How to Live with Alzheimers: A Policy Brief

Table of Contents

Introduction
Policy Brief Related to Aging with Alzheimers
Conclusion
Reference

Introduction

Despite its inevitability, aging is never simple and is associated with multiple social and health concerns. The government has to identify the most burning issues and offer policies and regulations to support older Americans. There are many aging-related problems to recognize and solve, and Alzheimers disease is one of those to be purposefully analyzed in a policy brief. At this moment, no cure for this degenerative disorder exists, and people should learn how to live with it, mitigate symptoms, and predict complications. Aging with Alzheimers requires the participation of several stakeholders, and there has to be a policy to organize human activities and cooperation.

The analysis of the chosen aging-related issue for the policy brief will contain several critical steps. First, it is important to understand why Alzheimers is an urgent topic for discussion, addressing the current statistics and the conditions under which this disease can grow. Age-related brain changes introduce a group of causes contributing to Alzheimers. However, this disease is usually predisposed by additional risk factors like genetics, the environment, and lifestyles (Alzheimers Association, 2022). At this moment, about 1 in 9 Americans age 65 and older is diagnosed with Alzheimers dementia (Alzheimers Association, 2022). Researchers predict that despite a decline in its development, the number of older adults with Alzheimers could be changed from 58 million today to 88 million in 2050 (Alzheimers Association, 2022). The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, unhealthy habits, cardiovascular diseases, and head injuries cannot be ignored in understanding the risks for Alzheimers. In addition, people need to know how to help individuals live with this condition and control long-term health care costs.

The second stage of the analysis is related to the options to improve the quality of life damaged by mental changes. Aging with Alzheimers is associated with memory loss, problematic thinking, poor reasoning, confusion, and difficulty performing routine tasks. Older adults should have somebody to rely on and protect against situations that can hardly be controlled. Pharmacological treatment plans, including donepezil or rivastigmine, are developed to reduce symptoms, prevent pain, and manage disease progression (Alzheimers Association, 2022). Non-pharmacological therapies are also critical to training memory, stimulating the brain, and maintaining physical health. Therefore, attention should be paid to creating professional teams who cooperate with individuals who have Alzheimers and need constant care. Nurses and other healthcare givers must be aware of the symptoms, complications, and obligations. Their level of knowledge predetermines care quality and patients behaviors.

Conclusion

Finally, when writing a policy brief, it is necessary to choose the best option among various alternatives and evidence. Today, many projects promote the early detection and diagnosis of Alzheimers. People might need the improvement of care processes and cooperation with individuals who know how unpredictable and challenging Alzheimers can be. The essence of the future policy is to focus on education and training for nurses to enhance care quality and increase non-pharmacological interventions. It is possible to live with Alzheimers, maintain dignity and respect from caregivers, and have a better quality of life.