Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness

Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness is observed during this year’s month of June. This month gives people the opportunity to share and get information about what the disease is and how to give support to the movement.

Alzheimer’s Disease is a type of brain disorder that progressively destroys memory and thinking skills, and soon, it affects the ability to do simplest of tasks. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, the disease advances on three general stages: mild, moderate, and severe. With each stage, Alzheimer’s affects an individual different. In the early stage of Alzheimer’s, an individual may still do their occupations such as – activities of daily living, work, and social participation – however, they may notice some lapses in their memory which shows difficulties in remembering names of people they just met, misplacing objects, and forgetting familiar words. When an individual progresses to the moderate stage, where it is also typically described as the longest stage, they may show symptoms such as being forgetful of important events in their lives, demonstrating personality and behavioral changes, and mostly experiencing confusion about the orientation they’re in to. During this stage, a significant level of care is required. Lastly, during the severe stage or the last stage of the disease, individuals may lose ability to respond to their environment, they may require a 24/7 assistance with their personal needs, may have difficulty communicating, and may show difficulties with standing, walking, and swallowing.

How does this disease affect an individual? According to the National Institute of Aging, Alzheimer’s can cause personality and behavioral changes in a patient which may be being more prone to getting upset, worried, and angry; believing people are hiding things or are hiding things themselves; pacing a lot; exhibiting unusual sexual behavior; hitting people; misunderstanding what they are hearing; or acting depressed or uninterested.

Knowing how Alzheimer’s may affect those diagnosed. How does it affect the people around them? According to Unicity Healthcare, the family and caregivers may be affected physically, an increased risk of physical health problems such as cardiovascular problems, lower immunity, poor sleep patterns, slower wound healing, and higher levels of chronic conditions. They can be affected emotionally too, levels of psychological distress are higher, which can cause serious psychological problems like depression and anxiety. Social isolation increases, they may abandon their leisure and social activities to take care of the once they love. Lastly, they will face growing financial challenges in physician care, diagnostic tests, pharmaceutical and nursing care.

How does the healthcare– specifically the Rehabilitation Team help patients with Alzheimer’s? Alzheimers.net and Mangiarelli Rehabilitation stated that there are ways patients with Alzheimer’s can still enjoy and participate in life with the help of Occupational Therapy and Physical Therapy by:

1. Improving safety and function - OTs can work with the family and caregivers and make recommendations for changes and equipment. They may guide the patients to make their daily activities easier to do. Routine exercises can be recommended to maintain endurance, range of motion, and strength to increase or maintain one’s independence. However, Physical Therapists can also participate in giving these exercise programs to patients with Alzheimer’s. Physical Therapy may help slow down symptoms of this disease by increasing mobility and strength through a comprehensive exercise program, improving balance and coordination through balance and task-specific training, and slowing memory loss through physical activities which improve blood flow to the brain.

2. Promoting social participation and relationships - OTs can address problem behaviors and help them look at what triggers these behaviors and what could be the possible solutions. OTs can target like, how to respond to root emotion, frequent outbursts, and difficulty communicating. PTs can help with decreasing aggression and improving mood through exercises.

3. Providing support and education to caregivers - OTs can help set up an effective routine to help their loved one to be eating and drinking enough, decrease behavior problems, and take medications on time. Guidance may include breakdown of tasks, providing easily understandable instructions, reducing distractions, and visual cues.

Written by: Nicole Mae Contreras and Kirsten Koryn Say

References:

1. What is Alzheimer's Disease? Symptoms & Causes | alz.org

2. Alzheimer's Stages - Early, Middle, Late Dementia Symptoms | alz.org

3. https://www.unicityhealthcare.com/effects-alzheimers-disease-family-members-caregivers/

4. https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/managing-personality-and-behavior-changes-alzheimers

5. https://www.alzheimers.net/how-occupational-therapy-helps-with-alzheimers

6. https://www.mangiarellirehabilitation.com/blog/how-physical-therapy-helps-alzheimers-disease-patients#:~:text=%20A%20physical%20therapy%20program%20for%20Alzheimer%E2%80%99s%20disease,motion%20and%20flexibility%20and%20reduce%20muscle...%20More%20