We have all had those moments where our memory seems to play cruel jokes on us.
We might temporarily forget someone's name, or forget where we put our keys, or perhaps, be unable to recall the word for some everyday object.
It seems to start happening in early adulthood and is a familiar occurrence by the time we are in our 30s or 40s.
When it happens, we tend to laugh at ourselves and accept it as a humbling but natural side-effect of growing older.
The trade-off seems fair: We will take maturity and life experience in exchange for losing a little mental sharpness.
One of the most tragic things about Alzheimer's disease and other dementia-causing illnesses is that, after a while, the memory lapses cannot be shrugged off, and there is no longer a fair trade-off.
What begins as a forgetful moment now and then soon becomes a serious decline in mental function that is incurable and eventually terminal.
The decline can be harrowing for both the sufferer and her loved ones, as she gradually loses touch with her own identity and, before the end, cannot even remember basic facts about the people she has known her whole life.
When fate deals this cruel hand to a loved one, the first thing to remember is not to take his or her behaviors personally.
It is common, for example, for an Alzheimer's sufferer to confuse a relative with someone else from her past.
In other cases, the sufferer may become irritated or belligerent for seemingly no reason, or she may behave obstinately in response to some menial decision or everyday event.
Family members must remember that these are symptoms of an illness.
Although it can be hard to distance oneself emotionally from such things, it's important to respond with good humor, empathy, and love, even when these feelings seem not to be reciprocated.
In any case, these severe symptoms may not occur until later stages of the illness.
The first stage of Alzheimer's is characterized by an increase in frequency of those familiar types of memory lapses, as well as confusion and mood changes.
Identifying the illness during this stage allows the sufferer and her loved ones to prepare, both emotionally and in other more practical ways.
Also, if the illness is caught in this stage, doctors have the greatest chance of slowing its progression.
Later stages of the illness usually require that the sufferer's affairs be turned over to a trusted family member, and soon she will have to be cared for by someone, whether by family or by a special facility such as a nursing home.
Another reason to catch the illness early is that it allows the Alzheimer's sufferer to take part in this decision-making process and to achieve closure prior to entering a 24-hour care arrangement.
Another important step for family members of an Alzheimer's sufferer is to learn as much as possible about the illness.
There are many full-length books on the topic, and it is also a good idea to speak to medical professionals who are knowledgeable about the illness.
With this knowledge on your side, it becomes easier to bear the emotional turmoil that Alzheimer's can cause.
More importantly, if your goal is to make your elderly relative's final stage of life happy and peaceful, it's best to be equipped with as much knowledge as possible.
We might temporarily forget someone's name, or forget where we put our keys, or perhaps, be unable to recall the word for some everyday object.
It seems to start happening in early adulthood and is a familiar occurrence by the time we are in our 30s or 40s.
When it happens, we tend to laugh at ourselves and accept it as a humbling but natural side-effect of growing older.
The trade-off seems fair: We will take maturity and life experience in exchange for losing a little mental sharpness.
One of the most tragic things about Alzheimer's disease and other dementia-causing illnesses is that, after a while, the memory lapses cannot be shrugged off, and there is no longer a fair trade-off.
What begins as a forgetful moment now and then soon becomes a serious decline in mental function that is incurable and eventually terminal.
The decline can be harrowing for both the sufferer and her loved ones, as she gradually loses touch with her own identity and, before the end, cannot even remember basic facts about the people she has known her whole life.
When fate deals this cruel hand to a loved one, the first thing to remember is not to take his or her behaviors personally.
It is common, for example, for an Alzheimer's sufferer to confuse a relative with someone else from her past.
In other cases, the sufferer may become irritated or belligerent for seemingly no reason, or she may behave obstinately in response to some menial decision or everyday event.
Family members must remember that these are symptoms of an illness.
Although it can be hard to distance oneself emotionally from such things, it's important to respond with good humor, empathy, and love, even when these feelings seem not to be reciprocated.
In any case, these severe symptoms may not occur until later stages of the illness.
The first stage of Alzheimer's is characterized by an increase in frequency of those familiar types of memory lapses, as well as confusion and mood changes.
Identifying the illness during this stage allows the sufferer and her loved ones to prepare, both emotionally and in other more practical ways.
Also, if the illness is caught in this stage, doctors have the greatest chance of slowing its progression.
Later stages of the illness usually require that the sufferer's affairs be turned over to a trusted family member, and soon she will have to be cared for by someone, whether by family or by a special facility such as a nursing home.
Another reason to catch the illness early is that it allows the Alzheimer's sufferer to take part in this decision-making process and to achieve closure prior to entering a 24-hour care arrangement.
Another important step for family members of an Alzheimer's sufferer is to learn as much as possible about the illness.
There are many full-length books on the topic, and it is also a good idea to speak to medical professionals who are knowledgeable about the illness.
With this knowledge on your side, it becomes easier to bear the emotional turmoil that Alzheimer's can cause.
More importantly, if your goal is to make your elderly relative's final stage of life happy and peaceful, it's best to be equipped with as much knowledge as possible.