Everyone has the occasional “senior moment” when we forget a person’s name, the time of that meeting we were supposed to attend, or the name of that TV show or movie we love. When it gets to be an everyday occurrence, disrupting daily living, a person may be experiencing the beginning stages of Alzheimer’s disease.
Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form of dementia, is a serious brain disorder affecting more than five million people in the U.S. and is continuing to increase. Some symptoms often related to Alzheimer’s disease include misplacing things, loss of memory, disorientation with time and place, lack of judgment, and rapid mood swings.
Although there is no specific cause of Alzheimer’s disease, there is an extensive amount of research being done to formulate some answers. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, scientists have identified certain risk factors that can increase the possibility of developing the disease — such as age, family history and heredity. They also have found that certain risk factors within our control, such as head injuries, certain heart diseases and not staying healthy while aging, can increase the risk of Alzheimer’s.
“Minimizing risk factors associated with stroke and heart disease along with good medical care is often helpful for patients with Alzheimer’s disease,” says Calvin Stafford, M.D., chief of the Section of Neurology at Taylor Hospital. “Healthy people usually function much better with each stage of the disease. Also, keeping track of sleep schedules can be helpful in the long run because problems with sleeping, increased confusion and agitation at night time can all lead to worse problems in future stages.”
Currently, a few medications are available that may be able to help delay the later stages of Alzheimer’s and its symptoms. Although a tremendous amount of research is being done, a cure for the disease has not yet been found.
“We live in an extremely exciting time in medical research, especially research into neurological diseases — Alzheimer’s disease in particular,” says Robert Slater, M.D., a neurologist at Delaware County Memorial Hospital. “For the first time in human history, we have two categories of medications that help Alzheimer’s patients — cholinesterase inhibitors and memantine (namenda). These two groups of medications can help delay symptoms of the disease’s later stages, and may be able to treat mild, moderate and severe stages. It is very likely that in the next one to five years we will have more treatments. The hope of a cure is no longer a ‘pipe dream’ but may be a reality in time for our parents and grandparents, if not our children.”
Coping with Alzheimer’s is difficult for the patient as well as their caregiver. With the increased amount of awareness and research put into this disease, there also has been an increase in the amount of tools and tips to help patients and their loved ones cope with its effects.
“It is often an overwhelming physical and emotional burden to take care of a beloved family member who has Alzheimer’s, and is painful both in the early and late stages of the disease,” says Bradley Grayum, M.D., chief of the Division of Neurology at Crozer-Chester Medical Center. “We try to emphasize the need for the caregiver to take time off; we recommend one day a week to recover and recharge. This also benefits the patient in that their caregiver maintains more of the energy and patience that is required of them. Our patients with Alzheimer’s become very dependent on their usual caregiver, almost like a security blanket, and often seem uncomfortable or anxious without them. It is still necessary for those caregivers to take days off and pay attention to their own health as well.”
Crozer-Chester Medical Center’s Dementia-Specific Adult Day Center has been an important tool for patients and caregivers in dealing with the symptoms and effects of all stages of Alzheimer’s. Some of the services that are provided through the center include education, counseling, support groups and respite care. The center also offers an Alzheimer’s Association-affiliated support group that meets the second Tuesday of every month from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at Crozer’s Silberman Center. The day center operates from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. Also, every first and third Saturday of the month, the center is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. This safe, structured, and fun atmosphere creates a secure and familiar environment for patients. In addition, Crozer-Keystone Health System operates a Medical Adult Day Center, also located on the Crozer campus.
For more information on Crozer-Keystone Health System’s Adult Day Centers, located at Crozer-Chester Medical Center, or to connect with other CKHS or community-based events, call 1-800-CKHS-KEY (1-800-254-7539) or visit http://srhealthservices.crozer.org/.