Facing the Key Challenges for Fighting Alzheimer's Disease

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WebMD

The Alzheimer's Association in a new report has identified 10 "critical challenges" that need to be addressed by the nation to combat the growth and devastating impact of Alzheimer's disease.

The challenges include lack of funding and problems with diagnosing Alzheimer's.

An estimated 5.4 million Americans are living with Alzheimer's now, and that number is expected to grow to 16 million by the year 2050, according to the Alzheimer's Association.

Because of this looming health crisis, President Obama signed into law the National Alzheimer's Project Act on Jan. 4, with the aim of creating a national strategic plan to address what the Alzheimer's Association described as an "escalating crisis."

The Alzheimer's Association's report, "Alzheimer's from the Frontlines: Challenges a National Alzheimer's Plan Must Address," was produced to help the government develop its strategy.

Findings of the report were based on input from 43,000 people in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and Washington, D.C.

In all, the Alzheimer's Association hosted 132 public input sessions nationwide, involving people with Alzheimer's, caregivers, researchers, community leaders, and health care professionals.

"We want to make sure the administration is aware of the challenges that emerged, that we heard frequently, during the public input process," Alzheimer's Association spokeswoman Toni Williams tells WebMD. "We thought it would be a good idea to open it up to the public. We are hoping this helps to inform the advisory council and Secretary [Kathleen] Sebelius [of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services] in formulating a plan."

When a Loved One Has Alzheimer's
Top Challenges in Fighting Alzheimer's

The 10 challenges highlighted by the Alzheimer's Association are:

Lack of public knowledge and awareness of the disease
Insufficient funding
Problems in detecting and diagnosing the disease
Poor dementia care
Inadequate treatments
Specific challenges faced by diverse communities
Specific challenges faced by those with younger-onset Alzheimer's
Unprepared caregivers
Ill-equipped communities
Mounting costs of care
The new report shows that costs relating to Alzheimer's care and treatment will surpass $1 trillion by mid-century unless the current trajectory of the disease changes.

"Individuals, families and communities are at the center of the escalating Alzheimer's crisis," Harry Johns, president and CEO of the Alzheimer's Association, says in a news release.

Call to Action

Americans who participated in the sessions aimed at identifying challenges want the nation's leaders to know that the disease changes lives, and that "they want and deserve a transformational plan that urgently addresses their needs," Johns says.

Robert Egge, vice president of the Alzheimer's Association, says the input sessions made it clear that people are not looking for symbolic acts but the start of "real, transformational action."

He says, "we hope those developing the National Alzheimer's Plan will be inspired and guided by the challenges, experiences and needs echoed throughout this report."

Egge says many Americans know little about the disease, and education is needed about warning signs of the disease and incorrect perceptions about it. Also, though the goal is a cure, better treatments are needed, he says, and more funding for research.

Currently, caregivers are isolated and uninformed about the disease. He says African-Americans and Hispanics are more likely to develop Alzheimer's, and less likely to be diagnosed.

The new plan, he says, "must address disparities in diverse and underserved communities.

Aggression and Alzheimer's disease

Here is a great dementia resource for caregivers and healthcare professinals,

Here is information on being the best caregiver you can be

Here is a way for nurses administrators, social workers and other health care professionals to get an easyceu or two

EmpowHER
Patricia Grace

One of the most difficult, distressing and frightening situations for home caregivers or staff in care facilities is aggressive or combative behavior from someone who has Alzheimer's disease. Aggression such as shouting, raising a hand to someone, pushing, biting and hitting, is not uncommon amongst people with Alzheimer's. It can happen suddenly and without warning, at other times there is a clear build-up of emotion and disturbance prior to the outburst.

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Saved My Life The chief cause of behavioral symptoms is the progressive deterioration of brain cells. However, environmental influences can also cause symptoms or make them worse. Aggression can be caused by many factors including physical discomfort, environmental factors and poor communication. Aggressive behaviors can occur suddenly, with no apparent reason, or can result from a frustrating situation.
Behavior management experts define "agitation behavior" as "inappropriate verbal or motor activity."

• Non-aggressive Verbal Behavior: Incoherent babbling, screaming or repetitive questions is frustrating to the caregiver and family members, especially as a sign that your loved one is "losing it."

• Non-aggressive Physical Behavior: Pacing, wandering, repetitive body motions, hoarding or shadowing represent ways for your loved one to communication boredom, fear, confusion, search for safety or inability to verbalize a request for help or a feeling of pain.

• Aggressive Verbal Behavior: Cursing and abusive language can be shocking when your loved one was previously upright and proper.

• Aggressive Physical Behavior: Clearly, physically aggressive behavior such as hitting, scratching or kicking can be dangerous or life-threatening to the caregiver and care recipient.

The Alzheimer's Association suggests how to calmly respond when a person with Alzheimer's becomes confused or disoriented:

• Don't take any comments personally.

• Stay calm, and try not to react if your feelings are hurt.

• Offer an explanation, but keep it simple and brief.

• Show your loved one photo’s or other familiar reminders to help him or her remember.

• Approach someone from the front -- where he or she can see you -- rather than the back.

• Always be gentle, instead of scolding.

Watch out for warning signs, such as anxious or agitated behavior or restlessness, and take action immediately to help the person feel more calm and reassure.

sources:
http://www.alz.org/living_with_alzheimers_aggression.asp ?

http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/site/scripts/documents_info.php?documentID=96 ?