DEAR READERS,

I EARNESTLY APPEAL TO
ALL, TO GO THROUGH ALL
ALZHEIMER’S
SLIDES OF THIS
DISEASE PRESENTATION WITH
CARE. I’M SURE, IT WOULD
HELP YOU SOMEWHERE
ALONG LIFE, IN SOME WAY
OR OTHER.

A PowerPoint presentation by: joseyown@providence.usa.com DATED: 29.07.2007

 DEMENTIA OR ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE.
Dementia, most commonly caused by
Alzheimer’s Disease, has become a well known
name in most family circles today. There are many
Alzheimer’s patients in the world. As the early symptoms of
this disease, expressed through the lives of people having
them, are very confusing to others, we tend to treat them with
aggression and anger, when they repeatedly fail to do normal
human activities. This is most often, due to a sudden change
seen in them, which irritates others. But we need to know,
that most often than not, the younger and healthier family
members are the ones, who need the first
treatment, by way of counsel, to help them cope with
increasingly surprising behavior of these patients.

This presentation, throws light on various aspects of this

disease.
The educational information and value of this presentation,
has been taken care off, by collecting information through
reliable sources.
A PowerPoint presentation by: joseyown@providence.usa.com DATED: 29.07.2007
 In Latin, the word
‘Dementia’ means
‘Irrationality’.
The origin of the term
Alzheimer's disease,
a form of Dementia,
dates back to 1906
when
Dr.Alois Alzheimer,
a German physician,
presented a case
history before a
medical meeting of a
51-year-old female
who suffered from a
rare brain disorder.
His autopsy of the
woman's brain
identified the plaques
and tangles that
today characterize
Alzheimer's disease.
It 29.07.2007
A PowerPoint presentation by: joseyown@providence.usa.com DATED: is a gradual and
 WHAT IS DEMENTIA?
Dementia is the loss of
intellectual functions (such as
thinking, remembering, and
reasoning) of sufficient severity
to interfere with a person’s daily
functioning. Dementia is not a
disease itself but rather a group
of symptoms that may
accompany certain diseases or
conditions. Symptoms may also
include changes in personality,
mood, and behavior. Dementia
is irreversible when caused by
disease or injury but may be
reversible when caused by
drugs, alcohol, hormone or
vitamin imbalances, or
depression.

A PowerPoint presentation by: joseyown@providence.usa.com DATED: 29.07.2007

 Symptoms
People in the early stages of Alzheimer's
disease may experience lapses of
memory and have problems finding the
right words. As the disease progresses
they may:
• Become confused, and frequently forget
the names of people, places,
appointments and recent events.
• Experience mood swings. They may feel
sad or angry. They may feel scared and
frustrated by their increasing memory
loss.
• Become more withdrawn due either to a
loss of confidence or to communication
problems.
As the disease progresses, people with
Alzheimer's will need more support from
those who care for them. Eventually they
will need help with all their daily activities.
While there are some common symptoms of
Alzheimer's disease, it is important to
remember that everyone is unique. No
two cases of Alzheimer's are likely to be
the same. People always experience
illness in their own individual way.

A PowerPoint presentation by: joseyown@providence.usa.com DATED: 29.07.2007

ELABORATING THE SYMPTOMS FOR BETTER UNDERSTANDING.
It is often family or friends who first detect the problem. A person with
Dementia may mislay items, become lost on a familiar way, including
forgetting where the wash basin of the home is. They get confused in the
middle of a conversation which eventually leads to disability in speech and
writing. They develop inability to perform daily activities like brushing the
teeth, dressing, and other motor skills practiced in their normal life. They
forget to flush toilets, wash themselves clean, and may indulge in socially
inappropriate behavior. They may stick their fingers into a live electric line as
when plugging a domestic electric appliance. They lose their ability for
abstract thought, planning and doing complex tasks. They find difficulty to
understand books, movies, TV shows and news items. Infact, they lose
interest in all these. While speaking, they find difficulty in remembering
common words and names and substitute for appropriate names like,
“Where is the thing for sweeping?” usually in search of the word ‘Broom’.
They misidentify people, confusing sister with mother, husband with son or
vice versa. They use empty phrases like “You know”, “that thing” etc. They
lose sense of the time of day and may get up at midnight, brush their teeth,
expecting that the next day has dawned. They suddenly change moods,
become extremely confused, fearful, suspicious, angry and aggressive.
They may even withdraw to self imposed seclusion. They develop fear for
their own image on a mirror and hallucinate a lot. They become very passive
in household activities. The list goes on and on.
A PowerPoint presentation by: joseyown@providence.usa.com DATED: 29.07.2007
 WHAT CAUSES DEMENTIA?
Dementia is usually caused by degeneration in the cerebral cortex, the part of the brain
responsible for thoughts, memories, actions and personality. Death of brain cells in this region
leads to the cognitive impairment which characterizes dementia. Disorders that cause dementia
include conditions that impair the Vascular (blood vessels) or Neurologic (nerve) structures of the
brain. A vast majority of cases of dementia are not caused by an inherited genetic faults.
Dementia is so common, that having one or two close relatives with dementia is not evidence of a
family link.

• The genetic factors associated with dementia

• The genetic factors associated with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia can be
summarized as follows:
• There is no single gene responsible for all cases of dementia
• Genetic factors only directly cause the disease in a very small number of families with dementia
• Among cases without a family link, there is a genetic component to the disease; however,
inherited factors alone do not explain why some people develop it and others do not.
A PowerPoint presentation by: joseyown@providence.usa.com DATED: 29.07.2007
 TREATMENT
• There is currently no cure for
Alzheimer's disease. However, there are
a number of drug treatments available
that can ameliorate the symptoms or
slow down the disease progression in
some people.
• People with Alzheimer's have been
shown to have a shortage of the
chemical acetylcholine in their brains.
The drugs usually administered, work
by maintaining existing supplies of
acetylcholine. These drugs are only
helpful for people with mild to moderate
dementia. Side-effects may include
diarrhoea, nausea, insomnia, fatigue
and loss of appetite.
• However there are some newly
launched drugs in the UK in 2002. These
drugs work in a different way. It
prevents the excess entry of calcium
ions into brain cells. Excess calcium in
the brain cells damages them and
prevents them from receiving messages
from other brain cells. Ebixa (do not
consume without medical prescription)
is the only drug that is suitable for use
in people in the middle to later stages of
dementia. Side-effects may include
hallucinations, confusion, dizziness,
headaches and tiredness.
• These drugs are not a cure, but they
may stabilize some of the symptoms of
Alzheimer's disease for a limited period
of time.
A PowerPoint presentation by: joseyown@providence.usa.com DATED: 29.07.2007
 CARING FOR SOMEONE WITH DEMENTIA.
It’s very important that people with dementia are treated with respect.
If you can understand what the person is going through, it might be easier
for you to realise why they behave in certain ways. It is important to
remember that a person with dementia is still a unique and valuable
human being, despite their illness. When a person with dementia finds
that their mental abilities are declining, they often feel vulnerable and in
need of reassurance and support. The people closest to them, including
their carers, friends and family, need to do everything they can, to help
the person to retain their sense of identity and feelings of self-worth. A
person with dementia needs to feel respected and valued for who they
are now, as well as for who they were in the past. As a carer, there are
many things you can do to help:
• Try to be flexible and tolerant.
• Make time to listen, have regular chats, and enjoy being with the person.
• Show affection in a way you both feel comfortable with.
• Things to remember: Each person with dementia is a unique individual,
with their own very different experiences of life, their own needs and
feelings, and their own likes and dislikes. Although some symptoms of
dementia are common to everyone, dementia affects each person in
different ways. Everyone, including friends, family members, carers, and
the person with dementia, reacts to the experience of dementia in their
own way. Dementia means different things to different people. As
someone caring for a person with dementia, you need to take account of
the person’s abilities, interests and preferences. These may change as
the dementia progresses. It’s not always easy, but try to respond flexibly
and sensitively.
If someone is not used to being around people with dementia,
here are a few things to emphasise: Dementia is nothing to be ashamed
A PowerPoint presentation by: joseyown@providence.usa.com DATED: 29.07.2007
• Need to act with courtesy Many people with dementia have a fragile sense
of self-worth; it’s especially important that people continue to treat
them with courtesy, however advanced their dementia. Be kind and
reassuring to the person you’re caring for without talking down to them.
Never talk over their head as if they are not there – especially if you’re
talking about them. Include them in conversations. Avoid scolding or
criticizing them – this will make them feel small. Look for the meaning
behind their words, even if they don’t seem to be making much sense.
Whatever the person is saying, they are usually trying to communicate
with you about how they feel. Try to imagine how you would like to be
spoken to if you were in their position. Try to make sure that the
person’s right to privacy is respected. Suggest to other people that they
should always knock on the person’s bedroom door before entering. If
they need help with intimate personal activities, such as washing or
using the toilet, do this sensitively and make sure the door is kept
closed if other people are around. Make sure that, whenever possible,
you inform and consult the person about matters that concern them.
Give them every opportunity to make their own choices. Always explain
what you are doing and why. You may be able to judge the person’s
reaction from their expression and body language. People with
dementia can find choice confusing, so keep it simple. Phrase questions
so that they only need a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answer, such as ‘Would you like to
wear your blue blouse today?’ rather than ‘Which blouse would you like
to wear today?’ In the earlier stages, the person may want to talk about
their anxieties and the problems they are experiencing. Try to
understand how the person feels. Make time to offer them support,
rather than ignoring them or ‘jollying them along’. Don’t brush their
worries aside, however painful they may be. Listen and show them that
you are there for them. Avoid situations in which the person is bound to
fail, as this can be humiliating. Look for tasks they can still manage and
A PowerPoint presentation by: joseyown@providence.usa.com DATED: 29.07.2007
Take care of them like a child, lest you never
get a chance, even to repent.

A PowerPoint presentation by: joseyown@providence.usa.com DATED: 29.07.2007

 I HOPE TO MAKE THIS PRESENTATION, AN
EYE OPENER TO MANY CHILDERN AND CARE
TAKERS OF DEMENTIA PATIENTS IN THIS
WORLD.

REMEMBER, THAT A DEMENTIA PATIENT IS

LILY MICHAEL
SOMEONES MOTHER OR DAUGHTER,
FATHER OR SON, AND LET US NOT BE
CRUEL TO THEM. LET US NOT BUILD ZOOS
IN OUR HOMES TO MOCK ANIMALS. LET US
NOT TORTURE THEM, FOR THEY ARE OUR
GENES. LET US NOT MAKE THEM DIE IN
INSANITY. TOMORROW THE SAME COULD
HAPPEN TO US TOO. LET US NOT BE THE
SELFISH MAN, THE HATING MAN, THE
16 DIE
.11 D
.20
VENEMOUS, VITUPERATIVE, VICIOUS AND
05 VIVESECTING MAN.

LET US STRIVE TO BE TRUE SONS AND

DAUGHTERS.

REMEMBER, ALL THAT WE ARE READY TO

Another victim of DO FOR THEM, WILL MAKE US ENDURED
Dementia DIFFICULTIES, MORE THAN THE LIMITS OF
OUR ABILITY, PATIENCE, COURAGE AND
TIME.

A PowerPoint presentation by: joseyown@providence.usa.com DATED: 29.07.2007

 THIS PRESENTATION IS DEDICATED
TO THE LOVING MEMORY
OF MY DEARLY BELOVED MOTHER,
WHO LEFT ME FOR HER HEAVENLY
ABODE, AT THE AGE OF 81,
AFTER A LONG AND PAINSTAKING
JOURNEY OF LIFE
WITH DEMENTIA.

R.I.P
LILY
MIC
DIED HAEL
16.1 ON
1.20
05

My m
o
a vic ther
t
DEM im of
ENT
IA

A PowerPoint presentation by: joseyown@providence.usa.com DATED: 29.07.2007