Alzheimer’s causing stress on families of patients

Alzheimer’s disease affects over 50,000 people in Saudi Arabia and their number is rapidly increasing. Their dependency on caregivers builds up too and that is becoming a major concern to the relevant authorities in the Kingdom.
Alzheimer’s is a progressive, incurable and fatal brain disease. It starts with loss of memory and concentration. The disease may cause irritation, mood-swings and aggression. Patients often withdraw from family and friends. Life expectancy after diagnosis is approximately seven years.
Salma Altayeb’s mother is suffering from Alzheimer’s. Altayeb says it is a challenging responsibility to keep up with work, raising children and looking after a mother that needs basic essential care. With no one to support her, at times it can be very stressful for Altayeb to look after her. Sometimes she feels forced to skip work in order to take care of her mother.
Dr. Saeed Alzahrani, a neurologist at Jeddah Psychiatric Hospital, said that longer life spans contribute to the number of Alzheimer’s patients. Reaching the age of 65 is considered a critical risk for developing Alzheimer’s. The disease is usually diagnosed at a late stage, as the early symptoms are often mistaken for common signs of aging.
Alzahrani said this lack of awareness might be why many families suffer the consequences of the disease’s progression. He called for a widening of activities of certain associations to provide awareness training, counseling and financial support to caregivers, to help lighten the burden on many suffering families.
The head manager of the Alzheimer’s Society in Jeddah, Ameen Gary, said his society has envisioned plans to help alleviate the burden on caregivers. To implement these plans, he hoped more donors would come forward. The Alzheimer’s Society is now initiating the first Alzheimer’s housing and care center, which aims to provide the best care and services to patients and their families. He believes this center may provide relief to patients and caregivers who deal with Alzheimer’s disease.