Recently a retired senior citizen left home in the morning and didn’t return home till the late evening.

He neither fight with his wife and children or met with an accident.

His wife was worried. The search was on. Finally, in the late evening, he was found by a taxi driver. The driver could reach someone known to him. He was brought home at night.

This kind of behaviour in senior citizen is on the rise. Sudden memory loss. Clueless about own whereabouts. We also have seen the similar behaviour of the Mother of the Protagonist in the Film Uri.

Beware.

This is disease, a dangerous disease. The condition is known as Alzheimer’s disease. It is very important for everyone to know the symptoms and preventive measures of this dreaded disease.

Mayo Clinic defines:

Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive disorder that causes brain cells to waste away (degenerate) and die. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia — a continuous decline in thinking, behavioral and social skills that disrupts a person’s ability to function independently.

Dementia is not a specific disease. It’s an overall term that describes a group of symptoms associated with a decline in memory or other thinking skills severe enough to reduce a person’s ability to perform everyday activities. Alzheimer’s disease accounts for 60 to 80 percent of Dementia cases.

Symptoms:

Alzheimer’s Association indicates 10 early signs of the disease.

• Memory Loss that disrupts life
• Challenges in planning or problem solving
• Difficulty in completing a familiar task
• Confusion with time and place
• Trouble understanding visual images.
• Problems with words speaking or writing
• Misplacing things and inability to find again
• Decrease in Judgement
• Withdrawal from work and social activities
• Mood changes
• Repeating statements /questions

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Causes:

Scientists believe this disease could be due to the combination of Genetic, lifestyle and environment factors.

One study, for example, found that annually there were two new diagnoses per 1,000 people ages 65 to 74, 11 new diagnoses per 1,000 people ages 75 to 84, and 37 new diagnoses per 1,000 people age 85 and older.

Some of the reasons are;

Other than Genetics, lifestyle is another cause. These are:

• Poor sleep patterns
• Lack of Exercise
• Obesity
• Smoking
• High BP
• High Cholesterol
• Poorly Controlled Type II Diabetes

Treating and managing Alzheimer disease is complex. The best strategy to deal with the diseases is to prevent it. Those who are casual and not prioritizing Exercise in their daily life need to take the possibility of this disease seriously.’

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Alzheimer Preventive Measures:

• Exercise Regularly
• East Healthy Food
• Manage chronic disease like BP, Cholesterol.
• Quit Smoking
• Get Enough Sleep
• Learn new things
• Challenge your mind
• Connect Socially

The following video contains good brain games.

Alzheimer Research & Preventive Foundation: Regular physical exercise can reduce your risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease by up to a stunning 50%? Moreover, studies have shown that women from age 40 to 60 who exercised regularly were seen to have a dramatic reduction in memory loss and cognitive decline.

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Keep your brain healthy and your body fit. You have no escape route. Exercise regularly and keep your brain, body, and life healthy.

For those who think a career is a priority over their health, for those who think exercise is not necessary,  should watch this video to be ready to live a new way of living with Alzheimer.

This disease not only affects the diseased but also people around him.

“Caring for an Alzheimer’s patient is a situation that can utterly consume the lives and well-being of the people giving care, just as the disorder consumes its victims.”  Leeza Gibbons

You may also like to read for healthy aging:  Healthy aging or painful aging, choice is yours