Join Stay At Home Nursing in recognizing January as Alzheimer’s Month. This is an important time to raise awareness, reduce stigma around dementia, and share trustworthy, evidence-based information about cognitive health and aging.
Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive brain disorder that affects cognition and daily functioning, and it is the most common cause of dementia, accounting for roughly 70% of all cases. Globally, more than 55million people live with dementia. Early symptoms of Alzheimer’s include memory loss, confusion, and difficulty planning, problem-solving and finding words.
While the aging process often includes discrete changes to memory, word recall, or thinking speed, these changes will not necessarily impact a person’s overall independence or daily functioning. There are also multiple benefits associated with the aging brain—a vast array of lived experience and education to draw upon, a broad vocabulary, a deepening of insight and wisdom. However, Alzheimer’s disease radically disrupts this normal aging process. People living with dementia usually have memory loss significant enough that it interferes with daily life and may include forgetting important events or people. They may struggle with tasks to the point that they interfere with their ability to live independently.
Simply put: while some forgetfulness, or slowing down, is an entirely normal part of the aging process, the memory loss, confusion and disruption of everyday life associated with Alzheimer’s disease is not. Awareness of these symptoms is important in encouraging an open dialogue that promotes early assessment and diagnosis. (Read more here on this).
Currently there are no guaranteed ways to prevent Alzheimer’s, but a large body of evidence-based data highlights certain lifestyle factors that influence brain health. It is estimated that up to 45% of all dementias could be delayed or prevented by addressing these lifestyle factors. These risk factors are explored in greater detail in Move, Connect, Play! Modifiable Lifestyle Factors that Impact Risk of Cognitive Decline or Dementia (our next blog in this series).
Issues with sleep and depression often accompany Alzheimer’s diagnosis. Certain cognitive rehabilitation programs and non-drug therapies can support those living with Alzheimer’s, their loved ones and their care providers. (This is a topic explored in greater length in Dealing with Dementia-And Recognizing You Are Not Alone).
Greater awareness increases our ability to support those living with Alzheimer’s, their loved ones, and their caregivers. Knowledge and early intervention matter.
Need to speak with someone? We would be happy to take your questions and also outline potential support options for you and your family.
Contact us at intakes@stayathomenursing.com or +1 (888) 558-3603
This is the first in a series of three blog posts exploring dementia care. In our next post, we’ll examine Modifiable Lifestyle Factors That Impact Risk of Cognitive Decline or Dementia. Stay tuned.
