How Families Deal with a Loved One Who Has Alzheimers - Research Paper Example

? Research Paper How Families Deal with a Loved One Who Has Alzheimer's In the book Alzheimer's Disease by Lu and Bludau , Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is defined as a form of dementia. Dementia suggests that there is the loss of the brain functions. Dementia affects the ability of a person to carry on with the activities of day to day living. The authors in the book argue that the disease in most cases is underrecognized, affects older people and gets worse as they grow older. According to Gleichmann and Mattson (2010), in the Journal of Neuro-molecular Medicine, it is crucial to differentiate between AD and mild cognitive impairment. Mild cognitive impairment is viewed as a form of forgetfulness attributed to ageing. While this disorder is a symptom of AD, it is not a must for people who suffer from mild cognitive impairment, to contract AD. Causes and Signs of Alzheimer’s Disease The well known risk factor of Alzheimer’s disease is old age, mostly when people hit the age of sixty years. It is not considered normal for aging people to suffer from the disease. It is also easier for one to have the disease if a close relative such as your sister or mother had suffered from the disease. One can also contract the disease if you happen to have certain genes that are linked with the disease. Other susceptible factors include suffering from blood pressure; however, this is yet to be proved. The disease is classified under two types which include the late and early onset Alzheimer’s disease. Late AD disease affects people who are at the age of 60 and above (“Coping with Alzheimer's disease,” n.d.). The early onset of Alzheimer's disease is known to affect people before they attain the age of sixty. This type of disease has a fast rate of getting worse. The role of genes in this type of disease has already been established, that is why it is prevalent among family members. The common symptoms of the disease are associated with the functioning of the brain. One of the symptoms of this disease includes the individual’s inability to communicate properly. The patient will forget how to read or write or even talk. They also are emotional, increasingly aggressive and paranoid. This is as a result of increased memory loss. When the disease has progressed, Alzheimer's patients require assistance in almost all tasks which include bathing and dressing. They will often forget their relatives’ names and forget events that take place. Their judgments and thinking capacity reduce to a substantial level and they will not realize that they are in danger when something arises (Alzheimer's Disease & Dementia Alzheimer's Association, n.d.). It reaches a point where the patient has to be taken care of all the time to ensure their safety. Recognizing early symptoms of the disease will ensure that the situation does not get out of hand. It is important for family members to recognize some attributes that could indicate onset of the disease. Symptoms such as loss of interest in activities that one was recently interested in is the first sign a family can identify (Brijnath, 2011). Forgetting one’s history can also be an early symptom of the disease. They will also execute tasks that require thinking for longer periods of time. When the family recognizes these symptoms, the patient should undergo a series of test to determine if they are suffering from AD (Sell, 2008). The tests will include a complete physical checkup with a mental examination. Family members of the affected person should ensure that the doctors check for brain tumor, severe depression, chronic infection or thyroid disease. An AD diagnosis is made when certain symptoms are present and other causes of dementia named above are not present. Taking care of the patient who suffers from the disease can be challenging (James, 2008). This is especially to the family members of the patient. It is important to ensure their safety and wellbeing and how to care for the patients will be discussed in the subsequent paragraphs of this paper. Taking Care of the Patient Having comprehensive information about the disease is the first step to being able to take care of patients. The family should accept the situation and adjust themselves to be able to take action. Family members should ensure that they seek support from other people or organizations to be able to take care of the patient. Depending on the level at which the disease has progressed, if it is possible, the family should include the patient in making certain decisions regarding their wellbeing. The patient should be granted the chance to decide who will take care of their financial matters when they are in the severe stage of their disease (Bubolz, 2001). If possible, this information should be on the paper as it is easier to prove in writing rather than orally, when disputes arise. The family should also discuss with the patient where he or she would like to stay in the later stages of the disease. It is important to ensure they live close to where they are safe or near family members. The later stages of the disease will involve an all round clock of taking care of the patient. It is wrong for other members of the family to assume that only the spouse will take care of the patient ("How do families cope with Alzheimer's Disease?” n.d.). If most members in the family have so many engagements, it is wise to consider placing the patient in a home where they will be taken care of, though this is usually not the best option. It is important that the family members discuss this issue and give support to the person taking care of the patient. This will ensure the needs and wishes of the patient are met. Give attention to the wishes made by the patient to ensure they are comfortable. The family should also establish a standard routine for the patient. This will ensure that the services given to the patient do not overrun. It will also ensure the patient has an idea of what is happening, even if they cannot express it. It will also create a sense of familiarity. The daily activities tshould be standardized and include eating, bathing, exercising, sleeping and socializing with other people. If the patient is able to carry out some activities without help, allow them to do them on their own. Communication between the patient and family members can be difficult; however, improving the communication channels is also possible (“When grandparents have Alzheimer's,” n.d.). The patient’s family should make certain that each maintains an eye contact and will always be calm when talking to the patient. Being nervous or showing anger will stress the patient. The patients have to be encouraged to express themselves using gestures or pointing at something in the event they forget the words. Objects that the patient used to like in their earlier years need to be used when communicating to the patient. The patient also has individual feelings and would be good to take him or her to social events and family gatherings. The caretaker should be careful not to overwhelm the patient with activities to the point that they get stressed. Recommendations Close monitoring is required as part of the goal in ensuring the safety of the patient (Hall, 2000). The family should join various support groups. Such support groups help in dealing with the emotional aspect of having a patient suffering from the disease. Instances such as outbursts when you have guests may be embarrassing and emotionally draining. Joining support groups will go a long way in ensuring the family is able to deal with the patients. As aforementioned, the family may also choose to place the patient in a nursing home. Nonetheless, it may not be a suitable choice, depending on a person’s culture and how the aged are taken care of in such a culture. It is expensive, but the nursing home ensures the patient receives care alongside treatment. Most nursing facilities are supervised by paramedics. The family should ensure that they are aware of how the patients are treated in these nursing homes. Looking at the nursing homes history will help the family determine the suitability of the nursing home. Akiyama, Barger, and Barnum (2000) argue that if the patient is very aggressive to the point that the caregiver’s safety is at risk, then it is wise to have them institutionalized. At home you may choose activities that the caregiver can provide to the patient, and the family will handle the rest. The caregiver also needs to rest; placing the patient in facilities for some time will enable the caregiver to rest. The services of the caregiver may also be unavailable during the weekends. The disease cannot be treated but it can be controlled by reducing the negative effects or symptoms of the disease. Where home care is given to the patient, ensure that the patients take their medicine as per the prescription. This may be done by one of the family members, or employ a full time person to take care of the patient (Gladstone, Dupuis, & Wexler, 2006). Ask the doctor for the most efficient time for administration. The person taking care of the patient should also be aware of the side effects of the medicine to ensure they do not panic when there is no reason to panic. In case certain medication happens to increase the level of confusion or aggressiveness discontinues, the caretaker should be in a position to know this. The family should assist each other in difficult times. Taking care of a loved one is a responsibility that should be taken by all family members. Going through such experience will help the family bond and strengthen them emotionally (Steinberg, 2010). Eating low fat diets and being active will reduce the chances of contracting the disease when in old age. In conclusion, it is also recommended that all people of all ages should eat sea foods and avoid stress. References Akiyama, H., Barger, S., & Barnum, S. (2000). Inflammation and Alzheimer’s disease. Journal of Neurobiology of Aging, 21(3), 383-421. Alzheimer's Disease & Dementia Alzheimer's Association. (n.d.). Retrieved from . Alzheimers disease and disorientation? (n.d.). Alzheimer's disease. Retrieved fro, . Brijnath, B. (2011). Alzheimer’s and the Indian appetite. Journal of Medical Anthropology, 60-75. Bubolz, M. (2001). Family as source, user, and builder of social capital. Journal of socio-economics, 30(2), 129-131. Coping with Alzheimer's disease. (n.d.). About.com Alzheimer's / Dementia. Retrieved from . Gladstone, J., Dupuis, S., & Wexler, E. (2006). Changes in family involvement following a relative. Canadian Journal on Aging-revue Canadienne Du Vieillissement, 25(1), 60-90. Gleichmann, M., & Mattson, M. (2010). Alzheimer’s disease and neuronal network activity. Journal of Neuromolecular Medicine, 12(1), 44-47. Hall, E. (2000). Caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease: A Christian perspective. New York: Routledge. How do families cope with Alzheimer's disease? (n.d.). Living Though Windows. Retrieved from . James, V. (2008). The Alzheimer's advisor: A caregiver's guide to dealing with the tough legal and practical issues. New York: AMACOM Division of American Management Association. Lu, L., & Bludau, J. (2011). Alzheimer's disease. New York: ABC-CLIO. Sell, C. (2008). A cup of comfort for families touched by Alzheimer's: Inspirational stories of unconditional love and support. New York: Adams Media. Steinberg, R. (2010). Forgetting the memories: A caregiver's journey through Alzheimer's disease. New York: AuthorHouse Publishers. When grandparents have Alzheimer's, children need help coping with the changes. (n.d.). Retrieved from Read More