By Jacob Franek
By now, everyone is familiar with Alzheimer’s Disease (AD), a progressive disease of the brain that causes thinking and memory to become seriously impaired. However, despite the awareness of Alzheimer’s, the disease is still a little misunderstood.
More than just memory loss
In the early stages, the disease manifests as nothing more than mild forgetfulness, a problem that most people shrug off as a natural (and at times almost humorous) consequence of growing old. Soon, however, a person’s ability to understand, think and even communicate is affected. Behaviors may change and so too may emotions and mood. Topping it off, physical coordination and mobility may suffer, affecting an individual’s ability to perform even the simplest of daily tasks. The result can place a ton of pressure on the affected person’s family or caregiver.