Several Diseases besides Alzheimer's can cause dementia:
 

• Huntington's disease
• Multi - infarct dementia
• Aids related dementia

 These diseases of the brain may affect residents in different ways; however,
loss of short term memory, confusion, and lack of reasoning and poor
judgment are the most common indicators.

 The deterioration of the brain seen in the AD resident is not part of the normal
aging process. AD is more common in people over the age of 65, but also
occurs in middle-aged and younger persons. It is a terminal illness that affects
more women than men and is more common in countries where life expectancy
is longer.

 Current research supports the theory that a genetic mechanism is evident in
the development of Alzheimer's disease. There are also cases of Alzheimer's
where their is no previous history in the family. The only way to absolutely
diagnose AD is to examine brain tissue after death. Diagnosis before is
done by excluding all other causes of curable and incurable memory loss.

STAGES
First Stage - 2-4 years; this stage leads up to and includes diagnosis.
 

• short term memory loss that affects daily activities
• difficulty concentrating
• unable to remember what they were just told to do
• confusion about place
• mood changes
• poor judgment
• requires more time to complete routine tasks

• increased memory loss and confusion
• loss of some perceptive responses, seeing, hearing and touch
• repetitive statements/movements
• restless- especially late afternoon and at night
• muscle twitching or jerking motions, unsteady gait
• difficulty with perceptual-motor , unable to get into chair, set table
• trouble expressing self with right words
• finds reading, writing, and working with numbers very difficult
• loses some basic impulse/control behaviors - undressing in public
• weight fluctuation
• hallucinate - see things that aren't there
• requires full time supervision
• difficulty speaking, unable to understand and carry on a conversation

• cannot recognize family or self in a mirror
• weight loss - even with regular diet
• very little ability to provide any self - care
• behaviors such as putting everything in mouth or touching everything
• cannot communicate with words, may groan or scream
• loses  control of bowel and bladder
• may experience seizures, difficulty swallowing, skin breakdown, and infection
• totally dependent and will sleep more; gradually, body functions decline until death occurs.

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