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My Grandma Has Alzheimer's
By Marie-Helen Goyetche
"My grandmother has Owls Timer," says 6-year-old Michael, talking about his great-grandmother who has Alzheimer's disease.
Alzheimer's disease is a brain disorder that slowly degenerates brain functions. Usually within 3 to 18 years, this disorder will destroy the patient's abilities to reason and remember. Their memory is affected, therefore learning is hindered -- they frequently forget things from big events down to little details. Because the patient forgets, there is also a breakdown in behavior patterns. Many patients feel anxiety and others can get violent. At the end of this tragic disease, the patient returns back almost to the infancy stage. They forget who they are, who their family is and even to take care of themselves. Many Alzheimer's patients get depressed at the beginning of their disease as they start to see what is happening to them.
"My grandma is getting to the point where she's very moody," says Lynn, Michael's mom. "One minute she's telling my kids how much she loves them, and the next she's yelling and in tears. It's hard for them to understand."
According to the Alzheimer's Association there are approximately 4 million Americans who suffer from Alzheimer's today. In a survey conducted in 1993, about 19 million Americans reported they have a family member with Alzheimer's. Most were between the ages of 65 and 85 -- that's a lot of grandmothers and grandfathers. That's also a lot of grandchildren who are touched, scared and have questions about Alzheimer's.
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