Caregivers for people with Alzheimer's disease can turn to support and help from membership groups in East Texas such as the Greater East Texas Chapter Alzheimer's Association. They provide the support caregivers need in education and assistance to help keep members up-to-date on the latest news, medicine and breakthroughs concerning Alzheimer's care. Understanding the disease is the first step; the can aid you in ways that go beyond your responsibility as a caregiver.
History
The ancient Greek and Roman civilizations associated old age with increasing dementia. Alzheimer's disease is a brain disorder named for German physician Alois Alzheimer. He discovered the first known case of the disease in 1901 and described it in specifics in 1906. The condition entered medical literature in 1907. In 1910, Emil Kraepelin, a psychiatrist who worked in creating names for and classifying brain disorders, suggested that the disease be named after Alzheimer himself. Today, most of what we know about Alzheimer's has been learned since the 1990s.
Benefits
Alzheimer's support groups offer caregivers, whether they are family or just friends, the opportunity to come together one or more times per month for mutual emotional support. During these meetings, members can exchange coping skills or tactics that have served them well in dealing with Alzheimer's. These meetings give members breaks from the responsibility of caregiving and allow them to be able to ask questions and get experienced answers from fellow members.
Function
The purpose of the support group is to share personal feelings and frustration concerning a person with Alzheimer's that a person may not feel comfortable sharing anywhere else. Support groups' discussions are confidential, and nothing said in the meetings can be shared with the outside world. Members aid each other in developing good methods of coping with loved ones in positive ways.
Significance
Alzheimer's is a progressive and fatal brain disease suffered by millions of Americans. Medical institutions report a steady increase in cases on a yearly basis. This disease is the leading cause of dementia, which is a generally-used term describing the loss of memory and other intellectual abilities that tend to interfere with a person's life. This disease has no current cure, and late stages of the disease require around-the-clock attention for the people who suffer from it.
Theories/Speculation
Worldwide studies have focused on finding ways to prevent, delay or cure the disease but have only produced results that are not consistent. There is some evidence that a proper diet can help reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer's.
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