Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a prevalent disorder among the elderly citizens that is characterized by its steady progress, brain degeneration, and memory loss. I chose AD as my topic because it is one of the most common forms of dementia in people older than 65 years of age. Furthermore, AD is also a serious issue because there is no cure, so it impairs the quality of life for both patients and their families. Because AD will keep progressing through several stages until the patients die, it is important to educate the public about the prevention methods of AD and care giving to patients with AD.
The audience relevant for a public health intervention includes people after 50 years of age. Although the onset is usually after 65, early awareness would give people more time to implement prevention strategies. While those people would be mainly interested in prevention and diagnosis, their younger family members should be educated about care Both audiences are most likely not familiar with medical terms physicians normally use, so avoiding complicated medical terms is essential to avoid confusing them (Huff, 2011).
There are several way to identify useful and credible information online. One of the safest ways is to look for .gov or .edu domains (McGonigle & Mastrian, 2012). Other domains, such as .com or .net domains often rely on advertisers or various sponsored posts, but that does not discard them as inaccurate. Various web sites, such as WebMD or Mayo Clinic According to a review by the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (n. d.) these types of sites are both user-friendly and accurate because they keep the content shorter, use fewer medical terms, and break the content into several sections. The search terms used to identify the aforementioned resources were “alzheimer’s disease,” “alzheimer’s stages,” “causes of alzheimer’s disease,” and “symptoms of alzheimer’s disease” were used to retrieve the aforementioned resources.
AD Flyer
Alzheimer’s disease results in memory loss and brain degeneration. Common symptoms include:
- Short-term memory loss
- Problem-solving difficulties
- Time and space disorientation
- Verbal communication difficulties
- Sudden onsets of confusion, anxiety, or other mood swings
There is no cure for Alzheimer’s, so it is important to engage in mental games that exercise memory, speed, and reasoning to improve quality of life and delay Alzheimer’s onset. Studies show that brain activity keeps in young because it:
- Encourages nerve cell growth.
- Improves communication between nervous cells.
Suggested Resources
Alzheimer’s Association (http://www.alz.org/) – Contains information about AD and the manifestation of its symptoms through several stages.
Alzheimer’s Disease Education and Referral Canter (http://www.nia.nih.gov/alzheimers/ publication/home-safety-people-alzheimers-disease) – Contains a 40-page booklet on creating a better living environment for people who suffer from AD.
WebMD (http://www.webmd.com/alzheimers/guide/default.htm) – WebMD is one of the leading healthcare authority websites because of its relevant, helpful, and accurate information.
The Hartford (http://www.thehartford.com/advance50/dementia-driving) – Includes a variety of useful information regarding driving and AD, such as monitoring driving behavior, seeking help, and advice from people who had similar experiences.
References
Huff, C. (2011). Does your patient really understand? Hospitals and Health Networks, 85(10), 34.
McGonigle, D., & Mastrian, K. G. (2012). Nursing informatics and the foundation of knowledge (2nd ed.). Burlington, MA: Jones and Bartlett Learning.
Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (n.d.). Health literacy online. Retrieved from http://www.health.gov/healthliteracyonline/Web_Guide_Health_Lit_Online.pdf
