Watching someone you love—whether it’s a parent, a spouse, or an old friend—struggle with Alzheimer’s disease is never easy. Once this irreversible condition takes hold, it progressively worsens as time passes. Symptoms of dementia, which can disrupt cognition, memory, and reasoning, are hallmarks of this disease. You can support your loved one by taking the
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is an irreversible neurodegenerative disease that causes dementia. Some of the first warning signs may include forgetfulness, lapses in judgement, and confusion. Vision changes, social withdrawal, mood changes, memory loss, and difficulty planning, problem solving, completing routine tasks and recognizing people are other early-stage symptoms. Over time, symptoms of AD tend
Although AD can’t be cured and there are currently no treatments which can stop the disease from progressing to its later stages, medication, therapy and lifestyle changes may help symptoms and improve quality of life. Alzheimer’s may begin slowly, ultimately causing irreversible changes in memory, reasoning, and other cognitive functions. People with AD may eventually
What is Alzheimer’s disease? Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a degenerative disorder that affects the brain. It destroys brain cells, breaking down neural connections and causing memory, behavior, and mental function to deteriorate. AD affects people in different ways. Sometimes, the disease progresses gradually, leaving major cognitive functions such as reasoning and memory intact for several
Have you experienced potential symptoms of Alzheimer’s? Are you concerned for a close friend or loved one? Mild lapses in memory are a normal part of the aging process. If you have a word on the tip of your tongue and then remember it a short while later, it could be a sign that your
Arthritis is a chronic and debilitating disease identified by symptoms such as joint pain, stiffness, swelling and decreased range of motion. The two most common types of arthritis are osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). It is estimated that over 4.6 million Canadians suffer from arthritis, and it is a leading cause of disability. A
During the 2013-2014 flu season, approximately one-third of Canadians aged 12 and over protected themselves from the flu by getting a flu shot. The flu vaccine is the best way to protect against the flu—statistics suggest that getting it can lower your chances of contracting the influenza virus by 50-60% when there is a good match between the
Flu season is upon us, and with it comes the need to make an informed decision about the flu shot. The influenza vaccine is effective, safe, and easy to access. In Canada, it has been shown to reduce visits to the doctor, hospitalizations, and deaths among high-risk adults. Don’t let the following myths get in
It’s fall, and influenza season is in full swing. Perhaps you’ve already noticed colleagues, relatives, or acquaintances falling ill. Maybe someone in your house is showing the first symptoms of a cold or flu. How are you going to avoid getting sick? While there’s no way to guarantee you won’t get the flu this season,
Do you know the difference between the common cold and the flu? While these illnesses both affect your respiratory system and share a handful of symptoms in common, they’re not the same. When you or someone you care for falls sick, you may not know how to tell the difference. So, does it matter? The
