For people and families that have ever been affected by Alzheimer’s Disease in the past, you certainly won’t need anybody to tell you how debilitating and truly awful the disease is.

 

Dementia can rob a person of their true identity and can tear families apart. Dementia is a collective term for symptoms affecting the brain caused by a gradual and ongoing decline in cognitive health and function.

While there are many different forms of dementia, as debilitating as each one is, Alzheimer’s is the most common and, arguably, the most severe as well.

Dementia, such as Alzheimer’s, can affect short- and long-term memory, thinking, brain health and function in general. The symptoms of each case also differ significantly from person to person.

But what exactly is Alzheimer’s Disease, what causes it, and what are the risk factors? To help you understand more about this debilitating condition, here is a detailed guide looking at everything you need to know about Alzheimer’s.

 

What is Alzheimer’s Disease?

As mentioned, Alzheimer’s Disease is a form of dementia. Here in the UK, a survey conducted by the Alzheimer’s Study in 2019 found that more than 850,000 people in the UK were living with some form of dementia. This is around 1 in 14 people aged 65 and over. Experts estimate that, unless there are any breakthroughs in terms of medical treatment, over 1.5 million UK people will be diagnosed with dementia by 2040.

Alzheimer’s Disease is considered a progressive condition, meaning that the symptoms gradually worsen in severity as time passes. Around 60% – 80% of people living with dementia are thought to have Alzheimer’s.

Alzheimer’s affects the brain and can impact memory and other cognitive functions. Despite Alzheimer’s being far more common in older people, it is not a standard part of ageing. The precise causes of Alzheimer’s are not yet known, though multiple medical breakthroughs have occurred over the years.

 

What are the main symptoms of Alzheimer’s Disease?

Alzheimer’s signs and symptoms can vary from person to person. As the disease is progressive, it may begin with very mild symptoms, but it will likely get progressively worse as the years pass.

Typically, the first warning signs of Alzheimer’s, and dementia in general, are ones which affect memory.

Common signs and symptoms of Alzheimer’s Disease include the following:

• Short-term memory loss
• Mood swings
• Confusion
• Disorientation
• Difficulty communicating
• Mobility issues
• Changes in personality
• Mental health issues
• Hallucinations and false senses of reality.

 

Cause and Risk Factors

While experts are not entirely sure what causes the disease, it is believed to be due to abnormal accumulations of proteins, including ‘amyloid’ and ‘tau’ located around and within brain cells.

These proteins often begin accumulating long before the most visible symptoms of the disease make themselves known.

While the precise causes of Alzheimer’s are unknown, we do know some of the main risk factors, which include:

Family history

Genetics can play a key role in determining whether or not a person suffers with Alzheimer’s.

If you have a history of the disease in your family, this puts you at a greater risk of developing it. However, by no means is it a guarantee that you develop it, in the same way that no family history will guarantee that you don’t develop it.

Age

Age is probably the most prominent risk factor when it comes to dementia, especially Alzheimer’s Disease.

A person’s risk of developing the condition will double every five years once they reach 65 just because a person is 65 or over; however, this in no way guarantees that they’ll contract the condition.

Being under 65 is also no guarantee of protection, as 1 in 20 people living with Alzheimer’s is under 65 years of age. Early onset Alzheimer’s, as it is known, can begin around 40 years of age, though there have been rare instances where people much younger than that have been affected.

Head trauma

People who have suffered head trauma, such as concussions or other brain and head injuries, may also be at a higher risk of developing the condition.

Unhealthy lifestyle

People who lead unhealthy lifestyles by smoking, not exercising, eating junk food, not consuming healthy produce, drinking alcohol excessively, or using recreational drugs are at a much higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s Disease later in life.

Studies have found that drinking plenty of water, exercising regularly, limiting alcohol, getting enough sleep, and eating healthy produce with plenty of fruits, vegetables, and healthy fats, can considerably reduce a person’s risk of developing Alzheimer’s.

 

Tips for caring for somebody with Alzheimer’s Disease

Caring for a loved one who suffers with Alzheimer’s can be difficult, but there are things you can do to make the process easier.

Here are some tips for caring for somebody with Alzheimer’s:

• Provide them with simple instructions
• Don’t lose your patience with them
• Establish a basic daily routine
• Plan ahead for visits, gatherings, celebrations, etc
• Schedule extra time for completing everyday tasks and chores such as washing, cleaning, bathing etc
• Try to limit naps during the day so as to ensure days and nights are not confused
• Try to reduce distractions such as TVs, radios, and loud music, during important times of the day
• Seek professional medical help and guidance
• Network with others in similar situations to you
• Make time for yourself.

The above overview of this dreadful and life-changing illness will hopefully spark conversations as an open approach to the condition can only help to raise awareness of Alzheimer’s Disease. So many live with dementia or care for a loved one with the condition; it touches the lives of millions. With the right support and more research into the causes and potential treatments, maybe one day, this thief of an illness will be only present in history.