Because of such a histopathological assessment, dementia of the Alzheimer's type is also called "hippocampal dementia”. It is manifested with a memory disorder and spatial disorientation. After this, other physical disorders which include motor, speech, hearing and other disorders follow. It is a long and difficult illness and, currently being incurable, is very exhausting for the patient and his/her family. Other symptoms include forgetfulness, loss in time and space, inability to live on your own which leads to total dependency on others and their constant care. Since dementia is a slowly progressing illness, symptoms can become visible only after approx. 10 years or ever 20 years before they start to develop more seriously and rapidly.
Alzheimer's disease denotes the biggest challenge for the patient's family who may not be sufficiently versed in the illness and its progression. The disease requires a lot of sacrifice, dedication and love for the person affected by dementia. It requires a lot of work, motivation, knowledge and patience in order to gain a good and successful communication with the person suffering from Alzheimer's disease. An early diagnosis will have a great impact because the family often doesn't recognize the symptoms or assigns such behavior to "senile dementia”.
According to the number of people suffering from Alzheimer's disease, they take up to 60% of all patients suffering from some type of dementia. It is very important to point out that ageing increases the risk of dementia's appearance, but it doesn't necessarily mean that one will suffer from it. It would be very harmful to wrongfully interpret symptoms of dementia as a normal process of ageing. This refers us to the growing need to educate various experts who work with elderly persons as well as society in general. Also, an early, active and correct diagnosis of the illness is paramount.
The key role in the early discovery of cognitive disabilities, Alzheimer's disease and other dementia have general practitioners because the first symptoms are usually noticed by the patient's family, his/her guardians or the patient himself. The patient and his/her family are gradually being isolated because the patient's behavior will become socially unacceptable.
A reassignment of roles will probably happen within the family as well as an emotional and material exhaustion. There are retirement homes and social and health institutions which will unwillingly house these kinds of patients because their symptoms have become more complicated or they have showed a behavioral disorder.
Many foster families, certain retirement homes and social welfare institutions are not professionals for this kind of care, whereas family care and keeping the patient within the family can, with time, become insufficient. Family members are most often left on their own. By placing their loved ones into retirement homes, care over the patient is taken over by their nurses.