Welfare Wednesday

Welfare Wednesday

This week we are focusing on symptoms and causes of Alzheimer’s.

In case you didn’t catch last weeks post, here is a recap of what Alzheimer’s is: Alzheimer’s is the most common type of dementia. It is a progressive disease which begins with mild memory loss and potentially leading to the loss of ability to carry on a conversation and respond to the environment. Alzheimer’s involves parts of the brain that control thought, memory and language

So what are the causes❓

Alzheimer's disease is thought to be caused by the abnormal build-up of proteins in and around brain cells.

One of the proteins involved is called amyloid, deposits of which form plaques around brain cells.

The other protein is called tau, deposits of which form tangles within brain cells.

Although it's not known exactly what causes this process to begin, scientists now know that it begins many years before symptoms appear. (NHS, 2024)

So what are the symptoms❓

🧠 Memory loss which disrupts daily life

🧠 Poor judgment

🧠 Loss of spontaneity and initiative

🧠 losing track of dates/location

🧠 Repeating questions or forgetting learnt information

🧠 Wandering and getting lost

🧠 Change in mood and personality

🧠 Misplacing or losing things

If you would like to read more on Alzheimer’s causes and symptoms please visit either the NHS website or the Alzheimer’s society

The Welfare Team 🫶