Alzheimer’s is a degenerative brain disease in which the brain begins
to lose certain aspects that help it function and operate. Particularly
the memory aspect of the brain is compromised as well as other aspects
that help with reasoning and computing and deduction. Often, the first
and second stages of Alzheimer’s are impossible to distinguish because
the symptoms barely present themselves. Instead, elderly people can
easily attribute their inability to remember some things as signs of
ordinary old age and that is why stage one and two is most usually
dismissed and really very difficult to diagnose. But once stage three
becomes more apparent, the patients will not be able to do math problems
that might have been easy before and will be unable to remember names
of things, though faces will still be familiar. They might know what
something is but will not recall what to call it and this becomes even
more pronounced during stage four and five.

As the stages
progress, the patient is unable to recall immediate family members,
faces become unfamiliar, and they might not be able to solve easy math
problems or answer basic questions. They might become confused and
perplexed and might even suffer from symptoms like anger or depression
or a sense of being lost and dazed. As the stages progress, soon the
patient will unable to recall what year it is currently, where they are,
and sometimes who they are. This poses a danger to them as they might
wander out of the house and go searching for something they do not know
about, feeling lost and unsure in their present state. In these cases,
and by this time, they require constant supervision and care.

As
the stages continue to worsen, even when diagnosed, there is little that
anyone can do in the way of providing a cure. However, there are ways
to make life easier for those who have Alzheimer’s. Making sure that
they are kept in a safe home is one way to ensure that they remain safe
no matter what changes are taking place. Sometimes families are able to
care for them, but often the stress of daily life makes it impossible
and that is why choosing a good nursing home is imperative in the
protection of someone you know who has Alzheimer’s.

It can be a
difficult thing, too, to feel as though you are losing a loved one to a
disease that strips them of their memory, of their distinguishable
personality traits, and of their understanding and recognition of you,
but it is important to be patient and to stick together with other loved
ones. Never try to take this challenge on your own. As the disease
progresses, sometimes there are moments when the patient has a lucid
moment when things become clear again. Usually this happens closer to
the earlier stages and much less at the end. During these lucid moments,
you want to be nearby so that you are there for all the moments. Though
the patient may not remember this later, you will always have the
memory to hold on to. Family therapy and counseling might be another way
to cope with having a loved one who has Alzheimer’s.