Alzheimer's Disease

The book Alzheimer's Daughter has really opened my eyes to what it is like growing up. It makes me sad to think about growing up, getting old, and all the challenges we may have to face later on in life. There are so many things that could happen, good and bad, when you grow up. Everyone grows up differently. Some people may need more help as they get older than others. As we get older, we are more immune to diseases since over time our immune system gets weaker as well as our bones and muscles. One disease that is common among older people is a type of dementia called Alzheimer's. Alzheimer's happens when the brain changes and as our brains change it causes cells to get damaged. The most common symptoms of this disease are memory loss, confusion, and behavior changes.

As said before in my blog about the book 5 Feet Apart, I want to pursue my career in the medical field. Throughout high school, I have worked in Assisted Living Facilities to get somewhat of a start in the nursing direction by helping residents with simple needs. I've served food to residents which has helped me get to know what kind of diets they need that fits best for their medical care. Pureed and mechanical diets, for example, are for residents who can't chew or swallow normal foods easily. I have also started a new job in a different facility that has a "memory care" living space for residents who need more care than the residents in assisted living. Working in memory care has also made me realize what some families go through with their loved ones. It is really hard to have a grandparent, parent, or even a friend that you used to talk to, laugh with, play games, and do many more activities with, and then for them to not even remember who they are or even where they are at. It is a really scary feeling knowing that this horrible disease of dementia can happen to anyone over time. It may be frustrating sometimes having to repeat yourself to people with dementia, but over time you realize that you are someone that they need in order to have a good rest of their life. People with dementia also get really frustrated with themselves because they know something is wrong and can't really do anything to fix it.

In the book Alzheimer's Daughter, two daughters slowly realize that Alzheimer's is taking over their parents. They try to document the changes that their parents have made over time. Some of these changes include not paying bills on time, having clutter all over the house, and forgetting to go to church when they have been going almost their whole life. This is really hard for the two daughters because all they want to do is help them but they do not want to be helped. Many older people get really hurt and upset when they can't do their basic needs that they used to do every day. It's hard for them to confess that they need help. I can relate to this book a lot when working in memory care. I see every day the different emotions everyone goes through and how each of the residents handles their emotions differently. They are all so similar yet they are so different. They all try so hard to remember little things about their lives before the disease took over them. Some of the residents also do not remember how many kids they have as well as their names and their spouses. This is also very scary to think about. Not remembering your family or anybody really important to you is really sad. Overall, Alzhimers Daughter is a really good book to read, as it opens your eyes to things you may have never even thought about. It teaches you things without having to go into too much detail. Learning about this disease is really important in order to feel how someone with dementia may feel.