Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive neurodegenerative condition that is a significant burden for patent and caregivers. The brain disorder destroys memory and thinking skills leading to difficulties performing mundane tasks. Alzheimer’s disease is one cause of dementia and includes the accumulation of abnormal proteins accumulation and degeneration of nerves cells (Galvin et al., 2021). The condition is ranked the seventh death causative in the US and is a common challenge among older adults. The disease has three stages: mild-moderate and severe. The first stage is mild- the current stage for Mr. Speed, which usually lasts between 2-4 years, the moderate stage lasts between 2-10 years, and the last stage lasts three years (Wang et al., 2019). The condition has no cure and worsens with time. The paper analyzes Alzheimer’s disease early stages concerns, progression, challenges, and medication to advise Mrs. Speed on her 57 years old husband, who has recently been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.

Alzheimer’s major causes are unknown but may occur due to viral infections, toxicity, aluminum, and autoimmunity. The disease develops slowly but worsens with time. Eventually, the condition ends, affecting many brain roles like memory, thinking, judgment, language (Alzheimer’s Association, 2022). Comprehending the stage of the condition is vital for the patient and family members to gauge and prepare for the consequences. The disease commences before any symptoms become evident in a phase known as preclinical Alzheimer’s, only defined in research settings. The stage can last for years, possibly even decades. Mild cognitive impairment involves the stage where symptoms can be observed. However, these changes are insignificant to affect work and relations. The condition’s primary symptoms commence with mild destruction of memory and changes in individual character. As the disease progresses, the patient communication skills deteriorate. How rapidly the condition progresses and the abilities affected vary for individuals. While the symptoms can vary, the first challenge for many patients is forgetfulness, which is severe enough to affect the function of the brain (Galvin et al., 2021). Often the patient gets confused, lost in familiar places, misplaces things.

Hence, Mrs. Speed’s primary concern for her husband should be memory lapses at the current stage. Patients in the early stages can continue working and participating in everyday activities. However, since the condition’s progress varies for different patients, Mrs. Speed should closely monitor her husband’s behaviors. Medications can temporarily brain function and minimize symptoms for a considerable time (Alzheimer’s Association, 2022). More neurons will be damaged and more brain areas affected as time goes by. Increased help from professional caregivers, friends, and members will be required to conduct mundane activities of daily living and observe safely (Wang et al., 2019). As the disease progresses, individual functional independence may be challenging. Mrs. Speed can provide necessary input to the clinicians to determine the functional decline and ongoing capacity to conduct daily activities. Such information is vital for the clinicians and can aid narrow the differential diagnoses when combined with assessment tools.

The fundamental concern for Mrs. Speed as the primary care provider is finding the best care for her husband. She can learn about the disease and ways of communicating supportively with her husband, prepare early for worsening condition by placing safety measures needed concerning falls, wandering, medication use, power tools. As an advocate for the correct diagnosis and best healthcare provision, she can seek health care professionals to collaborate with to ensure the best care for her husband. Since the condition is early, Mr. Speed can independently go to work and undertake other chores. However, since the state’s progress is unknown, monitoring him closely is imperative to ensure that he does not engage in self-harm conduct. Patients with Alzheimer’s disease are vulnerable to overmedication and reaction to drug combinations (Weller & Budson, 2018). Mrs. Speed should closely monitor her husband’s behaviors for any changes that may indicate adverse effects of the medication. Donepezil, galantamine, and rivastigmine are the most common medication for early-to-mid stage Alzheimer’s condition that Mr. Speed can take (Alzheimer’s Association, 2022). According to the latest recommendation, these medications can be continued in the later, severe phases of the disease. She has to establish a routine for medicine that encourages cooperation and accuracy, explain to Mr. Speed the necessity of the medication, and ensure a written record of all current medication with name, dosage, and starting date.

Other information necessary for Mr. Speed is diagnosis with the aid of an autopsy. Notably, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or computed tomography scan can be utilized in the final severe stages (Weller & Budson, 2018). Nonetheless, the patient needs to adhere to his medication routine strictly and have adequate nutritional food intake, personal hygiene, and hydration. The Speeds need to understand the patient’s family, social, cultural, and recent unusual events. The Speeds has various avenues to obtain information about Alzheimer’s condition, including the internet resources from Alzheimer’s research and prevention such as the National Institute of Aging Information, Alzheimer’s Foundation of America, and Alzheimer’s Association. Additionally, the family can in inquire from doctors. Understanding the Alzheimer’s condition will enable the Speed family to plan their future take therapies and make lifestyle changes that will reduce the cognitive effect and improve their life quality.

References

Galvin, J. E., Aisen, P., Langbaum, J. B., Rodriguez, E., Sabbagh, M., Stefanacci, R., … & Rubino, I. (2021). Early stages of Alzheimer’s disease: Evolving the care team for optimal patient management. Frontiers in Neurology.

Alzheimer’s Association. 2022 Alzheimer’s disease facts and figures. Alzheimer’s Dement 2020;16:391–460.

Weller, J., & Budson, A. (2018). Current understanding of Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis and treatment. F1000Research, 7.

Wang, H., Fan, Z., Shi, C., Xiong, L., Zhang, H., Li, T., … & Yu, X. (2019). Consensus statement on the neurocognitive outcomes for early detection of mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s dementia from the Chinese Neuropsychological Normative (CN-NORM) Project. Journal of global health, 9(2).