Alzheimer’s disease

Dementia refers to a disease process marked by progressive cognitive impairment in clear consciousness. Alzheimer’s Disease is one of the most common forms of Dementia. It usually begins with mild memory problems, lapses of attention, and difficulties in language and communication. As symptoms worsen, the person has trouble completing complicated tasks or remembering important appointments. Eventually sufferers also have difficulty with simple tasks, forget distant memories, and have changes in personality that often become very noticeable. For example, a gentle man may become uncharacteristically aggressive. People with Alzheimer’s disease may at first deny that they have a problem, but they soon become anxious or depressed about their state of mind; many also become agitated.  As the neurocognitive symptoms intensify, people with Alzheimer’s disease show less and less awareness of their limitations. They may withdraw from others during the later stages of the disorder, become more confused about time and place, wander, and show very poor judgment. Eventually they become fully dependent on other people. They may lose almost all knowledge of the past and fail to recognize the faces of even close relatives. They also become increasingly uncomfortable at night and take frequent naps during the day. During the late phases of the disorder, they require constant care.

Worried that your loved one / you may suffer from Alzheimer’s Disease?

1. Does your loved one / you forget important dates or events or ask for the same information over and over,
2. Does your loved one / you tend to increasingly rely on aides or family members for things they used to handle on their own?
3. Does your loved one / you face difficulty in developing and following a plan or work with numbers?
4. Does your loved one / you face difficulty in completing familiar tasks at home, at work or at leisure?
5. Does your loved one / you lose track of dates, seasons and the passage of time?
6. Does your loved one / you have trouble following or joining a conversation?
7. Does your loved one / you tend to misplace things easily?
8. Does your loved one / you tend to get easily upset at home, at work, with friends or in places where they are out of their comfort zone?

Treatments that can help you or your loved one:

Neuropsychological Assessment

Counselling

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

Family Therapy

Supportive Therapy

Medication (if needed)