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Jennifer Garcia
Professor Syretta Massey
ENC 1101
25 November 2014
Alzheimers -The Beheading Dread
As the years go by, individuals gradually begin to reach the peak of their lives. Most, as
elders, spend their final years within the company of their families and friends. Many also
expect to grow old along with their children and reminisce over their lives fulfillments and
accomplishments with recollections and memoirs. However, the precious memories they cherish
dearly may dissolve within a matter of years due to Alzheimers disease, or otherwise known as
AD. Alzheimers disease is a progressive, degenerative, and fatal illness which is common
among the elderly and deteriorates the majority brains cognitive functions. It is an inevitable
disease, which can be ranked alongside Cancer as a cureless atrocity and claims the lives of
millions annually.
Alzheimer's disease was first identified by Dr.Alois Alzheimer, a neuropsychiatric, in
1907; nearly only 100 years ago (Lundkvist et al. 2). Dr.Alois Alzheimer first witnessed the
disease while performing a neurological autopsy on the brain of a middle-age woman who had
passed away due to an unknown form of dementia. Presently, Alzheimer's disease is now
considered to be one of the most common types of dementia (Hank). The disease mainly attacks
individuals brains and impairs their memory, thinking, and behavior. An individual who has
been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease may experience loss of memory, confusion, delusions,

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hallucinations, and difficulty communicating. As the disease progresses, the plagued individuals
will lose their self-care skills and be unable to perform simple tasks. Due to this, individuals
diagnosed with AD need to depend on the assistance of others. During the final stages of AD,
individuals may also be unable to recall their relatives or their very own identity prior to their
passing.
Although,
the cause of AD
is yet to be
discovered, it is
known that the
diseases
components are
consists of
plaques and
tangles within the
brain. These
plaque and
tangles are the
potential causes

Figure 1- Shows a crosswise slice view of the brain in which one demonstrates a normal brain
and the other shows the brain with advanced Alzheimers disease.

of Alzheimer's
disease; in which they damage nerve cells within the course of several years that are responsible
in aiding individuals in reasoning, remembering, and learning (The Battle for Your Brain 1).
As the nerve cells in the brain die, the brains normal capabilities to transmitted sensory and

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cognitive signals properly are impaired. As demonstrated in Figure 1, the brain of an individual
with AD begins to shrink and shrivel as the amount of destroy nerve cells increase; causing
permanent neurological damages.
The typical issue thats has raised questions within the Alzheimers community is the
fact that a
great
amount of
people are
unable to
understand
or realize
the diseases

Table 1 Comparison of Alzheimers disease to their leading causes of Death between the years of 1999 and 2008.

true nature are unaware of the potential risks and possibilities of developing the disease. About
5.4 Americans are currently living with Alzheimer today; an amount which could have the
potential to surpass 7.7 million by 2030 (Kene 40). As seen in Table 1, the number of deaths due
to Alzheimers disease has increased by 85% between the span of 9 years. The information can
be evidential to the fact that without further government spending on research funds, AD will
continue to claim the lives of many more individuals.
As technology and medical advances continue to flourish presently throughout societies,
the search for new solutions and the eventual cure for Alzheimers may hopefully end soon.
Currently, there are no curatives or preventatives for AD. There are only a limited amount of
drugs treatments available which subdue the diseases symptoms and stabilize the patients
temporally. However, many organizations like the Alzecure foundation aim to develop new

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therapeutics and possible cures for AD through research to maintain the mental and physical
health of individuals affected by Alzheimers at its best possible functioning (Lundkvist et al. 5).
More funds should be inclined towards research and studies on AD to maintain. Aside from age,
various studies have been able to prove that genetics, physical activity, and dietary nutrition are
risk factors for the development of AD (The Battle for Your Brain 1-4). Genetic may influence
the chances of individuals developing AD through their family histories. In these cases, the
disease may certainly be inherited from prior relatives. In individual who has a family with a
history of Alzheimers or a family member had also previously developed it has higher chances
of developing the disease. According to Zaldy S. Tan, a Harvard MD, a recent study has shown
that individuals who are active and moderately participate in physical activities or exercise are
45% less prone to develop Alzheimers disease. Individuals should often go out for walks or
enroll in gym and enjoy a healthy lifestyle to prevent any possibilities of developing AD. These
studies demonstrate that with further research on AD, more in-depth information can be
discovered regarding the disease, which could help the world obliterate it.
Alzheimers disease is an illness that communities and people all over the world should
be concerned about, but the majority of the general public associates the diseases symptoms to
the natural effects of aging. An adequate number of people are also uninformed about the fact
that Alzheimers is a fatal disease, and think little of it (Blendon et al. 9). Although, memory
loss is typical and expected as individuals grow older, Alzheimer's disease is not a normal during
the process of aging. Yet, it is rather difficult to differentiate the onset symptoms of Alzheimers
disease from aging. It is absolutely normal for elders to often forget minor details just like
Alzheimers patients. As a result, the diagnosis of the disease is problematic. Especially, with the
early stages of the disease which could develop many years before the onset of obvious and

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physical symptoms. The care provided for Alzheimers patients and their families is currently
poor and offer inadequate treatment procedures. Many physicians and health care workers fail to
provide the necessary education, guidance, and counseling needed to help those affected by the
disease; which may be in distress and experiencing tremendous suffering (Reuben et al. 324).
Communities should be well informed about Alzheimers disease. With the promotion of
the diseases awareness people can immediately address the disease as a threat and begin to take
action. In order for Alzheimers awareness to recognized, several resources should be open to the
communities. With the help of organizations and resources, patients and families can educate
themselves and learn about the diseases symptoms and treatments. The majority of
organizations are constructed out of community-oriented social systems that represent and stand
for the awareness of Alzheimers disease. Community-based organizations can educate
physicians and health care workers how to adequately offer care planning and support for their
Alzheimers patients and their families. Rather than only providing patients with mere
prescriptions, health care works should council end encourage those affected by Alzheimers;
patient, family, and caregiver a like. Another key example is the Alzheimers Prevention
Registry, which was created by the Banner Alzheimers Institute, BAI, to advocate for the
disease (kene 40). The executive director of BAI, Eric Reiman, states With the growing
number of people living to older ages, it is important to realize how devastating this disease is for
individuals, families, and the country. (kene 40). He asserts that with the Alzheimers
Prevention Registry, individuals can join the movements and be well informed on current
researches that are being performed to provide more ample amount of information for the
Alzheimers community. With the Alzheimers Prevention Registry, Individuals can also have

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the chance to voluntary partake in trial studies and survey for the benefits the process for the
development of Alzheimers treatments.
Alzheimers disease is gradually overtaking the world like it does to its victims. Many
may find this disease of little concern to them, but individuals with Alzheimers disease have no
choice but to endure an unpleasant outcome in which they are unable to recall faces, names, or
themselves anymore. Besides caregivers and relatives, AD patients have no solutions or
individuals which they could entrust their lives to, to save them. When symptoms gradually start
to take their toll on the patients within the matter of years, families and friends are forced to
watch their dear love ones deteriorate in health before their very own eyes. Although, there is
little known about the disease, with the proper knowledge Alzheimer's, individuals can
effectively fight it. As previously mentioned, today in society we have the luxury of technology
that has been credited for various medical innovations within the 21st century. With the help
technology, research, and the community as a whole, individuals now have a greater advantage
and upper-hand in discovering treatments, preventions, and cures for Alzheimers disease than
history has ever had before. Alzheimers disease shouldnt be referred to as a mere illness which
strikes the majority of our older generations. It should be consider as national threat that can
have the potential to affect anyone.