Effects of Alzheimer's Disease

Alzheimer's disease eventually affects all aspects of a person's life: how he or she thinks, feels and acts. Individuals are affected differently.

It is difficult to predict the symptoms each person will have, the order they will appear or the speed of the disease's progression. The following will be affected by the disease:

Mental abilities

• A person's ability to understand, think, remember and communicate will be affected.
• The ability to make decisions will be reduced.
• Simple tasks that have been performed for years will become more difficult or be forgotten.
• Confusion and memory loss, initially for recent events and eventually for long-term events, will occur.
• The ability to find the right words and follow a conversation will be affected.

Emotions and moods

• A person's ability to control mood and emotion will be lost.
• Some individuals have less expression, are more withdrawn or less active.
•  As the disease progresses, the person may no longer recognize people or familiar places.

Behaviour

Changes in the brain will bring about changes in the way the person reacts to his or her environment. These actions may seem out of character for the person. Some common reactions include:

• wandering from home
• repeating the same action or words
• hiding possessions
• physical outbursts
• restlessness
• inappropriate sexual advances

Physical abilities

The disease can affect a person's physical co-ordination. As the disease progresses, there will be a gradual physical decline. These changes will impact on the person's ability to independently perform day-to-day tasks, such as eating, bathing and getting dressed.

Although the disease results in changes, it does not affect the person's ability to appreciate, respond to and experience feelings such as joy, anger, fear, love or sadness. By understanding the person's personality, life experiences, support systems and ways of coping, an approach to care can be created that preserves the individual's quality of life.