caregivers of individuals with AD

Caregivers of Individuals with Alzheimer's Disease

Alzheimer's disease is a terribly debilitating disease that strikes older adults and for which there is no known cure. According to the Institute on Aging, Alzheimer's disease is "an irreversible, progressive brain disease that slowly destroys memory and thinking skills, and eventually even the ability to carry out the simplest tasks." (2012, p.1) Alzheimer's disease is named after Dr. Alois Alzheimer. Dr. Alzheimer is reported to have noted changes in a deceased woman's brain tissues that had passed away with an unusual mental illness, which had symptoms of "memory loss, language problems, and unpredictable behavior." (Institute on Aging, 2012, p.1) Her brain contained abnormal clumps, which are now referred to as amyloid plaques and tangled bundles of fibers now called neurofibrillary tangles, the two main features of Alzheimer's disease. The third feature of Alzheimer's disease is the loss of...
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