Alzheimer Sufferers Are Not Well Off.
Do you know someone that suffers from Alzheimer's or someone that is caring for a family member who has this disease? A once unknown disease, Alzheimer is now a common word in our language. With it comes a fear of the unknown and why it strikes people in a seemingly indiscriminating way. Many years ago when old people became forgetful they were just thought to be getting a little senile-this was just something that happened naturally to people as they aged. With the increasing lifespan, today we are now learning that being senile is just the beginning of what might develop into a disease called Alzheimer.
When someone is first diagnosed with having Alzheimer, they think their world is coming to an end. They will soon not remember anyone that they have known and loved for decades and they will no longer be able to take care of their own personal day-to-day living needs. This can be one of the worst things-to know that you will gradually deteriorate into a vegetated state and that there is nothing that can be done to help you. If you are diagnosed with Alzheimer, know that the researchers are working very hard to come up with a treatment plan that will slow the symptoms and, hopefully, some day eliminate the disease. For now, you have some difficult decisions to make and you should start immediately so that your wishes can be fulfilled. Let your family and friends know that you have been given this diagnosis and talk to them about how you want to proceed with your medical care and eventually for your incarceration in a nursing home or Alzheimer's facility. Read everything you can about the disease and the groundbreaking medical advances that are being used. Knowing what you are up against will help you truly understand what to expect and whether or not there will be any medical breakthrough that might help. You might even learn about an experimental treatment where they are searching for volunteers. Their initial goal is that they want to slow down the disease so that you can live a longer and better life. Consider volunteering, you never know you might be one of the lucky ones where the medical treatment might help and if it does not, you have not lost anything. This probably sounds very depressing for you. No one wants to think about having such a disease or planning ahead for dealing with it. The choices you make now will help your family and friends later when you can no longer make your own decisions. At least by doing your own preliminary planning, they will know exactly what you would have wanted done (even if you are now incapable of making decisions). |