Barry Peterson is one of the many people who have lost their spouses to Alzheimer’s disease and, therefore, it was wise of him to begin a relationship with a woman who would recognize his presence and also adequately take care of his emotional needs, especially as he dealt with giving care to his wife. If in the same situation, I would embrace moving on to a new relationship to enable me to heal and attain emotional wellness.
The greatest importance in regard to healthcare provision for Alzheimer’s disease includes the establishment of a law that will have a plan to improve treatment and also enhance public awareness to eliminate stigma and prevent and effectively treat the disease (The Diane Rehm Show). Alzheimer’s disease is one form of dementia that causes memory loss in a patient such that they result to strange behavior. It can be caused by several things such as mild depression and certain forms of drug abuse. The symptoms common in this form of dementia include sleep deprivation, delusions, irritability and disorientation (American Psychiatric Association 74). Sadly, once it is detected through diagnosis there is no way to stop it. Furthermore, Alzheimer’s disease does not have a definite cure or means of prevention from occurrence or acceleration. Effective treatment is mostly given through providing the right living environment, and also providing qualified caregivers for patients.
Caregivers of Alzheimer’s disease patients mostly suffer from stress and anxiety due to working in a stressful environment. It is, therefore, necessary that caregivers join support groups to help them deal with the everyday concerns of their jobs. Age, lifestyle, and genetics are some of the likely agents that cause Alzheimer’s.
According to the Alzheimer’s Association, in the year 2010, it was estimated that approximately 5 million people lived with Alzheimer’s disease, and the government is hopeful that the number will reduce considerably in the year 2025. In Texas, 350,000 people are estimated to have Alzheimer’s disease and there will be a likely increase to 490,000 people in the year 2016.
Annual average cost of nursing home care
The cost of nursing home care is quite expensive since the patient has to be under care at all times.183 Billion dollars is usually used in the country in taking care of patients with Alzheimer’s (Alzheimer’s Association). The uncounted cost of caregiving in America is approximately 202 Billion dollars per year, for all caregivers who provide their services but are unpaid.
The most striking piece of information l learnt from this assignment is the amount of money spent yearly by caregivers to provide a healthy and comfortable living environment. It is unknown to most people that these caregivers require support both emotionally and financially to effectively take care of their patients.
Euthanasia
There are three types of euthanasia. Voluntary euthanasia is performed upon the patient’s request. Mostly, the patient requests for it when they are at a critical stage of their illness and, therefore, feel it is a way out from troubling their immediate family and caregivers. Non-voluntary euthanasia is performed without the patient’s consent since they are not in a position to make well-informed decisions, for instance, in the case of children. Involuntary euthanasia is that which is performed against the patient’s will. It is, therefore, considered to be against the ethics of healthcare givers. Some forms of euthanasia such as involuntarily are commonly opposed hence making them hot political issues since they deny patients of their right to life. I do not support nor condone involuntary and non-voluntary euthanasia. Voluntary euthanasia is generally accepted as it is considered to be the final wishes of the patient which are to be respected. The reasons behind such a decision can be due to the incurability of a disease, the extent to which the ailment has spread, or even old age (Dennis 40). In my opinion, these are credible reasons as to why voluntary euthanasia would be acceptable.
Alzheimer’s is one of the diseases ailing a majority of people and which negatively affects their lifestyle and livelihood. Although the causes of this disease are not well known and there is no known cure for it, prevention tactics include maintaining a healthy lifestyle and diet.
Works Cited
Alzheimer’s Association. “2016 Alzheimer's Disease Facts and Figures.” Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia. Alzheimer’s Association, 2016. Web. Retrieved from http://www.alz.org/facts/overview.asp
American Psychiatric Association. American Psychiatric Association Practice Guidelines for the Treatment of Psychiatric Disorders: Compendium 2006. Arlington, Virginia: American Psychiatric Association, 2006. Print.
Dennis, Dixie. Living, Dying, Grieving. Sudbury, Massachusetts: Jones & Bartlett Publishers, 2009. Print.
Petersen, Barry. “Jan's story: Love and early-onset Alzheimer's.” online video clip. CBSNEWS. CBSNEWS, 20 June 2010. Web.
“Tackling Alzheimer’s Disease.” Prod. Sandra Pinkard, Nancy Robertson, Denise Couture, Monique Nazareth, Nikki Jecks, Susan Nabors and Lisa Dunn. The Diane Rehm Show. American University Radio. WAMU 88.5, Washington, D.C. 18 January 2012. Web. Transcript. Retrieved from http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2012-01-18/tackling-alzheimers-disease
