...An Overview of Dementia: How It Has Touched My Life Dementia is an illness that occurs when there is a loss of brain function as a result of the presence of certain diseases. Dementia affects a person’s memory, judgment, behavior, thinking, and language. Dementia includes Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and tends to increase the most from the age of 65. Various references and literature in reference to dementia indicate that the number of patients with dementia will increase significantly as society ages, especially within the next three decades. Dementia causes significant family issues and can become a financial burden on patients and their family members. These burdens impair the ability of a person to function independently and also have a tremendous impact on his or her relationships and quality of life. The subject of this paper will discuss an overview of dementia, treatments of dementia, how it affects human lives, and also the affect dementia has had on the life of the writer of this paper An Overview of Dementia: How It Has Touched My Life As a child growing up in the early 1970s, the writer of this paper can recall his neighborhood. It was peaceful and had a several people who were known elderly and considered as senior citizens. The writer of this paper also remembers when the adults of the neighborhood would speak of the elderly and tend to talk the most about their strange behaviors. Although this was often the case, the talk of...
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...Background Dementia is a term that describes a syndrome/group of syndromes which is categorised by a series of signs and symptoms demonstrated by gradual loss of memory and other weakening of intellectual functions of daily living which is associated with mostly people living aged 65 years and above (Burns 2009). It is a gradual damage of neurological activities which is epitomised by brain cell death over time (DeFina et al., 2013)(National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, 2013). There are several forms of dementia which include Alzheimer’s disease, which is the most common type, constituting over 60-70% of the cases (World Health Organisation, 2015). Then other cases include vascular dementia, Lewy body dementia, front temporal...
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...BEL311 ENGLISH FOR ACADEMIC PURPOSES TERM PAPER ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE: NOT JUST A LOSS OF MEMORY Prepared by: XXXXXXXXX (matric no.) XXXXXXXXX (matric no.) Group XXX Prepared for: XXXXXXXXXXXX Date of Submission: July 2011 Introduction Alzheimer's disease, a neurodegenerative brain disease, is the most common cause of dementia. It currently afflicts about 4 million Americans and is the fourth leading cause of death in the United States. Furthermore, Alzheimer’s disease is the leading cause of mental impairment in elderly people and accounts for a large percentage of admissions to assisted living homes, nursing homes, and other long-term care facilities. Psychotic symptoms, such as delusions and hallucinations, have been reported in a large proportion of patients with this disease. In fact, it is the presence of these psychotic symptoms can lead to early institutionalization (Bassiony, et al, 2000). Learning about Alzheimer’s disease and realizing that it is much more that just a loss of memory can benefit the families of those with the disorder as well as society as a whole. This paper is to look at the disorder, as well as to discuss the history, symptoms, diagnosis, current researches and hopes of a cure for Alzheimer’s disease. History Around the turn of the century, two kinds of dementia were defined by Emil Kraepin: senile and presenile. The presenile form was described more in detail by Alois Alzheimer as a progressive deterioration...
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...Alzheimer’s Disease: Not Just Loss of Memory This is a 8 page, 10 resource paper discussing Alzheimer’s disease, discussing the history, symptoms, diagnosis and hopes for a cure of the disease. Alzheimer’s Disease: Not Just Loss of Memory Introduction Alzheimer's disease, a neurodegenerative brain disease, is the most common cause of dementia. It currently afflicts about 4 million Americans and is the fourth leading cause of death in the United States. Furthermore, Alzheimer’s disease is the leading cause of mental impairment in elderly people and accounts for a large percentage of admissions to assisted living homes, nursing homes, and other long-term care facilities. Psychotic symptoms, such as delusions and hallucinations, have been reported in a large proportion of patients with this disease. In fact, it is the presence of these psychotic symptoms can lead to early institutionalization (Bassiony, et all, 2000). Learning about Alzheimer’s disease and realizing that it is much more that just a loss of memory can benefit the families of those with the disorder as well as society as a whole. The purpose of this paper is to look at the disorder, as well as to discuss the history, symptoms, diagnosis and hopes of a cure for Alzheimer’s disease. History Around the turn of the century, two kinds of dementia were defined by Emil Kraepin: senile and presenile. The presenile form was described more in detail by Alois Alzheimer as a progressive deterioration of...
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...Alzheimer’s Disease: Not Just Loss of Memory Introduction Alzheimer's disease, a neurodegenerative brain disease, is the most common cause of dementia. It currently afflicts about 4 million Americans and is the fourth leading cause of death in the United States. Furthermore, Alzheimer’s disease is the leading cause of mental impairment in elderly people and accounts for a large percentage of admissions to assisted living homes, nursing homes, and other long-term care facilities. Psychotic symptoms, such as delusions and hallucinations, have been reported in a large proportion of patients with this disease. In fact, it is the presence of these psychotic symptoms can lead to early institutionalization (Bassiony, et all, 2000). Learning about Alzheimer’s disease and realizing that it is much more that just a loss of memory can benefit the families of those with the disorder as well as society as a whole. The purpose of this paper is to look at the disorder, as well as to discuss the history, symptoms, diagnosis and hopes of a cure for Alzheimer’s disease. History Around the turn of the century, two kinds of dementia were defined by Emil Kraepin: senile and presenile. The presenile form was described more in detail by Alois Alzheimer as a progressive deterioration of intellect, memory and orientation. As a neuropathologist, Alzheimer studied the case a 51 year-old woman. When she died, Alzheimer performed an autopsy and found that she had “cerebral atrophy”...
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...included in, the full research paper (the Paper) produced by the Productivity Commission which is an independent research and advisory body of the Australian Government (Productivity Commission, Inquiry Report No. 84, 2017). The summary in this critique will outline the substance of the Overview followed by brief sequential discussions of its aims, intended audience, and the circumstances and reasoning surrounding its’ commissioning. Finally, a critical evaluation is made concerning the article’s contribution to our understanding of ageing populations and dementia care, and its’...
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...There are many service users that use social care services and for those who have an interest in creativity and the arts all activities can be adapted to suit their abilities. Dementia and Alzheimer’s: Creativity and the arts bring about a non-verbal, interactive way of communication which is helpful to those suffering with dementia. Dementia describes multiple problems that lead to brain cell damage. Some major symptoms of dementia disease are: memory loss, difficulties with language and finding the correct vocabulary to use, problem stringing along and following a conversation. (The Alzheimer Society of Ireland 2012) For these reasons the arts is a great non-verbal from of communication for the service users suffering with dementia disease....
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...Lewy Bodies Dementia Ashley M. Paille Abstract. There are hundreds of brain disorders that affect the human brain every year. The diseases range from minor to much more severe. This research paper focuses on a complex disease called Lewy Bodies Dementia. This disease is a primary cognitive brain disorder that mimics a previously discovered disease known as Alzheimer’s. Lewy Bodies Dementia was discovered about a decade after Alzheimer’s. The disease is classified as either a degenerative disease or a neurodegenerative disease. Various factors throughout a person’s lifetime will influence the nature and severity of the degeneration of the brain. Signs and symptoms of the disease are extremely vague and often have the presentation of other known cognitive brain disorders. This disease is incurable and is often treated on a case by case basis. It is also treated by trial and error due to the intense side effects of the medications such as drowsiness and confusion. Recent treatments such as the medication, Levodopa, have been made available although they do not cure the disease but rather slow down the progression of the disease. Introduction. Nearly 80% of individuals with Lewy Bodies Dementia will also have brain changes consistent with Alzheimer's disease. (Galvin, Duda, et al., 2010) Secondary to this high statistic, patients are often diagnosed with a non-specific initial diagnosis of Alzheimer's. This diagnostic experience can become extremely frustrating. (Galvin...
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...Alzheimer’s Disease Brenda Silva Waubonsee Community College PSY 205 Research Paper Mr. Scott Hollenback October 27, 2011 Alzheimer Disease As Kevin Arnold quotes, “Memory is a way of holding on to things you love, the things you are, and the things you never want to lose.” Memories are the things we uphold. Whether it’s bad or good, those memories are engraved in us and can’t be stolen from us. But what if as time goes by, those memories are losing? Worst, you’re even losing your language skills, ability to recognize familiar things and you feel sense of depression. This means, as a person grows old he/she experiences deterioration in one’s self. Now, we are currently living in the age of technology. Our advancements in the past few decades overshadow everything learned in the last 2000 years. This increase has bought with it a large increase in disease afflicting the elderly community. AD once thought to be a natural part of aging, is a severely debilitating form of mental dementia. Although some other types of dementia are curable or effectively treatable, there is currently no cure for Alzheimer. A general overview of AD including the clinical description, diagnosis, and progression of symptoms, helps one to further understand the treatment and care of patients. Alzheimer’s is a type of dementia that causes problems with memory, thinking, and behavior. Alzheimer’s is the most common form of dementia, a general term for memory loss and other intellectual abilities serious...
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...and the damage it causes in the human brain. The general population is under the impression that AD is a result of the normal human developmental process of aging. The focus of this research is to dismiss this misconception by providing indisputable empirical evidence to the contrary. This paper looks at the various studies explored by researchers in an attempt to show the factors attributed to AD, a population over the age of 65 that do not suffer from AD, and a population of as young as 18 clinically diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. The author also addresses life style, environmental, and genetic risk factors attributed to the development of AD. Alzheimer's Disease and its Link to the Normal Human Developmental Process of Aging Contrary to popular belief, studies show that Alzheimer’s disease is not part of the normal human developmental process of aging. It is imperative that researchers acknowledge that AD is not part of the normal aging process. Researchers must keep an open mind during the research and experimental process, exploring all plausible arguments, in order to discover the cause(s) and/or cure to any disease. This would include having an interdisciplinary approach to the study. Currently, the cause(s) of AD is unknown (Nowrangi MA, 2011). Data collected from studies as early as ten years ago would suggest that AD is a degenerative disease attributed to the normal aging process. However, current studies, with the use of new technology, shows that AD is not...
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...Environment,”2011). Nursing turned to an immense expertise where maintaining health promotion is a master key. Health promotion favors the enhancement of health and the setting up of plan for a healthy lifestyle and well-being (Potter and Perry, 2011). Examples of health promotion consist of encouraging immunizations and regular checkups. Risk reduction Many complications can be avoided by promoting risk reduction. By promoting healthy choices and behaviors, the risks of contracting disease are considerably decreased. “In 1993, researchers documented that modifiable behavioral risk factors had contributed substantially to the number of deaths that occurred in this country in 1990” (“The Importance of behavior in cancer prevention and early Detection,” 2012). By teaching and encouraging healthy...
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...Research Paper Diagnosis and Treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease: Current Challenges Prepared by Ms. Rawan Al-Juweed Introduction Alzheimer’s disease (AD), the most common form of dementia, is a degenerative disorder of the brain that leads to memory loss1. AD affects 5.3 million Americans and is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States. There are two main forms of the disease. Familial AD affects people younger than 65, accounting for nearly 500,000 AD cases in the United States alone1. The remainder of AD cases occur in adults aged 65 and older and is classified as sporadic AD. The prevalence of AD varies among many different factors, including age, co-morbidities, genetics, and education level. There is no way to definitively diagnose AD without performing an autopsy. There is no cure for AD, however promising research and development for early detection and treatment is underway. Abstract Alzheimer’s disease was discovered in 1906 by Alois Alzheimer, a German neurologist and psychiatrist2. The disease was initially observed in a 51-year-old woman named Auguste D. Her family brought her to Dr. Alzheimer in 1901 after noticing changes in her personality and behavior. The family reported problems with memory, difficulty speaking, and impaired comprehension. Dr. Alzheimer later described Auguste as having an aggressive form of dementia, manifesting in memory, language and behavioral deficits3. Dr. Alzheimer noted many abnormal symptoms, including difficulty...
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...BMC Neurology (2001) 1:3 http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2377/1/3 BMC Neurology (2001) 1:3 Research article Traumatic brain injury as a risk factor for Alzheimer disease. Comparison of two retrospective autopsy cohorts with evaluation of ApoE genotype Address: 1L.Boltzmann Institute of Clinical Neurobiology, Baumgartner Hoehe 1, B-Bldg., A-1140 Vienna, Austria, 2Department of Neuropathology, University of Munster School of Medicine, Munster, Germany and 3Cognitive Neuropharmacology Unit, H.M. Jackson Foundation, Bethesda, Md, USA E-mail: Kurt A Jellinger* - kurt.jellinger@univie.ac.at; Werner Paulus - werner.paulus@uni-muenster.de; Christian Wrocklage - christian.wrocklage@uni-muenster.de; Irene Litvan - ilitvan@dvhip.org *Corresponding author Kurt A Jellinger*1, Werner Paulus2, Christian Wrocklage2 and Irene Litvan3 Published: 30 July 2001 BMC Neurology 2001, 1:3 This article is available from: http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2377/1/3 Received: 29 June 2001 Accepted: 30 July 2001 © 2001 Jellinger et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. Verbatim copying and redistribution of this article are permitted in any medium for any non-commercial purpose, provided this notice is preserved along with the article's original URL. For commercial use, contact info@biomedcentral.com Abstract Background and Purpose: The impact of traumatic brain injury (TBI) on the pathogenesis of Alzheimer disease (AD) is still controversial. The aim of our retrospective autopsy study...
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...Individual Paper: Chronic Diseases Dene M. Blakely SCI/163 July 25, 2011 Cognitive decline and memory loss are considered a normal function of aging by millions of people; especially with older generation. The term cognition simply refers to the ability to think. Therefore the word term cognitive decline simply refers to the concept of a decrease in the ability to think. According to Head Strong Web Site, “Cognitive decline is deterioration in cognitive function. There is a normal process of age related cognitive decline across the life-span characterized by increasing difficulties with memory (new learning) speed of information processing, language and other cognitive functions” (Head Strong, 2011). In this paper, we will explore in dept with cognitive decline, the risk factors associate with the disease, and treatments or approaches in coping with the disease. Description of Cognitive Decline Cognitive decline is a disease that decreases an individual ability to think. The disease is commonly found in older generations, after 70 years old. On the other hand, in a recent study, study indicates that cognitive decline can begins in late 20s. According to Science Daily Web Site, "This research suggests that some aspects of age-related cognitive decline begin in healthy, educated adults when they are in their 20s and 30s," said Timothy Salthouse, a University of Virginia professor of psychology and the study's lead investigator.” (Science Daily, 2009). Mild cognitive...
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...Let’s Talk About Mental Health by Reynaldo Cantu III Term Paper Engineering Management 52 Tufts University Medford, Massachusetts April 30, 2015 Executive Summary I wrote this research paper as a requirement for the class Technical and Managerial Communications taught by Amy Hirschfeld. The topic of this research paper is mental health issues. The purpose of this paper is to bring to light a topic that is not very talked about but is very important. Mental health is something that is generally brushed off to the side, but mental health issues can happen to anyone at anytime. In this paper, I explain that being mentally health is being in a state of emotional, psychological, and social well-being. Small changes to this balance such as life experiences or biological factors can affect a person’s mental health. The major categories for mental health disorders and how they are categorized are as follows: * Anxiety- too much inner turmoil * Mood- major fluctuations in emotion * Psychotic- major disruptions in brain functions * Dementia- major disturbance to consciousness * Eating- unusual eating behaviors The best way to deal with these mental health issues is to talk to others about it. That is why it is so important for everyone to know about mental health so that they can be comfortable talking about it. Table of Contents Executive Summary Table of Contents 1.0 Introduction 2.1 Purpose 2.2 Scope 2.0 Overview of What is Mental Health...
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