My grandmother has Alzheimer’s disease

What is Alzheimer’s disease?

It is a brain disease, which gets worse over time. You can compare it to a computer with a memory card and check. It is made of some kind of jelly. In Alzheimer’s disease, poisons (Tau proteins and amyloid plaques) are deposited there, preventing the computer from storing information and giving orders to the rest of the body. The neurons – which are in the jelly and which transmit these messages – can no longer communicate with each other and gradually die. The disease first attacks short-term memory – the one that records information for a short period of time – then, little by little, language, understanding, movement (daily gestures, walking), etc.

Will my grandmother forget me?

In an advanced stage of the disease, your grandmother may forget your name or may not know your age, or what you like, etc. On the other hand, when he sees you, he will remember that it is a face he loves.

Sometimes it looks sad …

Your grandmother realizes that things are not the same, but she doesn’t understand why. He feels useless, sometimes causing feelings of sadness and aggression. It is important to support it and not give up.

How can I help myself?

You can encourage your grandmother to do what she still knows how to do and help her, for example if she can’t put on her coat or tie her shoes. But without rushing her or making her feel belittled. After all, it’s natural to help each other, right?

Can this disease be cured?

We can reduce the difficulties with drugs, but for the moment we cannot cure the disease. The most important thing is that your grandmother stays active, that she walks, that she sees her friends and family. Assistance is also about helping loved ones understand this disorder better. Because it is painful to see the person you love lose their autonomy, do strange things (like throwing cutlery in the garbage), forget gestures (write, eat) or get lost in the conversation. One can easily lose patience. Your grandmother, because she is not fully aware of what is happening to her, does not understand the reaction of others and gets angry in return. It’s complicated, but with lots of love and intelligence we can handle things well!

Gonna die?

You don’t die of Alzheimer’s, but with it. Over time, the brain becomes more and more damaged and can no longer give orders to the rest of the body, which makes it very fragile. It is like cutting a cable in the computer, then another and so on. First the mouse doesn’t work, then it’s the keyboard, then the screen, then everything goes out.

Do all older people have Alzheimer’s disease?

Not at all! We may very well retain all of our faculties (memory, thinking ability, etc.) as we get older. To stay awake and healthy for as long as possible, it is important to stimulate the brain by reading, making music, having fun, seeing friends and family, etc. Staying physically active, eating healthy and never starting to smoke are very important for your health!