The Caring Corner®

Alzheimer’s Affects the Body as it Does the Mind

March 19, 2013

We think of Alzheimer’s as a disease that weakens the mind.  We do not often think of it as a cause of death, but it is now one of the top ten causes of death.  While initial effects of Alzheimer’s simply appear as forgetfulness and an inclination to wander what is happening is that the brain’s ability to operate as the control center for the body is deteriorating.  In more advanced states of Alzheimer’s, for example, the patient loses the ability to swallow well.  Food particles may enter the lungs and cause pneumonia.

If the individual dies, we may nominally list the cause of death as pneumonia, but the procuring cause of death was the weakened state of bodily functions due to Alzheimer’s disease.   It should be noted that the relative growth in Alzheimer’s cases is also due to the fact that we are living longer and are surviving other afflictions — such as prostate cancer — that commonly used to be a cause of death.

Letting go of our loved ones is a hard decision.  By understanding Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia as terminal illnesses, families can be better prepared about what to expect at the end stage.  According to National Public Radio, research shows that when families understand what is happening, they are less likely to request extreme measures to keep a family member alive.  These are always personal decisions, but coming to grips with the inevitability of loss is never a bad thing.

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