Three years ago everything changed. The changes were slow in coming.
But over time there was a steady progression of memory loss and confusion.
The elderly grandfather who was once an active senior citizen became unable
to remember simple directions or the names of his beloved grandchildren.
After the final diagnosis of Alzheimer’s , the family existed in stunned silence for several days. No one really wanted to discuss what was happening to their beloved parent. Everyone refused to believe what the cold hard facts revealed would be the results of this debilitating disease.
The family vividly remembered the increasing and persistent periods of forgetfulness. Everyone thought it was just old age. As people age, they may routinely forget names and places. The daughter remembered when she first noticed her father’s inability to remember simple things. She thought that it was normal to forget names or places at her father’s age.
She started blaming herself for not paying closer attention. It was only when he was found lost and dazed; wandering around the neighborhood, that the family took the grandfather to see his doctor.
The doctor was candid and explained that it is normal to forget names
of people who you don’t see very often, but when an individual starts
forgetting the names of loved ones who are constantly around, there may be
a problem.
The onset of Alzheimer's disease, the doctor patiently explained , may start with slight memory loss and confusion. The end result of the disease is irreversible mental impairment. The brain is destroyed. The victim is unable to remember, reason, or learn. At the later stages of the disease the individual will not be able to care for themselves.
In addition, victims of Alzheimer's very often repeat things over and over in a conversation. They will often misplace familiar items. When the items are found, (i.e. keys or wallet) they may be found in the refrigerator or the trash can.
The most emotional impact of Alzheimer’s for the family is that a loved one may not only forget the names of family members but also fail to recognize them. The grandchildren were devastated when "Papa" did not know who they were.
This disease threatens the very fabric of the family unit. The patriarch of the family is no longer able to hold the family together emotionally or financially.
Not only the emotional toll was felt but also the looming financial burden of caring for someone with Alzheimer’s weighed heavily on the hearts and minds of the family members.
Caring for someone with Alzheimer's takes extreme patience. The day-to-day care
will also require a large financial and emotional contribution to the care of an Alzheimer's patient. For those family members who care for them there is a need for constant support and affection from friends and other family to cope with the long-term care of the patient.
The cruel reality is that the family will never regain the family balance again. The disease not only destroys the brain of the victim but a loving family unit. There was a divorce in this family. The children needed counseling to understand the dynamics of the disease. The daughter became resentful of other family members who could not cope with the reality of the disease.
Alzheimer’s Disease extracts an excruciating emotional toll on the patients' families and is currently considered the third most expensive disease in the United States, costing about $100 billion annually.
For more information on alzheimers statistics treatment, caregiving, and support resources, please visit http://www.alzheimersdiseasetips.com for helpful tips. Be sure to read the article on alzheimers disease early symptom detection.
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