The reason that I chose Alzheimer's Disease as the disease that I will report on is because I felt .
that it is very interesting and common within people over the age of sixty. I believed that I if I need a great .
deal about this disease, I would understand more about why so many people have become devastated by it. .
A good friend of my Grandfather's also had the disease but he has passed away. I do know however, that as .
soon as it was understood that he had the disease, he had to begin to change the way his life worked .
significantly. For one, he really couldn't go outside alone and he couldn't do much without his wife by his .
side. He had to stay home most of the time dreaming about imaginary things and repeating stories over and .
over again. His memory gradually receded and he began to lose control of bodily functions such as his .
ability to feed himself or to communicate with others. After seven years of painful suffering, he died.
The symptoms of Alzheimer's disease are rather easy to distinguish and classify. Patients of the .
disease lose much of the information that they have recently learned and cannot learn anything new. They .
begin to constantly misplace objects, often repeat themselves, and usually become confused in simple .
situations. When in relatively simplex places patients may become lost or even forget where they are. .
Psychologically however, patients begin to become depressed most of the time and be anxious or confused. .
Some become restless and can barely ever sleep.
The cause of the disease, although not completely proven, is strictly genetics. It is passed down .
from generation to generation and that is one reason why it is so common among older people. Four percent .
of persons 65 to 74 years old are affected; ten percent of those 75 to 84 years, and twenty percent of those .
85 years or older! It is however, remarkably rare among younger and middle aged people.
The treatments and medications for Alzheimer's Disease are rare.