Alzheimer’s Awareness Month is always celebrated every November. It is the perfect time to honor loved ones with this type of cognitive condition and as well as be familiar with the latest information on Alzheimer’s disease.
Alzheimer’s disease is described as a progressive mental disorder that is irreversible and usually occurs during middle or old age because nerve cells degenerate and die resulting in memory loss.
According to Alzheimer’s Association, there were only less than 2 million people diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, which is a far cry from more than 5.7 million people with the cognitive disease today and that will most likely triple by 2050.
In line with Alzheimer’s Awareness Month, we’re featuring five articles that can help you understand the cognitive condition better and to help you prepare emotionally and financially.
New Study Shows the Link Between Alzheimer’s and Herpes
Doctors still don’t know what causes Alzheimer’s and can’t find a cure for it. But this new study revealed that they have found evidence that two strains of Herpes may contribute to the progression of the disease that causes cognitive decline and memory loss.
According to the research, brains of Alzheimer’s patients with herpes virus were twice higher compared to individuals with no cognitive condition. But researchers don’t want people to worry since they still need more research to cement their findings linking herpes to Alzheimer’s. Right now, they believe that their findings can help doctors discover new treatment options.
Top 10 Facts About Alzheimer’s Disease
There is a lot of information about Alzheimer’s that are circulating right now but here are the latest Alzheimer’s facts according to A Place for Mom. Researchers discover new things about Alzheimer’s every year and some of the statistics are surprising and alarming.
One that is worth mentioning among the top 10 facts about Alzheimer’s is that more women have Alzheimer’s. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, nearly two-thirds of Americans with Alzheimer’s are women. The primary reason for this is the fact that women usually outlive men.
New Report Reveals Sharp Increases in Alzheimer’s Prevalence, Deaths and Costs
According to the 2018 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures report, the total payments caring for Alzheimer’s patients or those with Dementia-related conditions will surpass $277 billion. This means a growing burden of people with Alzheimer’s to those who are taking care of them. Family caregivers are both emotionally and financially strained due to the stressful nature of caregiving and the rising cost of Alzheimer’s care.
The mortality rate of individuals continues to rise. In fact, deaths from Alzheimer’s disease increased by 123% between 2000 and 2015. One reason behind this is the prevalence of Alzheimer’s. Right now, there are an estimated 5.7 million Americans living with Alzheimer’s and this will most likely triple by 2050.
Warning Signs of Stress for Alzheimer’s Caregivers
Taking care of individuals with Alzheimer’s are challenging according to Ruth Drew, director of family and information services for the Alzheimer’s Association. So it is important to recognize the sign of stress right away to avoid burnout, protect your welfare and also to avoid damaging the health of a family member with Alzheimer’s.
If you see signs of stress such as exhaustion, change in sleeping and eating patterns, anger or irritation, anxiety, depression and etc., it’s recommended to take a break from caregiving, seek help from support groups and start taking care of yourself more.
Don’t ignore warning signs of stress to protect your overall well-being and as well as your loved ones too.
Insights on being Proactive in Fighting Alzheimer’s disease
The Alzheimer’s Association has compiled a list of steps that individuals should follow to prevent cognitive decline and reduce the chances of developing Dementia. According to the recent study, making positive lifestyle changes can reduce the risk of having Alzheimer’s.
Doing things such as eating a balanced and healthy diet, having quality sleep, maintaining good cardiovascular health, quitting smoking and etc. can help in fighting Alzheimer’s disease.
Conclusion
Since there is still no cure, the best thing you can do is take into consideration the insights of these articles can help you prepare and fight Alzheimer’s. It’s important to be emotionally prepared since taking care of someone with Alzheimer’s disease is very hard. Also, it’s imperative to be financially prepared by shopping for insurance that pays for Alzheimer’s care considering that the cost of Alzheimer’s care continues to rise.