Alzheimer’s Disease and Demetia Awareness

By: Erika Suhl, Diandra Schonyers, Meryl Abag, Kristin Prengergast, Alyson Slomko,

Christina Musantry, Yasir Williams

Alzheimer’s & Dementia

A progressive, degenerative disorder that attacks the brains nerve cells, or neurons resulting in loss of memory, thinking and language skills and behavioral changes.

This disease affects 26.6 people around the world right now and is only getting worse.

Starts affecting most individuals at age 65 and older.

Alzheimer’s on the Rise

Anne Stone the author of “Sources of Uncertainty: Experiences of Alzheimer’s Disease” said “The world’s population aged 65 and older is growing at an unprecedented rate of 800,000 people per month”

People are living longer, Alzheimer’s is becoming more prevalent in today’s society.

Improvements are being made

Howard Chertkow author of “Diagnosis and Treatment of Dementia: Introduction” discussed the improvements made in Alzheimer’s and Dementia research.

“Memantine has been introduced in Canada. This antagonist to glutamate receptors (foundation for memory) has a small beneficial effect in cases of moderate to severe Alzheimer’s disease but it has not been shown effective in the mild stages.

Awareness

If you know about Alzheimer’s now it allows a person to detect early signs of this disease

Allows an individual or loved one to start dealing with this disease instead of having to learn about it first.

Plays such a significantly big role in today’s society, it could affect your life one day.

Pat Summit

Head coach of Tennessee for thirty-eight years and is only fifty nine years old.

In August she was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s and Dementia Disease.

Started the Pat Summitt Foundation for Alzheimer’s patients and families.

Still maintains a independent & successful lifestyle

Sources of Uncertainty: Experiences of Alzheimer’s disease

The number of people suffering from this disease is set to increase to about 1 in every 85 people by the year 2050 (Stone 2009).

Participants Uncertainty was found in 3 significant

areas› Medical, Personal and Social

Sources of Uncertainty cont.

Medical Uncertainty› Related to lack of knowledge about the

disease Personal Uncertainty

› Related to the care givers feelings Social Uncertainty

› Related to the perception of one’s peers

Diagnosis and Treatment of Dementia: Introduction

What is dementia?› Denegerative brain condition that affects

the nerve cells Memantine

› Drug used in Canada Vitamin E

› Idea has been disregarded

Knowledge of Memory Aging & Alzheimer’s Disease in College Students and Mental

Health Professionals

Knowledge of Memory Aging Questionnaire (KMAQ)

Alzheimer’s Disease Knowledge Test (ADK)

Fraboni Scale of Ageism (FSA)

100 participants› 70 undergrad

students (53 females, 17 males)

› 30 mental health professionals (11 females, 19 males)

Findings

Mental health professionals had a higher level of knowledge of memory aging issues and AD than the students

Both groups showed significant improvement in response accuracy

College students endorsed more ageist attitudes than the mental health professionals

Article vs. Research

Gather information Accurate knowledge Avoids ageist stereotypes Helps best serve elderly clients Promotes educational programs

Personality Changes in Patients with beginning Alzheimer’s Disease

To investigate personality traits in patients with Alzheimer’s disease, compared with mentally healthy control subjects

54 patients with mild AD

64 healthy control subjects

Five-Factor Model

A Structured Interview describing their personality traits› Neuroticism› Extraversion› Openness› Agreeableness› Conscientiousness

Article vs. Research

Personality change is a consistent aspect of Alzheimer’s disease but no particular personality

Vulnerable to stress, more dependent, hopeless, reserved, somewhat gregarious and compulsive

An early detection of dementia Strategies for delaying the occurrence

of symptoms of Alzheimer’

Methodology

Participants located in Glassboro, NJ Friends, family & classmates Called and met with friends 15 friends outside of Rowan 20 Students in classrooms at Rowan No specific criterion Anyone we handed the survey to was

eligible

Methodology cont.

Freshman dorms at Rowan University› Chestnut Hall› Willow Hall› Magnolia Hall› Mimosa Hall

Memorial Hall Science Bldg Family Party Edgewood Park Apartments

Methodology cont.

Creating our survey › Making it as easy as possible› Truthful and helpful answers

Pilot Testing› Took under 10 minutes› Easy to understand› Got the results we wanted › Perfect!

Results

# of people who knew someone with this disease› Amount that knew someone: 40% of the

participants › Amount that did not: 55% of the participants

Correct Answers on Survey

Survey Questions At what age does

Alzheimer’s Disease usually begin to affect a person?› 30-39› 40-49› 50-59› 60+

What sex is most affected by this disease?› Male› Female

Final Results

Less than 50% knew the right answers to each question on our survey.

Overall, the local community of Glassboro is not aware of Alzheimer’s Disease and dementia.

Discussion

Overall Awareness › Not many people are informed

Limitations › Biased

105 surveys Not indicative of all Gloucester County

Participants› 18 or older› Did not have of be students of Rowan

University

Discussion cont.

Results› Somewhat Predictable› Surprising

Quite Frankly › What was expected› What was unexpected

If we were to conduct again› Not much› A bit more information

Conclusion

References

Jackson, E., Cherry, K., Smitherman, E., & Hawley, K., (2008, March). Knowledge of Memory and Aging and Alzheimer’s Disease in College Students and Mental Health Professionals. Aging and mental Health

 Pocnet, C., Rossier, J., Antonietti, J., Gunten, A., (2007 July). Personality Changes in Patients with Beginning Alzheimer Disease. The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry

 Certkow, H., (2008 January 29). Diagnosis and Treatment of Dementia: Introduction. Canadian Medical Association Journal

Stone. Anne., Jones, C., (2009). Sources of Uncertainty: Experiences of Alzheimer’s Disease. Issues in Mental Health Nursing