Tips to deal with the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease
Alzheimer’s disease is a neurological disease that causes cognitive decline as well as memory loss due to the death of brain cells. It is the most common type of dementia and is caused due to the plaque that contains beta-amyloid in the brain. As the condition worsens, people can even tend to forget the recent events and stop recognizing people.

Early symptoms of the disease are not being able to recollect the names and misplacing things too often.

What are the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease?

• Reduced ability to take in new information.
• Difficulty in remembering things, which might lead to losing personal belongings and forgetting important events.
• Impairment of judgment and inability to perform complex tasks, leading to poor decision making as well as the inability to identify safety risks.
• Losing sight or spatial abilities, due to which the patient is not able to recognize people and struggles in carrying out daily tasks.
• Another one of the common Alzheimer’s symptoms is not being able to read or write well and forgetting the correct words to be used.
• There may be changes in personality such as lack of empathy, less social interaction, obsessive or compulsive behavior.

How should you deal with the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease?

• Exercise regularly, as it will help prevent the connections from deteriorating and aid in making new ones.
• Connect with people often to keep the memory and cognition on track.
• Eat a healthy diet so that the brain cells communicate well and the neurons can be protected while reducing inflammation.
• Challenge yourself mentally by constantly learning new things. This way, you can protect your cognitive wellbeing.
• Get a good night’s sleep each day to avoid plaque formation in the brain and to reduce damage.
• Reduce stress at all costs, as it can worsen the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease. Stress can also contribute to shrinking the memory area and can hamper nerve cell growth.
• Deal with depression maturely. Understand that it is common and you can come out of it; acceptance is the key.
• Begin by seeking help from others and joining support groups that can help you deal with the symptoms.

How can Alzheimer’s disease be treated?

• Thus far, there is no treatment for Alzheimer’s disease, as the death of brain cells cannot be reversed.
• However, there are various ways in which you can make it easy for the patient to live with Alzheimer’s disease.
• There are various day care programs and activities that one can benefit from.
• Certain types of drugs help in reducing the Alzheimer’s symptoms.

What are the causes and risks of Alzheimer’s disease?

• Alzheimer’s is a disease that is caused due to the death of brain cells. It happens over time, and the tissues in the patient’s body have fewer nerve connections.
• Plaque refers to the tiny deposits that build up on the tissue.
• People with a certain type of gene are more prone to Alzheimer’s disease than others.
• Having a family history of the disease is also a risk factor, apart from aging.

How can one help family members or friends suffering from the disease?

• If any of one’s loved ones are suffering from Alzheimer’s symptoms, one can certainly help them deal with it better.
• For instance, if the person has a short-term memory loss, one can encourage them to keep a diary and maintain a to-do list on their mobile phones.
• This can help them keep a track of things. One should also avoid asking them questions about their memory, which might end up humiliating them.
• Be patient with them if they are having trouble recalling words and events.
• Encourage them to be socially active even if they are hesitant. This will boost their morale and help with cognition.
• One of the most common Alzheimer’s symptoms is when the person cannot understand what is being said. One should be patient with them and explain things slowly.
• One should also choose words and expressions carefully to convey their point.
• Do not react to the agitation of the patient and their anger. Instead, meet it with compassion to help them through it.