Alzheimer's disease

Memory degradation

The most prominent symptom, with the most people to Alzheimer's disease - dementia link is that over the years, increasing degradation of memory.

Initially, the short-term memory is affected, more and more but is also the Altgedächtnis affected, to the almost total extinction of every memory.

A person who suffers from Alzheimer's disease may remember from a certain phase of his disease, not even with much effort, because as he

• already been visited, has
• has already recently had lunch,
• scored only four weeks, a grandchild,
• been the morning shopping was
• the apartment where he is, his home is
• He now lives in a retirement home or
• was married in a later phase of the disease each

Like the shoes come in the refrigerator?

Less known but also a worry, a whole series of other symptoms that understanding of the disease are essential for the:

For example, is disturbed at an early stage of disease, the ability to complex and logical thinking. It can, for example no meaningful associations be formed: about shoes in the shoe closet. Cabinet cabinet - and so the shoes may just end up in the refrigerator or the purse, or jewelry.

Patients are finding it increasingly difficult to plan ahead and keep right orders: If the blouse over or under the jacket? What foods must first be exhausted? Come only the noodles in the pot or the water?

Most people who suffer from dementia, have to contend with problems of language. It may be that they think the right words, but it may also be that they not detect the meaning of words can. They speak awkward and tedious, because they have to describe more and more missing words. This and the decreasing ability to concentrate, essential to distinguish from minor lead, to follow that people with dementia can not talk, turn off at some point, withdraw and lose all the pleasure in usual activities. They feel 'out' are not isolated. Language is an essential factor for participation in the community. It is important to take the conversation to people with dementia into account, ie not to overwhelm and adapt to their pace.

Abstract thinking is increasingly difficult, particularly dealing with numbers and as a result of the use of money, bank statements, bank or government affairs.

The orientation is always worse, the person with dementia is found less and less right in his environment.

Warning signs - early diagnosis is important

There are many diseases that can lead to dementia. A few of them are curable. Therefore, an accurate diagnosis is appropriate, with the doctor at the earliest possible date.

Unfortunately, the most common dementia, dementia of the Alzheimer's type, not curable. Nevertheless, early detection and earliest possible start of treatment are also important because medical treatment and the disease can be adapted to conduct the course of the disease are significantly delayed and attenuated. The doctor can get by very simple tests clues to the possible presence of dementia.

Evidence of dementia

If the following symptoms, the appropriate response to the doctor by all means:

• Memory disorders: Dates, names, recent experiences in mind, the same events told again and again, things moved frequently.
• Language difficulties: it is searched more often for particular words, the language is cumbersome, tedious, the overall context of interview is not recorded.
• Withdrawal from social and social implications: more and more concerned shuns society, is no longer in his club ...
• Usual, earlier skillful activities succeed not like cooking, shopping, organizing the household ...
• The interests to be, hobbies to be abandoned.
• Problems to focus on one thing: activities to commence, but not brought to an end, lessening of attention
• Problems in measuring and assessing situations: What clothes fit for today's weather?Assessment of situations on the road ...
• The mood changes or varies remarkably strong.
• The orientation is worse (local: one finds oneself in a foreign or familiar surroundings can not manage, in time: one knows the day, month, year, no more).
• The striking personality changes

Striking behavior

The life of a man who is suffering from dementia, is enormously complicated, messy and often frightening. He noted most of themselves, but especially in the reactions of his environment, that something more with him or in his life right. The man became ill with dementia in their own way trying to find explanations, and experienced the chaos to get a grip. As a result, he has his memory disorder to another level of information than his environment, he also comes to other interpretations and conclusions that are often seen in his view entirely understandable. Due to lack of insight, it is so often try to cope, which can lead to problems.

Aggressive behavior

It is useful first to look at triggers for aggressive behavior. If the patient has pain? Does he feel threatened because he does not recognize a person and feel snubbed by their conduct, for example, because this name basis with him, dictating. Because it's either the best of a bad job to make or defend himself against the outrageous - and sometimes violent.

Mistrust, accusations

Many misadventures in everyday life can explain the dementia due to a lack of insight not help but steal that third parties, often next of kin or trusted him, or lie to get illegal interfere in its affairs.

Who else should be responsible for the disappearance of the purse, but the one who is now in the room? Why would the son, the daughter of a sudden insight into the bank statements?

Restlessness, being driven

Many people with dementia have a great need for movement. They think it is not a long stay at a place, they often run substantial distances and are of restlessness met - maybe because they finally arrive where you want?

Run away

Often sick leave, sometimes unnoticed, the apartment, the room, the home mistaken, around the neighborhood and not find back. One explanation would be that the apartment, the rooms are not recognized as a separate home. Often, people then find the home of her childhood.

Day-night reversal

The day-night rhythm in people with dementia can become confused in phases. Many patients are very active in the night to evacuate around in the closets and do not forget to sleep. The reference to the late hour usually has little success because the patient outside the "Clock not know what to do more and follow at their own pace.

Embarrassing behavior in public

Sometimes, people behave with dementia in the public flashy or inappropriate, both for the sick and for the accompanying relatives can be very embarrassing as breaks when the patient in front of the escalator in shouting or at the bus stop not want to get off the tram and when he insulted a stranger in the supermarket or something pocketing, because he does not know that you do not do that. Although it is difficult - the open reference to the disease can help.

It is important that these behaviors are not difficult to take it personally, but to see as a result of disturbed thought processes. Often a trigger to be found: the patient is scared, feels threatened or misunderstood situations and points wrong, or out of its reality.

Especially for family caregivers of these challenging behaviors are more burdensome than the actual disease symptoms. Meanwhile, are also safe drugs available if the situation becomes too stressful.

Situation of family carers

Members of people with dementia have to overcome a very difficult task. The burdens are sometimes so large that the nurses are threatening to become ill themselves physically or psychologically. Many of them are also at an age where the physical complaints are more and more.

Relatives of patients with dementia

• foster care and often around the clock. You can hardly leave the patient alone. Their free time and privacy is limited. Doctor or hairdresser, shopping, meet friends and even sleeping at night - all this becomes a problem.
• often suffer from that retreat relatives and friends because they have nothing to do with the patient to catch more and can not bear the situation.
• have the creeping loss of a loved one daily experience for years.
• directed mostly from the entire day on the needs of the patient and have no more time for themselves.
• also immense physical efforts to provide care.
• have great feelings of guilt when they eventually have to admit that the situation can no longer cope and drag to move into the home in question.
• often react sensitively to wise advice, appeasement, or even allegations of outsiders