Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is Alzheimer's disease? Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of
Dementia among older people. It involves parts of the brain that control thought, memory, and language. Alzheimer's damages a person's ability to reason, remember, speak, perform simple calculations, and carry out routine tasks. Over time, patients also may become anxious or aggressive or wander away from home. In the later stages, they may forget how to do basic tasks, like brushing their teeth or dressing themselves. Eventually, patients need total care.
2. What is dementia? Dementia is a brain disorder that seriously affects a person's memory, thinking, and reasoning skills. People with dementia often have trouble thinking and speaking clearly, remembering recent events, and learning new things. Over time, it becomes hard for them to handle everyday activities and take care of themselves. There are many causes of dementia, but Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia in older persons.
The second most common type of dementia is multi-infarct dementia, which is caused by a series of strokes. Dementia can also develop from other diseases affecting the nervous system, including Parkinson's disease and
AIDS.
3. What is senile dementia? Senile dementia is an outdated term once used to refer to any form of dementia that occurred in older people.
4. What is mild cognitive impairment? Mild cognitive impairment, or MCI, is a change in memory that is different from both Alzheimer's disease and age-related memory change. People with MCI have ongoing memory problems but do not have noticeable problems in other areas like confusion, attention problems, and difficulty with language.
5. How many people suffer from Alzheimer's disease? It is estimated that up to 4.5 million people currently suffer from Alzheimer's disease in the United States.
6. What is the age of most people with Alzheimer's disease? Photo of a woman seated.The risk of Alzheimer's increases with age. In most people with Alzheimer's disease, symptoms first appear after age 65. About 3 percent of men and women ages 65 to 74 have the disease, but nearly half of those age 85 and older may have the disease. It is not uncommon for individuals to have mild symptoms for some time before a diagnosis is made. It is important to note that Alzheimer's disease is not a normal part of aging.
7. How long do people with Alzheimer's disease live after developing the disease? People with Alzheimer's disease often live for years with the disease, eventually dying from
Pneumonia or other diseases. The time from diagnosis to end of life varies. It can be as little as 3 years if the person is over 80 when diagnosed. Or, it may be as long as 10 years or more if the person is younger.
