Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a condition that slowly destroys brain cells, causing increasingly adverse effects on memory, thinking, character and behaviour. It was named after the German doctor Alois Alzheimer, who first noticed its effects in 1909. It is the most common form of dementia among the elderly.

The video below, narrated by actor David Hyde Pierce, provides a medical description of AD, including its progressive stages.

A study by John Hopkins University in America found that 26.6 million people were suffering from AD around the world in 2006, and 43% of these people required nursing care. They estimate that, by 2050, the disease may quadruple in occurrence resulting in 1 in 85 people globally having the disease.

In Australia, CSIRO research states that about 200,000 people have dementia, with AD accounting for the majority of those cases. They estimate the number of people who will have AD in 2040 to be over 700,000 people. An Australian Bureau of Statistics report found that 7,320 people died in Australia in 2007 due to dementia or AD, the fourth leading cause of death that year.

There is a very large economic cost involved with treating and caring for people with AD. As the disease progresses, the patient needs to be cared for by professional paid caregivers when possible, or by family members and friends who often must rely on social welfare to cover their living costs. There is also the lost productivity of both the patient and the caregiver to consider. According to a report by Access Economics, the cost of AD alone in Australia in 2004 was estimated to be $3.6 billion.

There has been a lot of research conducted to find ways to prevent AD. Unfortunately, there have also been many inconsistent and contradictory findings because of this research. However, the following two pieces of advice to help prevent AD are often given:

maintain a good diet – as with other conditions such as heart disease and diabetes, it is argued that a diet low in saturated and trans fats and high in fruit, vegetables, fish and wholegrain foods will increase the chances of preventing or delaying the onset of AD
keep the brain active – studies have shown that people engaging in activities that require active brainwork, such as doing crossword puzzles, reading, playing board games or being bilingual, delay the onset of AD or reduce its severity

For a good summary of what is known about preventing AD, click here.

Has AD affected you or someone you know? Do you need help, or are you able to provide advice? If so, please join the SeniorSpace community discussing AD on our forum here.

Useful Links

Health Insite, an Australian Government website, has an index of resources relating to AD here.

Alzheimer’s Australia is the leading national organization providing support and advice for Australians who have dementia.

Alzheimer’s Disease

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