What is Alzheimer’s disease? What are the symptoms of Alzheimer’s? What are my loved one’s best elder services options for Alzheimer’s care?

If you have a loved one who has recently been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, you likely have many questions about your loved one’s condition. This FAQ gives you answers from the Alzheimer’s care professionals at Visiting Angels^®.

On this page, you’ll find answers to frequently asked questions about Alzheimer’s, including topics like “What is Alzheimer’s?”, “How does Alzheimer’s disease progress?”, and “What’s the difference between Alzheimer’s and dementia?”.

What is Alzheimer’s Disease?

Plainly stated, Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive, degenerative brain disorder that is characterized by memory loss, cognitive decline, and behavioral changes. These symptoms usually get worse over time. It’s often considered a terminal condition, with an average life expectancy of 4 to 8 years after the diagnosis. Although, some live anywhere from 15 to 20 years after the diagnosis.

What are the risk factors for Alzheimer’s?

The three most common risk factors are advanced age, heart health, and genetics.

Other risk factors for Alzheimer’s include sleeping problems, high-stress levels, heavy smoking, heavy drinking, a history of head trauma, and exposure to air pollution.

What’s the difference between Alzheimer’s and dementia?

Dementia describes a large range of brain disorders that cause memory loss. Alzheimer’s is the most common form of dementia, accounting for anywhere from 60% to 80% of the total cases.

What are the symptoms of Alzheimer’s?

Some of the most prominent symptoms of Alzheimer’s are short-term and long-term memory loss, difficulty problem-solving, struggles with common day-to-day activities, mixing up or forgetting words, easily losing items, confusion about the current time or place, confusion about names or identities of people, and acting more irritable than usual.

Does Alzheimer’s disease have a cure?

Currently, there’s no cure for Alzheimer’s. While scientists continue to search for a cure, doctors prescribe modern treatments that may prevent the disease, delay its initial symptoms, or slow its progress.

What are my loved one’s elder services options for Alzheimer’s care?

One option is to put your loved one in a nursing home or an assisted living facility, but this is often traumatic for the individual. Another would be to hire Alzheimer’s home care, like the elder services that Visiting Angels offers. These kinds of elder services are personalized to cater to individuals who suffer from Alzheimer’s while being administered in the home.

Want to learn more about our Alzheimer’s care? Call Visiting Angels of Pikesville today.