Introduction
Old age is a particular stage in every person’s life. Most older adults are looking forward to it, as they can get the opportunity to relax, be with their family, and reflect on their lives. However, aging also brings serious health problems, some of which directly affect people’s brain activity. Hence, a bright example of this problem is Alzheimer’s disease, which can significantly complicate an individual’s life. Therefore, the study of Alzheimer’s disease will help to gain an understanding of its characteristics, consequences, and methods of treatment among the older generation.
Discussion
In modern society, there is an increase in the elderly population, which determines the high prevalence of various health problems. Bondi et al. (2017) underline that “the current decade has seen the rise of imaging and other biomarkers to characterize preclinical disease before the development of significant cognitive decline” (p. 818). Thus, a large number of people have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Its main symptoms are memory loss and impaired cognitive abilities. Moreover, the studied deviations often cause the development of dementia in patients. Weller and Budson (2018) write that “current treatments available include cholinesterase inhibitors for patients with any stage of AD dementia and memantine for people with moderate-to-severe AD dementia” (p. 1). It is worth noting that Alzheimer’s disease seriously affects not only patients but also their families. Many, unable to cope with the difficulties of caring for the patient, send them to specialized institutions.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Alzheimer’s disease is a common health disorder in the elderly population. The main feature of the studied disease is a violation of human cognitive functions and dementia. In addition, at the current stage of medical development, there are interventions that will help alleviate symptoms. However, not all families of patients can cope with these circumstances. Henceforth, it forces them to turn to a specialized institution for the elderly.
References
Bondi, M. W., Edmonds, E. C., & Salmon, D. P. (2017). Alzheimer’s disease: past, present, and future. Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society, 23(9-10), 818-831. Web.
Weller, J., & Budson, A. (2018). Current understanding of Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis and treatment. F1000Research, 7. Web.