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Family Disease Research Paper

Introduction
After completing my family health history tree, I discovered about four diseases that were
prominent in my family tree: dementia, cancer, appendicitis, and spherocytosis. The possibility
of someday developing dementia personally scared me the most. Three women in my family
have had dementia: Doris Yancey (maternal grandmother), Mildred Calapp (paternal
grandmother), and Alice Jeffery (maternal great-grandmother). I personally witnessed the
effects of this ugly disease on my grandmas, and women I once loved and interacted with
became strangers to me. Sadly, I did not know how to handle this change, thus I limited my
contact with them instead of trying to understand the disease and discovering ways to enrich
their lives.
Description
Dementia is a brain disorder that causes disturbances in memory and other cognitive
functions and often, also, in emotional control, social behavior, or motivation (Nicole D
Anderson, et al., Living with Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Guide to Maximizing Brain Health
and Reducing Risk of Dementia [New York: Oxford University Press, 2012], 47). Dementia
therefore is not just simply forgetfulness or a brain disorder by itself. It is a sign of a disorder,
disease, or multiple afflictions (Therese Shea, Understanding Brain Diseases and Disorders:
Dementia [New York: The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc., 2012], 12; emphasis added).
Symptoms
One of the first recognizable symptoms of dementia is memory loss affecting cognitive
abilities. Cognition . . . refers to various processes of thought like intelligence, reasoning,
judgment, learning, remembering, and other mental abilities [and] although some degree of
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cognitive change is normal with age, more significant cognitive changes may herald the
beginning of a cognitive impairment . . . dementia ( Anderson, 3). People suffering from
dementia can become angry, depressed, or agitated because they cannot remember how to
perform simple daily tasks. Personalities may change. A dementia sufferer may say
inappropriate comments . . . act in surprising ways [and] may suffer from hallucinations (Shea,
16).
Also, an individual suffering from dementia can have a hard time communicating orally
or in writing. I witnessed this with my Grandma Yancey. Approximately two years before she
died, she wrote the following note to my mom. heloo, dear fear Famely are youg collecting
leevs- we certanley have plenty of it to do Ther I us ---- ours is plenty Big and fuull these days I
certen like Tik to hi fow all WRITE TO ME Love Mom(Doris J Yancey, All about me
journal in the possession of Christine Neilson). I also saw her struggle to say a simple prayer,
something that she had done on a daily basis her entire life.
Others experience apraxia, or the loss of coordination. Some people forget to eat or
cannot tell the difference between edible food and non-edible food. Also, individuals may lose
their sense of smell and hearing. Dementia sufferers may fail to recognize people, objects, body
parts, and have impaired spatial orientation resulting in getting lost while driving, walking in
their neighborhood, or even in their own homes (see Robert Levine, Defying Dementia:
Understanding and Preventing Alzheimers and Related Disorders [Westport, Connecticut:
Praeger Publishers, 2006], 12-13). Additionally, dementia results in impaired executive
functioning. They will experience difficulty in making decisions and become frustrated when
stuck on a simple task and not knowing how to proceed.

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Causes
There is no absolute way to prevent dementia. . . . Dementia is not a disease. It is a
condition caused by a number of different diseases (Levine, 6). Some diseases that may lead to
the development of dementia are: malnutrition, glucose deprivation to the brain, lung disease,
heart disease, underling brain disorder such as tumors and strokes, sleep deprivation, periodontal
disease, obesity, diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, smoking, excessive alcohol intake and
use of illicit drugs, and head injuries (see Shea, 22-24 and Levine, 130-33).
From a nutritional standpoint, one cause of dementia can be from niacin deficiency.
Some early symptoms [resulting from this deficiency] include poor appetite, weight loss, and
weakness. (Gordon M. Wardlaw, et al., Contemporary Nutrition: A Functional Approach,
[McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 2013], 422-24)
Dementia can also occur if the aging process in the brain is accelerated for any reason
(Levine, 129). In addition, experiencing severe or multiple head injuries at any age increase the
incidence of dementia later in life (Levine, 135).
Treatment
There are many different kinds of dementia, and each one is treated differently. The
most common is Alzheimers disease. It is estimated that 50-75% of all dementia comes from
Alzheimers. Cholinesterase inhibitors are used to slow the spread of Alzheimers. Namenda is
one prescription drug that is used to treat the symptoms of Alzheimers disease.
Vascular dementia is the second most common type of dementia and usually results from
strokes. Treatment for this kind of dementia includes the prevention of new strokes [by]
administering antiplatelet drugs and controlling major vascular risk factors. Aspirin has also
been found to slow the progression of vascular dementia ( Kannayiram Alagiakrishnan,
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Vascular Dementia Treatment & Management, http://emedicine.medscape.com
/article/292105-treatment).
If dementia is resulting from an infection or nutritional deficiency, doctors and healthcare
providers can aid in slowing the effects of the disorder. My Grandma Calapp ate oatmeal and
rice for breakfast, a hot dog for lunch, and a bland soup for supper, day after day. This poor diet
and her sedentary lifestyle reduced her mobility and speed up the dementia process. Sadly, quite
a few years passed before her daughter-in-law, a dietician, signed her up for Meals on Wheels,
which would have provided her with healthier meals and perhaps slowed the advancement of her
dementia. Thus, it is important to remember that immediate treatment may slow the
advancement of dementia symptoms (Shea, 35).
Prevention
The most important thing an individual can do to prevent dementia is to lower any risk
factors that would predispose an individual to the development of atherosclerosis, heart disease,
and stroke, which are major contributors to the development of dementia. Thus, getting yearly
physicals by your doctor are extremely important, along with controlling your blood pressure and
cholesterol levels.
Another way to prevent dementia is to mentally stimulate the brain. Keeping our minds
actively engaged appears to slow intellectual decline and may even lead to improvement
(Levine, 135). You can exercise your mind and body by doing puzzles, engaging in volunteer
work, reading, traveling, or collecting (see Anderson, 157). Sleep is [also] a critical component
to your physical and emotional health and to your memory functioning. . . . When you are asleep
your body is engaged in many restorative functions that include producing proteins that repair
cell damage (Anderson, 184-85). So, get a good nights sleep.
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It is also a known fact that having a higher education equates to a better paying job, but it
also can prevent dementia. Highly educated people earn higher incomes on average, which
often affords them better health care, nutrition, and access to certain recreational activities that
can help mitigate stress and provide exercise (Anderson, 98-99). Some ways to continue
intellectual learning are enrolling in community education classes, becoming computer literate
and searching the internet on a variety of topics, learning a foreign language, reading, and
starting a new hobby.
Effects of Diet
One major weapon we have to fight against dementia is our diet. Anything in our diets
that reduces cholesterol, atherosclerosis, diabetes and hypertension aids in maintaining brain
function (Levine, 173). So, eat a heart-healthy diet, whole grains, fresh fruits and veggies.
Limit salt intake, avoid saturated and trans fats, and reduce the amount of coffee consumed. Use
olive oil when cooking and eat complex carbohydrates for the major part of your caloric intake
(see Levine, 173-76).
Some people choose to combat dementia with vitamins and herbal supplements (Shea,
44). They might choose to increase the consumption of vitamin E (an antioxidant) in their diets
by eating fish and green vegetables, along with increasing vitamin B12 consumption by eating
fish, eggs, milk products, meat, and poultry. Also, they may focus on vitamin B6 consumption
by eating breakfast cereals fortified with vitamin B6, lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs, and
nuts. Omega-3 fatty acids also benefit the heart and blood vessels and fight against depression--
risk factors for developing dementia. They are found in walnuts, olive oil, salmon, flax seeds,
and some eggs (Shea, 46). Thus, be sure to include omega-3 fatty acids in your diet to prevent
dementia. Increasing niacin in the diet is also important for treating dementia. Some major
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sources of niacin are tuna, poultry, peanuts, fish, read- to-eat cereals, beef, and asparagus
(Wardlaw, 423).
Effects of Activities/Exercise
Physical activity is essential at every stage of our lives, but perhaps even more so as we
grow older (Levine, 141). Exercise lowers blood pressure and total LDL cholesterol, while it
raises HDL cholesterol. Muscle strength and balance are improved with exercise, which are
greatly needed for dementia sufferers. Physical activity also reduces stress and depression and
combats obesity, which can be risk factors for developing dementia. The more physically active
you are, the less likely are the chances of developing dementia. Exercise programs need to be
tailored to each persons needs, but it is recommended to have at least [one] hour of repetitive-
type [of] aerobic activity daily, in a single time block if possible (Levine, 147).
An Internet article called, Exercise and physical activity for people with dementia
mentions that gardening is a physical activity that people in all stages of dementia can enjoy. It
allows individuals to be outside, and can be varied to suit each persons needs. They can weed,
rake up leaves, water plants, pick produce, or just watch the plants grow.
Music and dance are great activities for dementia individuals, too. Dancing can increase
strength and flexibility, staying steady and agile, and reduce stress (Alzheimers Society,
http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/factsheet/529). For individuals with a high risk of falling, they
can dance in their seats and still receive health benefits. If dancing is done in group sessions or a
structured dance event, it provides a social activity, which is extremely important. Walking,
jogging, running, biking, swimming, or tai chi are some additional suggestions for physical
activities that dementia sufferers can do.

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Conclusion
Josephine Baker once said, The [people] we truly love stay with us always, locked in
our hearts as long as life remains (http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/j/josephine
_baker.html). The effects of dementia do alter the personality and capabilities of the person we
dearly love. Studying this disorder has helped me realize the importance of interacting with
people suffering from dementia and trying to find activities to do with them or tasks that make
them feel useful. In the past, I was uncomfortable being around my grandmothers who had
dementia and avoided visiting them. My new resolve is to be bigger than the disease. Love
unconditionally. Treasure associations.














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Works Cited

Alagiakrishnan, Kannayiram. Vascular Dementia Treatment & Management.
http://emedicine.medscape.com /article/292105-treatment.
Alzheimers Society. Exercise and physical activity for people with dementia.
http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/factsheet/529.
Anderson, Nicole D., et, al. Living with Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Guide to Maximizing
Brain Health and Reducing Risk of Dementia. New York: Oxford University Press, 2012.
Baker, Josephine. Brainy Quotes.
http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/j/josephine_baker
html.
Levine, Robert. Defying Dementia: Understanding and Preventing Alzheimers and Related
Disorders. Westport, Connecticut: Praeger Publishers, 2006.
Neilson, LeeAnne. Personal recollections.
Shea, Therese. Understanding Brain Diseases and Disorders: Dementia. New York: The Rosen
Publishing Group, Inc., 2012.
Wardlaw, Gordon M., et al., Contemporary Nutrition: A Functional Approach. McGraw-Hill
Companies, Inc., 2013.
Yancey, Doris J. All about me. Journal in the possession of Christine Neilson.