November - Alzheimer's Disease Awareness Month

In addition to National Family Caregivers Month, November is of special importance for individuals and families experiencing Alzheimer's Disease.

I've found that commonly, the term "Alzheimer's" is misunderstood. I've heard people breaking it down as "Alzheimer's -- Alt, like "Old" in German, as in, Old Timer's".. as if it was a normal part of aging. The thing is, it's not.

The name Alzheimer's originated in 1901, when German psychiatrist Alois Alzheimer identified the first case of what came to be known as Alzheimer's Disease.

The Alzheimer's Association website provides great information and resources. Below are the basics about Alzheimer's. Click here for the full website.

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Alzheimer's is a type of dementia that causes problems with memory, thinking and behavior. Symptoms usually develop slowly and get worse over time, becoming severe enough to interfere with daily tasks.

Alzheimer's and dementia basics

• Alzheimer's is the most common form of dementia, a general term for memory loss and other intellectual abilities serious enough to interfere with daily life. Alzheimer's disease accounts for 50 to 80 percent of dementia cases.
  Learn more: What We Know Today and Understanding Dementia.

• Alzheimer's is not a normal part of aging, although the greatest known risk factor is increasing age, and the majority of people with Alzheimer's are 65 and older. But Alzheimer's is not just a disease of old age. Up to 5 percent of people with the disease have early onset Alzheimer's (also known as younger-onset), which often appears when someone is in their 40s or 50s.
  Learn more: Early Onset Alzheimer's and Risk Factors
• Alzheimer's worsens over time. Alzheimer's is a progressive disease, where dementia symptoms gradually worsen over a number of years. In its early stages, memory loss is mild, but with late-stage Alzheimer's, individuals lose the ability to carry on a conversation and respond to their environment. Alzheimer's is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States. Those with Alzheimer's live an average of eight years after their symptoms become noticeable to others, but survival can range from four to 20 years, depending on age and other health conditions.
  Learn more: 10 Warning Signs and Stages of Alzheimer's Disease.
• Alzheimer's has no current cure, but treatments for symptoms are available and research continues. Although current Alzheimer's treatments cannot stop Alzheimer's from progressing, they can temporarily slow the worsening of dementia symptoms and improve quality of life for those with Alzheimer's and their caregivers. Today, there is a worldwide effort under way to find better ways to treat the disease, delay its onset, and prevent it from developing.  
  Learn more: Standard Treatments, Treatment Horizon, Prevention and Clinical Trials.