November is national Alzheimer's awareness month

November 9, 5:59 PMNorthwest Philadelphia Elder Care ExaminerHeather Aurand

Previous

Comment Print Email RSS Subscribe

Subscribe

Get alerts when there is a new article from the Northwest Philadelphia Elder Care Examiner. Read Examiner.com's terms of use.

Email Address   Include other special offers from Examiner.com Terms of Use

Both awareness and community support can help families deal with Alzheimer's disease.
Microsoft

       November is Alzheimer's Awareness month. Additionally, on October 30th 2009, President Obama declared November National Family Caregivers month. Therefore, November is a time to not only acknowledge Alzheimer’s disease, but also everyone who cares for someone with the disease. More than 5 million people are afflicted with Alzheimer’s and over 10 million people are caregivers. There is still no cure for the debilitating disease and unfortunately, without an effective cure, it is estimated that the number of Alzheimer’s cases will increase significantly over the next 50 years (Associated Press, 2007). It is so important to diagnose the disease in the early stages when treatment can be more effective. However, too often by the time a person finally sees a doctor, the disease has already progressed into the later stages.
       While there is no cure, there are a variety of methods for treating Alzheimer’s disease. There are several medications used to treat the symptoms of Alzheimer’s such as depression, anxiety and irritability. But medications are not the only method for dealing with the disease. Therapeutic and entertaining activities have been shown to enhance a person’s happiness and therefore enhance their quality of life. Giving a person with Alzheimer’s a purpose such as folding laundry, gardening, or arts and crafts can help limit feelings of hopelessness. For other activity ideas see http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-26061-Northwest-Philadelphia-Elder-Care-Examiner~y2009m10d22-Keeping-the-elderly-active .
       So during the month of November, take the time to learn more about Alzheimer’s disease. The number of persons with the disease is growing and it is important to be aware of the signs and symptoms, the treatments, and any other forms of support. The more you know, the less stressful it will be if you must face the disease head-on.

If you are a caregiver dealing with stress, feel free to visit http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-26061-Northwest-Philadelphia-Elder-Care-Examiner~y2009m10d25-Coping-with-caregiver-stress for ways to reduce stress.