What is Alzheimer?
- Home
- What is Alzheimer?
What is Dementia?
Dementia is a progressive illness of the brain. It is a disease or a medical condition that is characterised by a decline in memory, thinking skills, language and problem solving, which also affects a person's ability to perform everyday activities. Dementia causes brain cells to deteriorate more quickly than they normally do, which causes confusion about one's identity, where one is, and what day it is. The most typical form of dementia is Alzheimer's disease. Today, India is grappling with a surge in cases of dementia. The most unfortunate part is that dementia has no cure. Leading medical institutions around the world continue to conduct research and experiments, but finding a cure for dementia is still a difficult task for researchers and medical experts.
What is Alzheimer’s Disease?
Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive degenerative disorder of the Brain causing problems with memory, thinking and behaviour. It is the most common form of Dementia affecting around 3 million people in India and around 5 million people in USA. There is no cure for Alzheimer Disease till now but certain medicines can delay the progress. Death from the disease is actually due to secondary infection.
Stages of Alzheimer’s Disease
Early-Stage Alzheimer's:
- • Memory problems become more noticeable, and individuals may have trouble with tasks they once handled easily.
- • They might forget names and appointments, get lost in familiar places, and experience mood swings.
Middle-Stage Alzheimer's:
- • This is often the longest stage and can last for many years.
- • Memory loss and cognitive decline become more pronounced, affecting daily activities.
- • Individuals may become confused, forget important personal details, and require more assistance with daily tasks.
Late-Stage Alzheimer's:
- • In this stage, individuals lose the ability to communicate coherently and independently perform basic tasks.
- • They may have difficulty in swallowing, become immobile, and lose awareness of their surroundings.
- • Caregivers usually need to provide extensive assistance with all aspects of care.
Facts and Figures
- • Dementia affects 1 in 20 over the age of 65 and 1 in 5 over the age of 85. Although it is more common among the elderly, younger people can also be affected.
- • Alzheimer's disease is the most common type of dementia, accounting for 60-70% of cases.
- • Currently, more than 55 million individuals worldwide suffer from dementia, with approximately 10 million new cases diagnosed each year.
- • An estimated 5.2 million people in India are living with some form of dementia, a figure set to double by 2030.
- • Dementia is now the seventh largest cause of death among all diseases and one of the primary causes of impairment and dependency among the elderly worldwide.
