Works Cited

"10 Signs of Alzheimer's." Alzheimer's Association. Alzheimer's Association, 5 August 2010. Web. 11 Nov 2010. <http://www.alz.org/alzheimers_disease_know_the_10_signs.asp>

"Alzheimer's Disease: Also called: AD ." Medline Plus: Trusted Health Information for you. National Library of Medicine, 15 November 2010. Web. 16 Nov 2010. <http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/alzheimersdisease.html>


"Alzheimer's Disease." MayoClinic. MayoClinic, 17 January 2009. Web. 10 Nov 2010. .
BIBLIOGRAPHIC CITATION: "Alzheimer's Disease." MayoClinic. MayoClinic, 17 January 2009. Web. 10 Nov 2010. <http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/alzheimers-disease/DS00161/DSECTION=causes>

"But what actually causes Alzheimer’s Disease?." But what actually causes Alzheimer’s Disease?. Web. 11 Nov 2010. <http://agemyths.com/2010/06/23/alzheimers-disease-and-brain-games/>

"Dementia projected to double every 20 years by 2009 World Alzheimer’s Report." SENIOR JOURNAL.COM - Senior Citizens Information and News. Web. 16 Nov 2010. <http://seniorjournal.com/NEWS/Alzheimers/2009/20090921-WorldAlzDay.htm>

"National Institute On Aging." N.p., 19 February 2010. Web. 9 Nov 2010. <http://www.nia.nih.gov/Alzheimers/Publications/adfact.htm>

Reflection Paragraph on Sources

To get as much information you could possibly need for this project, you have to use many sources. Some sources may be biased, unbiased, credible, and not credible. Luckily for me, my sources were very credible. Each source that I went to, I thoroughly examined to see if it was credible enough for me to use. If the cite was not credible, then I did not use them and looked on to the next source. I had to make sure that the cite had an author, or was produced by an organization. The cites that had this and gave me the information I needed, got used throughout my project. My sources were all medical based. Either the Alzheimer's Association produced it, it had a credible author, or a medical group put it out. I found most of my early research at the MayoClinic website. This site is very credible because it is always getting updated by the doctors that work or have a partnership with this website. Many of my pictures also came from the medical based websites. Every question that I had going into this project, was answered in some way. There was only two or three that could not get answered. I believe that those questions were not answered because they have not done enough research to let the public know the answer to it. The websites that I used were not biased, they each gave a straight forward answer, that could be found on other websites as well. I believe that these website were the most helpful because they are constantly updated by doctors and people who are doing the research on Alzheimer's. They want to be sure that they put out all the right facts about this disease to let the public know what their options are, how to prevent it, what to look for, how to deal with it as a family and what to expect if you are diagnosed with it. I have learned a lot from my different sources and I hope to continue my research and learn more about this disease.

Reflection on Process

There were many difficult tasks that I had to overcome during this process to get to this point. Doing the research was surprisingly easy for me to do. The part that was hardest for me, was getting each task done and turned in on time. I worked very hard to do everything that I did to the best of my abilities. In the beginning, I did not put forth as much effort as I should have, resulting in a bad grade. Learning from that experience I put my best foot forward and I have given this project so much more time and effort. Doing this project and having to go through so many steps, has taught me many things. It has taught me how to be more patient and how to manage my time. I began to show more interest in the project its' self after the first few days of doing research. I began to learn more things about Alzheimer's and how I could possibly prevent it. There is not much I would change about going threw through this process. The only things that I would change are, I would have worked hard from the very beginning and I would have managed my time more effectively. Having a schedule to go by helped me out tremendously. As the project went on, I began to ask for more help from the teacher and my peers. I have enjoyed doing this project and I hope to continue this blog for others to view, and learn about Alzheimer's. This has been a great learning experience for me and I would not mind doing this again.

Wordle #2

Reflection on Paragraph Findings

Based on the research that I have done, I found out that there was a lot of information that I did not know about Alzheimer's disease. Many people do not understand the severity of this disease, and the toll it takes on people and their families. I have learned that people between the ages of 60 and 80 are the people who are mostly targeted. Out of that age group, women above the age of 65 are the most commonly found Alzheimer's patients. Doing this research has taught me that there are ways in which you can prevent this disease, but they are not always one hundred percent effective. Some of these ways include exercising, doing mind stimulating activities, and playing games to help keep your mind focused and organized. There are also many vitamins that you can take to help slow the chances of you getting this disease, these include the following; Folic acids, vitamin B12, vitamin D, and fish oils. While these vitamins are set out to help you, there are also vitamins such as, vitamin E, gingko, biloba, and tumeric that do not help you. Since there are ways to prevent this disease, I thought that the number of people being diagnosed would start to drop; but they have not, they have done the complete opposite. The number of people that have Alzheimer's disease has gone up in the past twenty years and it has stared to spread into other parts of the world. Although there are many ways to prevent this disease, Alzheimer's can come as a surprise to many. There are many people and organizations who are there to help any one who has this disease, or a family member who is having to take care of a person who has Alzheimer's. There is a great deal of information that I have learned through this research and there are plenty more questions that I have, that I have yet to find an answer to. By continuing my research, I hope to obtain more knowledge of this disease, that may some day help a suffering patient or family member with Alzheimer's.

Finding Paragraph #3

As the minds of many American's begin to slowly deteriorate because of Alzheimer's disease, which is a step farther than dementia, we sometimes wonder if it happens across the world too. As a matter of fact, studies have shown that it does. “According to the researchers, the increases in global dementia prevalence were driven primarily by new data from low and middle income countries. Estimates for three regions are higher – Western Europe, South Asia and Latin America than the 2005 estimates. The estimate for East Asia is lower.” (Alzheimer's, Dementia & Mental Health) This quote means that just as the numbers are on the rise for people who have Alzheimer's here in America, there are other places around the world where this disease is starting to be found. For a while, Alzheimer's was a rare disease that many people thought was only genetic, but studies have shown that it can also be because of the environment you may live or work it. The best thing for you to do, is to is to set an appointment up with your doctor and get a test run to see of you have this disease or carry the gene for this disease. Many people across the world, may show signs of having an ignominious behavior because they have developed this disease, but this has become a common factor because of the state that person has been placed in. There has not been much study from doctors across the world, but we have seen that this disease is not just stopping with the American mind; it is traveling far and wide, to ruin, sadden, and depress the lives of many.

Finding Paragraph #2

Getting the right amount of vitamins in our meals each day, is a very hard thing to accomplish-but it is not impossible. Many of the foods we eat daily, have some sort of vitamins in them. They could be the vitamins that we absolutely need to survive, or they could merely be the vitamins that we take to improve our health. Some vitamins are very necessary to take to prevent our selves from getting Alzheimer's disease. “Vitamins, herbs, and amino acids may provide additional brain protection. Folic acid, vitamin B12, vitamin D, and fish oils are believed to preserve and improve memory. Studies of vitamin E, gingko biloba, and tumeric have yielded more disappointing results. Talk to your doctor about medication interactions, and review current literature to make a personal decision about the costs and benefits of dietary supplements.” (Wayne) This quote gives a list of different important vitamins that you can take to prevent yourself from obtaining Alzheimer's. Although, there are many vitamins that have proven to be very potent towards this disease, there are also some that do not. If you begin to experience any memory loss, or signs of Alzheimer's, then you should meet with your doctor and talk about your options to help slow the process down. Even when taking these vitamins, just the thought of this disease has proven many times to be quite formidable.

Finding Paragraph #1

There are ways to prevent each illness that is out there in the world. Even the diseases that are genetic, can sometimes be prevented. Although Alzheimer's disease is sometimes found to be genetic, it can also be prevented in many different ways. Some of those ways include exercising, eating a healthy diet, and playing different games to keep your mind stimulated."Those who remain engaged in activities involving multiple tasks, requiring communication, interaction, and organization, who continue learning, and constantly challenge their brains earn the greatest protection." (Wayne) This quote means that if you incorporate certain things that will help arouse your mind, then you can most likely prevent yourself from getting Alzheimer's disease. This method seems to be the best way to avert yourself from getting this brazen disease. Although, some of these activities have shown to be very efficacious, you are not guaranteed that this disease will pass you by.

Quote, Paraphrase, Citation #5

"Alcohol, smoking, sedating drugs, excess weight, high blood pressure, and clogged nasal passages can rock the timbers. Snoring may signal sleep apnea, a respiratory condition that threatens your heart and mind. A new study from the University of California at San Diego estimates seventy to eighty percent of Alzheimer’s patients experience sleep apnea. Cognition is frequently improved following Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) treatment, which mechanically regulates the rise and fall of blood pressure and oxygen to the brain. "
Source:
"Prevention and delay strategy # 4: Sleep to restore memory." Alzheimer’s Treatment and Prevention. Melissa Wayne MA, Jeanne Segal PhD and Robert Segal MA, April 2009. Web. 16 Nov 2010. http://helpguide.org/elder/alzheimers_prevention_slowing_down_treatment.htm

Sleep apnea is found in many patients that have Alzheimer's disease. Snoring is one way to tell if a person has sleep apnea. Having sleep apnea puts both your heart and your mind at risk, because you are not getting enough oxygen to the heart and brain while you sleep. Some activities that can cause you to snore are the following: alcohol, smoking, sedating drugs, excess weight,  high blood pressure and clogged nasal passages. Following a Continuous Positive Pressure treatment will help you to regulate your blood pressure and oxygen to your heart and brain.

Quote, Paraphrase, Citation #4

"People may not recognize family members or have trouble speaking, reading or writing. They may forget how to brush their teeth or comb their hair. Later on, they may become anxious or aggressive, or wander away from home. Eventually, they need total care. This can cause great stress for family members who must care for them."
Source:
"Alzheimer's Disease: Also called: AD ." Medline Plus: Trusted Health Information for you. National Library of Medicine, 15 November 2010. Web. 16 Nov 2010.
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/alzheimersdisease.html

Alzheimer's disease is a slow process. During this process, most of what you will lose is your memory of the everyday things. These activities include, how to brush your teeth and how to brush your hair. Some people become very angry and nervous when the get this disease. They get confused about why they cannot remember certain things and what is happening to their body. Some people also start to wander. They wander away from their home and their families. The family members who take care of the person with Alzheimer's, become every stressed because of the great amount of care that one person requires.

Graph/Chart/Citation

This graph shows how many millions of people have Alzheimer's disease today. It also shows the projected number of people who will have this disease every twenty years.
Source:
"Dementia projected to double every 20 years by 2009 World Alzheimer’s Report." SENIOR JOURNAL.COM - Senior Citizens Information and News. Web. 16 Nov 2010.
http://seniorjournal.com/NEWS/Alzheimers/2009/20090921-WorldAlzDay.htm

Quotes, Paraphrasing, Citation #3

"The mood and personalities of people with Alzheimer's can change. They can become confused, suspicious, depressed, fearful or anxious. They may be easily upset at home, at work, with friends or in places where they are out of their comfort zone."
Source:
"10 Signs of Alzheimer's." Alzheimer's Association. Alzheimer's Association, 5 August 2010. Web. 11 Nov 2010.
http://www.alz.org/alzheimers_disease_know_the_10_signs.asp

There are many difficulties that come along with being diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. The people who have it, are more likely to suffer from severe emotional changes as each stage of the disease takes place. They may become very confused about why they cannot find a certain thing that they may have used everyday. Some people, may experience depression because they cannot remember certain things that they know they should remember. Several people become very suspicious, anxious, and fearful as their disease becomes more noticeable to other people. Personality changes are common among most people with this disease. They may become easily frustrated, upset, and shy when they are taken out of their home, which is also known as their comfort zone.

When my grandmother was going through Alzheimer's, she experienced many of these side affects. She suffered from confusion mainly because she did not know why she could not find the things she used everyday. In her mind, she knew that she was suppose to remember certain things such as the following: birthdays, times, and where she put her cooking wear. My grandmother suffered from this disease for eight long years. I truly believe that our family suffered many of these side affects along with her. Several people in our family suffered from depression, anxiety, fear,and confusion because she was slowly slipping away and we did not know how to help her.

Photo Caption #3

This picture shows the difference between the brain cells that are healthy and the brain cells that have been affected by Alzheimer's. The brain cells that have been affected by Alzheimer's have started to die and decay. When the brain cells start to decay, the fibers from the cells start to clump together restricting the signals from the brain going to the rest of your body. When the fibers from your brain cells start to clump, they also stop the signals in your brain that control your memory. As you can see in the picture of the healthy brain cells above, the signals go through the brain to the rest of your body like they should. When you go to the doctor and they do a scan on your brain, this is the picture that they would go by to tell you if you have Alzheimer's or not.  

Source:

"But what actually causes Alzheimer’s Disease?." But what actually causes Alzheimer’s Disease?. Web. 11 Nov 2010.
http://agemyths.com/2010/06/23/alzheimers-disease-and-brain-games/

Quotes, Paraphrasing, Citation #2

"No one factor appears to cause Alzheimer's disease. Instead, scientists believe that it may take a combination of genetic, lifestyle and environmental factors to trigger the onset of symptoms. While the causes of Alzheimer's are poorly understood, its effect on brain tissue is clear. Alzheimer's disease damages and kills brain cells."
 Source:
"Alzheimer's Disease." MayoClinic. MayoClinic, 17 January 2009. Web. 10 Nov 2010. .
BIBLIOGRAPHIC CITATION: "Alzheimer's Disease." MayoClinic. MayoClinic, 17 January 2009. Web. 10 Nov 2010. . [NOTE: Italicize "MayoClinic"] PARENTHETICAL CITATION: ("MayoClinic")
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/alzheimers-disease/DS00161/DSECTION=causes

There is not a common cause for developing Alzheimer's disease. Some people may develop this disease because of genetics, their lifestyle, and their environmental surroundings. Even though scientists cannot understand why people may get Alzheimer's and how to prevent it, they do know that it creates problems within it brain chambers and the brain cells.

Photo Caption #2

 As you can see in the picture above, this brain has gone through drastic change. The photo on the left is a scan of healthy brain. The photo on the left is a scan of a brain that has Alzheimer's. When people get Alzheimer's, the nerve cells in their brain die, and there is a loss of tissue throughout each chamber of the brain. As the brain tissue decreases, the size of the brain chambers increase leading to memory loss and the ability to do the normal everyday activities.
Source:
"Alzheimer's and the brain." WebMD. Web. 10 Nov 2010. .
BIBLIOGRAPHIC CITATION: "Alzheimer's and the brain." WebMD. Web. 10 Nov 2010. . [NOTE: Italicize "WebMD"] PARENTHETICAL CITATION: ("Alzheimer's and the brain")
http://www.webmd.com/alzheimers/slideshow-alzheimers-overview

Quotes, Paraphrasing, Citation #1

"Early diagnosis is beneficial for several reasons. Having an early diagnosis and starting treatment in the early stages of the disease can help preserve function for months to years, even though the underlying disease process cannot be changed. Having an early diagnosis also helps families plan for the future, make living arrangements, take care of financial and legal matters, and develop support networks."
Source:
"National Institute On Aging." N.p., 19 February 2010. Web. 9 Nov 2010. http://www.nia.nih.gov/Alzheimers/Publications/adfact.htm

If you start developing early signs of dementia or Alzheimer's, you should make an appointment with your doctor to get tests run. This could become very helpful to you in the long run. Having these tests run can help you get a medication, to help slow down the process of losing your memory-but cannot stop the process altogether. Knowing if you have this disease at an early stage will give your family time to plan for the upcoming events of the life down the road, such as the following: legal issues, financial issues and support groups.

Photo Caption #1

When people have Alzheimer's, they forget how to do many things. Some of these activities include the following: forgetting how to walk, eat, and speak. During this time, family becomes something that is very important; they become the people who make sure you are taken care of because of this disease.
Source:
"Alzheimer." Vernon Advent Christian Home. Web. 9 Nov 2010. . 
<http: alzheimers_care.html="" www.vernonhome.org="">.&nbsp;</http:>

Wordle #1

Preliminary Links

I chose to use this website because it gave me the best description of what Alzheimer's is. This website is very reliable because the Mayo Clinic's staff created this page. This information is very useful because it breaks down the definition and helps give a better understanding of what it really is.
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/alzheimers-disease/DS00161

I chose to use this site because it seemed like it had a good deal of information that would help me to better understand this disease. This site is reliable because it was created by the National Institute on Aging. This site tells why it is called Alzheimer's disease and names the Alzheimer support group places.
http://www.nia.nih.gov/Alzheimers/Publications/adfact.htm

I chose this site because it tells who could develop this disease and what could cause to to develop this disease. This site also answers general questions you may have about Alzheimer's. This site is reliable because it was created by Howard Crystal, MD.
http://www.medicinenet.com/alzheimers_disease_causes_stages_and_symptoms/article.htm

I chose this site because it gave me a lot of information. It tells what signs you should look out for are, the stages that person may go through, and many other great things. This site is very reliable because it tells you when the last time is was updated and it also gives you a help line you can call.
http://www.alz.org/alzheimers_disease_alzheimers_disease.asp

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