Challenges of Living With Alzheimer Disease

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Thesis statement
Problems faced by caregivers
Emotional problems
Fatigue
Financial problems
Conclusion
References

Introduction

Alzheimer’s Disease is not a problem of old age. It is a medical disorder that causes abnormal changes in the brain. It mainly affects memory and other mental abilities. Therefore, it is a disease and not a normal part of aging. It often starts at the age of 60 years. Dementia is a brain disorder that interferes with the ability of a person to perform daily tasks. Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) begins slowly. It first starts with memory loss. People suffering from AD have problems recalling recent activities or even remembering the names of people. Over time, the symptoms worsen. The patients may have problems with speech, writing, and reading. They may forget basic things like brushing teeth among others. As the condition worsens, they get restless or hostile and may even run away from home.

The disease may appear as early as 30 but can only be diagnosed once a person attains 60 years. There are no tests that give a diagnosis of the disease. A doctor may just need to find out if the mental disorder is AD. However, with the advancement in research, doctors are considering testing using cerebrospinal fluids, brain scans, or traces of abnormality in the blood. Similarly, there is no cure for Alzheimer’s Disease this is because the cause cannot be established. However, some medicines can be used. The medications make the condition of the patient better during the first stages of the disease. However, the drugs cannot work during the late stages of AD (Norton and Waldman, 2007). Family members experience difficulties in staying with the patients. This treatise discusses some of these difficulties that family members encounter.

Thesis statement

Living with Alzheimer’s disease is more challenging for their caregiving family members because of emotional problems, fatigue, and financial problems.

Problems faced by caregivers

The caregivers encounter difficulties when handling patients suffering from AD. The problems increase as the disease worsens. The predicaments can be categorized into three as discussed below.

Emotional problems

Discovering that a family member has Alzheimer’s Disease is always heartbreaking for the person diagnosed and the rest family members. Both the caregiving family members and the patient often deny the condition for a long time especially before they learn to live with it. The family members may find it hard to cope with symptoms and behaviors caused by the disease. Some of the symptoms and behaviors entail a tendency to lose things, poor decision and judgment making, patients may leave food cooking in pans, and inability to eat and work, among other symptoms. Over time, the patients become unable to perform family responsibilities. Cares giving family members may find it hard to separate the disease from the loved one. During the middle stage of the disease, the symptoms worsen. The patients get restless, agitated, fear bathing, violent behaviors, unintentional leakage of urine, and inapt sexual behaviors, among other weird behaviors. During this stage, the caregiving family members feel secluded. They have feelings of grief and loss of surface as their family member changes behavior (Aggar, Ronaldson & Cameron, 2010, pp. 409 – 415).

Caregiving family members need a lot of emotional support from friends, professionals, and support groups on how to deal with the challenges and changes. The support can be in form of counseling. Such counseling gives them hope and ideas on how to handle the patients. Besides, the counseling should be throughout stages of the disease. Other than counseling, caregiving family members should consider taking the patients to nursing facilities or dementia care facilities. This can also help them emotionally especially during the final stage of the disease. Care-giving family members may develop diseases from emotional disturbance. Therefore, they need adequate moral support. Other than counseling, caregiving family members should consider taking the patients to nursing facilities or dementia care facilities. This can also help them emotionally especially during the final stage of the disease. Without adequate precaution, caregiving the family members may develop diseases as a result of the emotional trauma.

Fatigue

Patients ailing from this medical condition require a lot of care. Such patients are mentally unstable. Therefore, are not accountable for their actions. The disease tampers with the mobility of a person. For instance, they have problems going out shopping and they may be unable to trace their way back home. In addition, during the middle stage, they have problems with eating, reading, and writing. The caregiver has to pay close attention to the patient all day round to ensure they are safe. In addition, the caregiver may take them to all places they go. Sometimes proving care to such patients is considered as a reverse of raising a child. The caregiver will be tired at the end of the day. Therefore, they should have adequate rest. The caregiver should also closely monitor his/her health to avoid the possibility of depression. Symptoms of depression include stress, tension, and appropriate reaction to the patient (Croog, Burleson, Sudilovsky & Baume, 2006, pp. 91 – 93).

Financial problems

Other than emotional problems, the family members have to face additional financial needs as a result of the disease. The family members have to think about how to meet the increasing cost as the disease advances. They have to consider reviewing insurance covers for the patient. Besides, they should also plan for long-term care of the patient. The cost of long-term care includes fees paid to professionals and care centers if there will be a need to move the patient to the care centers. Also, the family may consider engaging a therapist who will change the home environment to make it suitable for the patient. During the last stage of the disease about 6 months before death, the caregiving family may consider using hospice services. These services are given with the help of a physician (Austrom & Lu, 2009, pp. 395 – 398).

Other than the cost of medication, the caregiving family may also have to incur costs of preparing legal documents. This should be done early enough before the disease is diagnosed. If it is not done in good time, the family may have to appeal for conservatorship through court proceedings. These proceedings involve a lot of costs. Therefore, this medical condition requires a lot of finances to support the patient.

Conclusion

Several research and literature reviews have been carried out on the topic. Results of the research indicate that caring for a family member suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease is a heartache experience. Watching one of your loved ones change from a normal person to a mentally impaired person and finally to death can be depressing. The disease impacts so much on the daily lives of the family members as they see the strange behavior. Besides, it is costly to take care of patients suffering from the disease. A family has to plan well for the financial implications. Therefore, the caregiving family members need to take care of themselves to avoid contracting diseases. Counseling is of the essence during the caregiving process. Also, they should learn how to handle the patients.

References

Aggar, C., Ronaldson, S., & Cameron, D. (2010). Reactions to caregiving of frail, older persons predict depression. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing, 19, 409 – 415.

Austrom, G., M., & Lu, Y. (2009). Long term caregiving: Helping families of persons with mild cognitive impairment cope. Current Alzheimer research 6, 392 – 398.

Croog, S., Burleson, J., Sudilovsky, A., & Baume, R. (2006). Spouse caregivers of Alzheimer patients: problem responses to caregiver burden. Aging & Mental Health 10 (2), 87 – 100.

Norton, S., & Waldman, N. (2007). Canadian Content. USA: Nelson Education Ltd.

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