Dr. Elble stressed that in actuality these services are inseparable. Diagnosis of Alzheimer is not that difficult because Alzheimer affects memory and cognition and does not cause motor impairment, local motor disturbances, etc., until very late in the course of the illness. Researchers are working on a test to improve clinical diagnoses, but none is yet available. Patients with Alzheimer have a wide range of problems, including personality changes and behavioral disturbances. Many of the other causes of dementia typically cause local motor impairment, signs of parkinsonism.
Incontinence becomes a problem later on.
In any chronic degenerative neurological disease, of which Alzheimer is one, caregivers are often neglected. As the disease progresses, the caregiver often requires the most treatment. Patients lose insight and become oblivious to their situation, so the caregiver has to assume an increasing burden in the care of the patient, the financial burden, and so on. Alzheimer is the most common cause of dementia. It accounts for about 55 percent of the patients that are seen.