General Nursing©

Alzheimer's Disease

Medications

• Avoid large capsules or pills
• Observe that medications are taken and swallowed without difficulty
• Crush pills or order liquid preparation
• Observe for reaction or effectiveness
• Do not leave medications at bedside

Love and Belonging

• Person may withdraw and become isolated early in disease
• Although person may not be able to express feelings, he/she usually can respond to touch and kindness
• Many continue sexual activities until late stage of disease.

Causes:

Alzheimer's Disease is not fully understood. It is believed there may be due to the following:

• Genetic (hereditary) factors involved, with a breakdown of proteins resulting in the formation of protein deposits (senile plaques) within the brain.

With the disease, there is a striking deficiency of a substance called acetylcholine in the brain. Acetylcholine is required for the normal functioning of the brain cells and, as levels of the chemical decrease, plaques form creating bundles of fibers (neurofibrillary tangles).

Infection and environmental factors may also have an influence on the progress of the disease, but the extent of this is not fully known.