In light of September being World Alzheimer’s Month, we’re bringing awareness to the quality of life that people with Alzheimer’s endure. Everyone always asks about that one relative battling AD or Dementia but the real gritty parts of it are always left out. Here’s the hard truth.
Alzheimer’s Has No Cure
Alzheimer’s Disease can be treated, but there is no official “cure” to this disease. Not to say there might never be a cure because with enough research and awareness, there very well could be. However, as it stands the only treatment for Alzheimer’s or Dementia comes from therapies and support from loved ones.
Dementia isn’t all about memory loss, sometimes in severe cases a loss of cognitive function can occur. Symptoms such as a difficulty in understanding, remembering, or processing certain things can become a problem. If Dementia has progressed far enough, some people might even have memories that don’t exist. This can be especially difficult when the structure of daily routines no longer bring a sense of relief to the patient, instead it can even frustrate them because what was once comfortable and familiar now feels completely different. This is why people battling this disease need support.
Supporting the Cause
Supporting those with Alzheimer’s doesn’t mean being their caregiver, not completely. Support can come in many ways, care-giving, donations for research, and attending events to bring awareness. These events go year-round, but the major ones are normally held in September as it’s the designated month for awareness to AD.
Donations don’t always mean “cash”, either. It can be items that can improve the quality of life for those with Alzheimer’s. Things like games and activities or bed aids can be donated to the cause, which can greatly change someone’s life when they don’t have the means to purchase these things themselves. Helpful guides for family and friends are also welcomed because let’s face it, we could all use a little help to properly care for those with Alzheimer’s.
Raising awareness can mean anything from social media to attending events, the point of attending these events is to bring everyone together, support groups, campaigns, and researches all work very hard to keep the community together. It’s helpful to get out there and get the message out, but it also allows for those with AD to connect with other people with a similar condition, so they don’t feel so alone.
For early onset Dementia it can be particularly rough because it’s not always diagnosed and often times, people can lose their jobs due to memory lapse or poor performance. A diagnosis of early onset Dementia can actually save lives, because it can be treated and managed before it becomes too severe. There are tons of resources for therapy groups, career starters, and health providers that fully support the cause and are willing to work with those with AD. Don’t sit back and hope for a cure, be apart of the cure for Alzheimer’s Disease.
Source: worldalzmonth.org
