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