Alzheimer’s is a condition that affects approximately 5 million people across the United States. It is a progressive form of dementia that makes up about 60 to 80 percent of all cases in the United States.

The condition causes cognitive decline and memory loss in individuals. As a result, people with Alzheimer’s eventually lose the ability to perform simple day-to-day tasks. Though it’s a progressive disease, timely treatment can help manage symptoms of the condition. Those who need financial assistance can enroll in prescription assistance programs today.

Here’s everything you need to know about Alzheimer’s disease.

Defining Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive form of dementia that negatively impacts an individual’s memory, thinking, and sometimes even their behavior.

The condition is commonly characterized by the presence of amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles in the brain. Loss of connection between neurons is another characteristic of the condition. This means that the neurons can’t pass information from different parts of the brain to other organs and muscles.

Alzheimer’s symptoms are usually mild at first but worsen over time. Eventually, it becomes more difficult for patients to remember, reason, and recognize people, places, or things. The cognitive decline eventually causes individuals to lose all ability to respond or interact with their environment.

Though many people believe Alzheimer’s is an inevitable part of aging, that’s not the case.

Symptoms of Alzheimer’s Disease

Indicators of the condition aren’t similar to being forgetful from time to time. In fact, Alzheimer’s causes severe symptoms that worsen over time. As a result, individuals might need full-time assistance.

Here are some signs to look out for:

1. Loss of memory that impacts day-to-day activities. For example, forgetting appointments.
2. Experiencing difficulty with reasoning
3. Having trouble remembering simple tasks.
4. Finding it hard to accomplish complex tasks or solve problems.
5. Decreased personal hygiene
6. Sense of disorientation
7. Constantly losing objects
8. Repeating questions
9. Having problems with speech or writing

Stages of Alzheimer’s

Alzheimer’s ranges from mild and moderate to severe stages of impairment. Here’s what you should know:

Mild Stage

People at this stage just begin developing cognitive difficulties and memory issues. This includes taking longer to complete tasks, having difficulty managing money, and experiencing personality changes.

Moderate Stage

In this stage, parts of the brain responsible for consciousness, language, and reasoning are damaged. This causes them to experience memory loss and difficulty recognizing people and performing tasks at various stages. People can also experience hallucinations and delusions, which cause paranoia.

Severe Stage

Individuals at this stage become completely dependent on their caretakers. The plaques and tangles in the brain shrink tissues and cause cognitive decline.  

Timely diagnosis is essential in managing and delaying Alzheimer’s symptoms. However, the treatment can be expensive, which deters people from getting medical help. If you require prescription assistance to manage the condition, then consider The Rx Helper today.

We take pride in being a leading patient assistance company that offers prescription assistance programs to those who struggle to afford medicines. Enroll in one of our programs now, or contact us to learn more about our services.