problems may also happen because of the inability of the person to recall words that are appropriate for what they are going to say. The disease may also result to behavioral changes because of progressive memory loss. There are some patients who don’t remember how to go about their normal functions such as eating, sleeping or brushing their teeth. Some may even forget how to breathe.

This is the reason why most old people dread this disease. It can really be debilitating, robbing you of your life and often times your loved one.

Although nothing has been proven yet, some studies show that doing mental tasks can actually slow down the progression of the disease. For instance, patients who love to answer puzzles and play mental games like chess are slower in their progression compared to other patients with the same degree and case of Alzheimer. Because of this, some scientists believe that Alzheimer’s can be prevented through the use of the mental process.

Below are some ways to prevent Alzheimer’s from settling in.

Learn something new

Old age is not a reason to stop learning new things. You can learn a variety of things, dancing, cooking, singing, a new language, crafts, the arts. There are so many things to choose from. Don the things that you have not done before, things that you never thought, you’ll be doing. Your age should not be hindrance to the things that you want to do.

In addition to enriching your life, learning something new affords a fresh challenge for your brains. This way, your mental processes will be used once again. This keeps the brain cells in shape and sharp.

Play mind games

This is not to say that you should be scheming and plotting, stirring the boat for the members of your family. Mind games here refer to the tamer kind, crossword puzzles, sudoku. These are ways to sharpen those mental skills and memory. This also allows you to practice or be familiar with words and things once again, lessening the chance of you forgetting them.

Preventing Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer’s Disease

2009-06-26T00:20:00.000-07:00

Alzheimer’s Disease

People tend to forget certain things because of work and other priorities. This is not uncommon because this does happen to everybody. However, when an individual tends to forget even the simplest things, there is already something definitely wrong. There is a chance that one has Alzheimer’s Disease.

Alzheimer’s Disease is a disorder in the brain. In time, the patient will gradually lose both the intellectual and social abilities making it difficult to do anything and even interact with others.

This disease commonly afflicts people above 65 years of age. There are currently 4.5 million Americans that are suffering from this disease. It is projected that this number will increase, as the more population will reach the retirement age.

There is no known cure yet for Alzheimer’s Disease. The only thing medical science can do for now is simply delay the inevitable for those who have just been diagnosed with the disease.

Is Alzheimer’s Disease the same as dementia? The answer is no. This is because dementia is a symptom, which is caused by a disorder such as Alzheimer’s Disease.

There are many symptoms for this disease. It may begin with the person simply forgetting certain things. It is hard to tell at this point but when it gets worse such as not knowing how to get to the office or get home, then there is definitely a problem.

Some patients are known to forget how to do some simple mathematical computations or even find the right words when writing a letter. There are those who are also disoriented and find it difficult to do certain tasks and make simple decisions.

The worse of these symptoms is perhaps experiencing personality changes even in the presence of family members and close friends. There are times the person is happy and then this will just change for no reason at all.

A neurological scan is the best way to check if the patient has Alzheimer’s Disease. If it is confirmed, the individual has this problem, the best way to treat it is through the use of medical prescribed drugs.

There are two namely memantine and cholinesterase inhibitors. Studies have shown these can slow down the process as scientists are still conducting research to finally find a cure for this disease.

Patients who are diagnosed with the disorder will probably live more for 8 more years. This will really depend on how strong the person is because some have lived for 3 while others have fought with it for more than 10 years.

How can family members help a loved one with this disease? The siblings can take turns watching over the patient. If this is not possible, this is the time that a caregiver must be hired to check on the patient. This specialist will usually stay in the home and make sure the person is safe.

Physical and mental exercises must be administered to keep the patient's strength up and even help depression, which is another symptom commonly, associated with Alzheimer’s Disease.

Whenever the people visit, it is best for each person to stay in the line of sight of the patient. It is best to speak slowly and even hold on to the individual, which is known to make the sufferer remember who he or she is talking to.

Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer’s care - Alzheimer’s disease

2009-06-25T05:46:00.000-07:00

Alzheimer’s care - Alzheimer’s disease

Finding caregivers for people with Alzheimer’s disease

One of the most dreaded diseases in old age is Alzheimer’s disease. Although unlike cancer and heart problem, this is actually not fatal. In fact, people with Alzheimer’s can live for a long time with proper care. That is actually the problem most of the time.
With Alzheimer’s disease, the patient need to be taken care of all the time. This is because the memory loss will often render the patient incapable of thinking and reasoning. Some will even forget how to do the simplest of tasks, like brushing their teeth and even eating with a spoon and fork.
Alzheimer’s is a progressive and degenerative disease that affects the brain. The problem often leads to massive memory loss not only in terms of one’s memories but also one’s learning. Patients will forget everything that they have learned even routinary tasks that they have learned when they were just tots. Some people will also find it hard to learn new things and may even lose their language abilities. They will have difficulties in their speech and in their writing.
Because of this, caring for a patient with Alzheimer’s disease can be extremely difficult. It is actually like caring for a newborn babe but while a baby will slowly learn to function independently, patients with Alzheimer’s disease will lose what they have learned and will slowly become more and more dependent with their caregivers. Thus, it is important to find a caregiver that is both professionally-capable and caring as they will determine the progress that the patient will have as well as their overall condition and behavior.
Here are some tips in finding a good caregiver for an Alzheimer’s patient.
Alzheimer’s care - Choose a professional
It is good to look for a person that is already well experienced in caring for people with Alzheimer’s. Not only will their experience come in handy when it comes to dealing with the patient’s medicines and medical routines, they will also be more patient because of prior knowledge.
One problem though in hiring these kinds of people is the money that you will shell out for their salaries. Private nurses and caregivers are expensive enough as it is without adding the burden of a specialization. If you just cannot afford to hire someone with enough experience, try one who has worked with old people and then give him or her materials that will make them familiar with the basics of the disease.
Alzheimer’s care - Choose someone you know
Nothing beats hiring someone that you already know or someone that you have already seen working. Patients with Alzheimer’s will have a lot of quirks and behavior that can be extremely irritating and difficult to deal with. Thus, it is important that you choose someone that you know will have a lot of patience and care.
Of course, if a member of the family can spare the time for the patient, that is good. If not, you can ask for recommendations from people that you know. Chances are they know someone who can take care of a patient with Alzheimer’s.
Alzheimer’s care - Choose someone strong
Although this is actually not a major issue, it is also important that you choose someone who can deal with the patient and the often back breaking tasks. Remember that because the patient is full- dependent on the person, they will sometimes need to carry them or guide them when walking.

Alzheimer’s care - Alzheimer’s disease

Alzheimers Disease - Symptoms of Alzheimer's

2009-06-25T05:39:00.000-07:00

Symptoms of Alzheimer's

When word Alzheimer's is mentioned, the first thing that comes to mind is memory loss. This assumption is correct given that the doctor's have determined this to be a disorder that usually happens to old folk.
There are many symptoms of Alzheimer's and doctors often associate it with the seven stages. There is no cause of alarm yet in the first two stages since even the smartest people tend to forget things every so often.
The first two stages Symptoms of Alzheimer's may last for four years. However, when this happens more frequently, the patient could already be in the third or fourth stage and this is just going to get worse. A simple example could be if the individual is unable to complete a simple task that was easily done in the past like doing some basic arithmetic.
People will definitely notice the changes. This is the reason some family members take shifts watching over the loved one or get a nurse to watch over the person.
The fifth stage Symptoms of Alzheimer's is better known as moderate Alzheimer's because aside from not being able to recall names or do things without assistance, the individual will become disoriented and may at times get lost.
One precaution often being taken is for the patient to wear an ID card in the neck or placed in the pocket. This contains the name, address and contact person of who should be called when this happens.
The sixth stage of Symptoms of Alzheimer's is when the person also begins to have mood swings. The patient may be jolly to talking to other people when suddenly everything changes and the attitude is now hostile to whoever is there.
The worse part about the disorder during this stage is that the person will act like a baby. Tantrums may be thrown but the worst part is seeing the patient defecate on his or herself. The caretaker will have to clean up the mess as though the person was an infant and are advised to use adult diapers, which is more convenient when cleaning up the mess.
The seventh stage of Symptoms of Alzheimer's is not that bad anymore. This is because the body's systems will slowly shut down. The patient won't speak or do anything and will usually just stare into space.
It is like the person gave up the will to live. The body may be there but the mind or the soul has gone off to another place.
Anyone who is diagnosed with Alzheimer's will have less than 10 years left to live. Doctors only catch on in the third and fourth stages since the symptoms of short-term memory loss are hardly noticeable and often attributed to aging.

What can people do for those who have Alzheimer's? Unfortunately, there is not that much anyone can do because there is no cure yet for this disorder. There are drugs available that can only slow down the process before it gets worse but those who care are just delaying the inevitable.
Research shows that there are more than four million people in the country that are suffering from this disease. The figure will go higher as the baby boom generation also reaches the same age.
As long as there are drugs that can delay the process, doctors may be able to buy a little more time so that the person may live to see the day that a cure has been made.

Symptoms of Alzheimer's - Alzheimers Disease

Signs of Alzheimer's

2009-06-23T07:47:00.000-07:00

Alzheimers Disease Association

Alzheimer's disease is a progressive brain disorder. Its gradual effects on the brain are relentless as a sufferer's memory is progressively destroyed and along with it, the capability to learn, make judgments, and communicate. The disease will eventually make it difficult for the sufferer to even carry out normal daily tasks to the point of total disappearance of any capability.

It is a very difficult circumstance to be in, to watch a family member seemingly “wastes away” bit by bit. The sufferer's the struggle to maintain some form of sanity despite the condition is often too much for many relatives to bear that they, sadly, distance themselves from the sufferer instead of giving support.

It really pays to know more about Alzheimer's and better understand the condition lest you find yourself or a member of your family in this type of situation. Knowing the warning signs early on can help you cope up with the disease earlier where there might still be some chance at minimizing the damaging effects of Alzheimer's. Knowing what to look for will not only help you but also your friends or loved ones who might also have the odds against them in developing the said debilitating disease.

It is of the utmost important to understand some of the warning signs of Alzheimer's. While memory loss is reasonable and is an expected symptom of aging, the type of memory loss symptoms of Alzheimer's are significantly greater and are often accompanied or followed by other tell tale symptoms. People suffering this disease often have difficulty with general cognitive abilities such as communication, thinking, reasoning, comparing, and learning new skills.

Short-term memory is what Alzheimer's disease usually affects first. Sufferers tend to forget family names and even how to perform simple daily tasks. However, long-term memory is somehow attained with Alzheimer's disease where some patients may even retain the ability of remembering events from the past.

Another sign shown by patients suffering from Alzheimer's disease is the gradual loss of verbal communication skills. Instead of speaking up, sufferers will begin to communicate their feelings, preferences and needs through body language and facial expressions more frequently. Perception is another area that can be affected by Alzheimer's disease.

It may be difficult to set up a clear warning sign level as some of the symptoms exhibited by Alzheimer's sufferers might just be a part of normal behavior. Such symptoms may even be related to another ailment entirely. But when you see such signs being exhibited by someone near to you or someone that you know, you should never be quick to rule out Alzheimer's as a possible reason. Here are the ten basic warning signs for Alzheimer's to always look out for:

•Gradual loss of memory
•Difficulty performing simple everyday tasks
•Problems with language
•Disorientation
•Declining judgment
•Inability to perform complex mental tasks
•Misplacing certain everyday items
•Noticeable behavioral changes
•Increased confusion, fear and suspicion
•Loss of initiative

As of the present there are no Alzheimer's treatments that will totally cure, prevent or reverse the onset of the disease or its gradual progression. What doctors can do is try to treat many of the disease symptoms such as loss of memory. The good news is that as new discoveries about the disease are being made, it won't be long before effective Alzheimer's treatments will be made available.

Try to consult with a qualified physician in order to help eliminate some symptoms that might look like true Alzheimer's and to effectively distinguish between the many other causes of dementia, some of which are completely treatable.

Alzheimers Disease Association