What is Alzheimer’s disease and what makes it so unique?

It is the most common form of dementia. About 50 percent to 75 percent of all dementia patients have Alzheimer’s.

An additional 20 percent to 30 percent of dementia is due to blood vessel disease known as “multi infarct” or “mini-strokes.”

Alzheimer’s is much like many other chronic diseases in that it requires an increasing level of care over time. But unlike other chronic diseases, such as cancer, Alzheimer’s is a “death of the mind,” the one aspect that makes a person an individual.

Some early warning signs of Alzheimer’s are:

- Recent memory loss that affects job skills

- Getting lost in familiar places

- Wandering

- Having difficulty with familiar tasks such as dressing, cooking, driving, balancing a checkbook.

- Being unable to understand books, movies, or news items

- Misplacing items and putting items in unusual places.

- Having problems finding the right word to use.

- Having inappropriate social behavior

- Having mood and personality changes

Care for a person with Alzheimer’s may be provided by family or friends. Most of these caregivers are the spouses who are themselves elderly.

Adult sons or daughters make up the second largest group of caregivers.

Being a caregiver can be one of the most difficult responsibilities and yet it also can be rewarding if the caregiver is prepared and educated about the disease and the best practices to be used.

Here are some basic do’s and don’ts to use when communicating with someone diagnosed with dementia who displays behavioral symptoms.

- Treat people as adults with respect and dignity, even if their behavior is annoying or childlike.- Smile and present a calm, relaxed attitude.- Use gentle touch and direct eye contact.- Address the person by name.- Speak slowly and calmly, using short, simple sentences.- Be patient.- Explain what you want the person to do or what you are going to do one step at a time.- Simplify tasks- Ask rather than tell or demand.- Praise sincerely for even small successes.- Anticipate problems and avoid them whenever possible.- Excuse yourself and reapproach the person later.- Ask the person what is wrong and listen to his/her answer. If you don’t understand the words, respond to the feelings being expressed.- If possible, ignore the behavioral symptom.- Try to assess what was happening before and at the time of the behavioral symptom so that a recurrence may be prevented.

- Argue, confront, reason or try to convince the person- Be parental and or tell people what they should do- Talk about the person as if he or she is not there- Talk “over” the person as if he or she is not there- Blame the person- Try to rush or hurry the person- Use gestures that might be interpreted as threatening- Take the behavioral symptoms personallySupport services to help caregivers include respite care, adult day care, Meals on Wheels and groups such as the Alzheimer’s Association.As the dementia progresses, the person will require an increase in the amount and intensity of care. It may become difficult for a loving family to provide the around-the-clock care that the Alzheimer’s patient now requires and families may need to look at alternatives such as placement in a facility.Information on facilities can be found on the Internet, by contacting your physician, talking with clergy or by calling a facility and speaking with their social worker or nursing director.This article was submitted by Donna Sell, director of nursing at Saxony Health Center in Saxonburg.