What a beautiful Saturday in Iowa for a walk. Our nurse Tanya had fun with her family walking for Alzheimers, “The Kitterman Krew”.

Alzheimer’s:

A progressive disease that destroys memory and other important mental functions.

Brain cell connections and the cells themselves degenerate and die, eventually destroying memory and other important mental functions.

Memory loss and confusion are the main symptoms.

No cure exists, but medications and management strategies may temporarily improve symptoms.

Symptoms:

Requires a medical diagnosis.

Memory loss and confusion are the main symptoms.

People may experience:

Cognitive: mental decline, difficulty thinking and understanding, confusion in the evening hours, delusion, disorientation, forgetfulness, making things up, mental confusion, difficulty concentrating, inability to create new memories, inability to do simple math, or inability to recognize common things.

Behavioral: aggression, agitation, difficulty with self care, irritability, meaningless repetition of own words, personality changes, lack of restraint, or wandering and getting lost

Mood: anger, apathy, general discontent, loneliness, or mood swings.

Psychological: depression, hallucination, or paranoia.

Whole body: loss of appetite or restlessness.

Also common: inability to combine muscle movements or jumbled speech.

Alzheimer’s Awareness is an opportunity to reflect on the far-reaching effects of this disease and the importance of continued research, education, and support for those affected. By coming together to raise awareness, we can offer hope to millions of people living with Alzheimer’s and their caregivers while working toward a future where this devastating disease is no longer a reality.