5 Questions To Ask From Your Nearby Geriatric about Alzheimer’s Disease
Aging is an irreversible phenomenon of life, which leads to many physical, hormonal, mental and behavioral changes in a person. These changes appear in the form of common aging signs which mostly range from stooped posture, weakness of muscles and softness of bones, age spots, hair loss to increased susceptibility to infectious diseases and degenerative mental disorders.
Taking good care of our loved ones requires us to have knowledge and awareness about the disorders which are most common in older age. and mental disorders are one of them. So, if you have a loved one who has started showing the signs of aging or has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s diseases.
Then here are the 5 most common questions you need to ask your geriatric about Alzheimer’s disease.
- What is Alzheimer’s disease?
One can not combat a disease if he doesn’t fully understand it. So, it is very important that you consult your geriatric for a complete and authentic understanding about Alzheimer’s disease. However, here is a brief introduction about the disease.
Alzheimer’s disease is a slow progressive and degenerative disorder of brain. Which means that there is a gradual loss of memory, difficulty in thinking and changes in behavior. And the mental capacity of performing daily tasks is reduced significantly.
2. What are the different stages of Alzheimer’s disease and how do they effect the mental functions?
Traditionally, the Alzheimer’s disease is defined on the bases of 7 different stages. All these stages effect the mental capabilities and brain functioning, differently. These stages are described as:
- Stage 1: No evident impairment of brain functioning
- Stage 2: Very mild decline
- Stage 3: Mild decline
- Stage 4: Moderate decline
- Stage 5: Moderately severe decline
- Stage 6: Severe decline
- Stage 7: Very severe decline
Having a knowledge about these distinct stages is utterly important in understanding the growing symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease in your loved one.
3. What tests and treatments are available for Alzheimer’s disease?
Just like the other diseases of body which require biochemical and clinical tests, Alzheimer’s disease is also diagnosed through the analysis of apparent signs, symptoms and through laboratory and clinical tests. These tests can be done with the consulting of a geriatrician.
4. Is an Alzheimer’s patient a potent danger for himself\ herself or others?
With the mental capabilities compromised, an Alzheimer’s patient could be a potent danger for their own lives as well as for other’s. But this probability depends upon the severity of the disease. Which is determined after various tests, diagnosis and monitoring. So, livings with a patient with this disease could be very complicated if you do not have ant knowledge about it
5. Do nursing facilities take better care of the Alzheimer’s patients?
When you visit your geriatric for an Alzheimer’s patient it is crucial that you ask the doctor if there is any need to admit the patient in a nursing facility. The doctor will guide you about the nursing facility considering the severity of the disease and the condition of the patient.