🧭 What Is Alzheimer’s Disease?
Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive brain disorder.
👉 It is the most common cause of dementia
👉 It affects:
- Memory 🧠
- Thinking skills
- Behaviour and personality
⚠️ Important:
- It is NOT a normal part of aging
🧩 What Happens in the Brain?
Alzheimer’s is caused by:
- Amyloid plaques (protein build-up)
- Tau tangles (twisted fibers inside brain cells)
👉 These changes:
- Damage brain cells
- Cause cells to die
- Lead to loss of brain function over time
🧠 Early Signs and Symptoms
Common early warning signs include:
- Memory loss (especially recent events)
- Difficulty planning or solving problems
- Struggling with familiar tasks
- Confusion about time or place
- Problems with speaking or writing
- Misplacing items and not retracing steps
- Poor judgment
- Withdrawal from social activities
- Changes in mood or personality
🧬 Causes and Risk Factors
🎂 Age
- Biggest risk factor
- Risk doubles every 5 years after age 65
🧬 Genetics
- Family history increases risk
- Certain genes (e.g. APOE-e4)
❤️ Health & Lifestyle
- Heart disease
- Stroke
- High blood pressure
- Diabetes
- Obesity
🧠 Head Injury
- Previous brain injury may increase risk
📊 Stages of Alzheimer’s
🟢 Early Stage (Mild)
- Mild memory problems
- Difficulty finding words
- Still independent
🟡 Middle Stage (Moderate)
- Increased memory loss
- Confusion about time/place
- Personality changes
- Difficulty with daily tasks
👉 This is usually the longest stage
🔴 Late Stage (Severe)
- Loss of communication ability
- Loss of physical function
- Requires full-time care
🔍 Diagnosis
Doctors may use:
- Medical history
- Memory and thinking tests
- Brain scans (MRI or CT)
- Sometimes fluid tests
🛠️ Treatment
⚠️ There is no cure yet, but support is available:
💊 Medication
- Can help slow symptoms temporarily
- May support memory and thinking
🧠 Support Strategies
- Routine and structure
- Memory aids (notes, reminders)
- Support from family and carers
📊 Key Takeaways
✔ Alzheimer’s is a progressive brain disease
✔ It affects memory, thinking, and behaviour
✔ It worsens over time
✔ Early support can improve quality of life
⚠️ When to Seek Help
Speak to a healthcare professional if:
- Memory problems affect daily life
- There are noticeable personality or behaviour changes
- Confusion becomes frequent
🧠 Teaching Tip
To support learners:
- Use a timeline of stages
- Include real-life case examples
- Show how memory changes over time
- Discuss impact on families and carers
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