What is Alzheimer's?

Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive brain disease that causes memory loss and problems with thinking and behavior severe enough to affect work, lifelong hobbies or social life. Alzheimer’s gets worse over time, and is considered terminal. Today it is the seventh-leading cause of death in the United States. It is the most common form of dementia, and accounts for 50 to 70 percent of dementia cases. There is no current cure, but treatments for symptoms, combined with the right services and support, can make life better for the millions of Americans living with Alzheimer’s.

The difference between Alzheimer's and typical age-related changes...

Signs of Alzheimer's	Typical age-related changes
Poor judgment and decision making	Making a bad decision once in a while
Inability to manage a budget	Missing a monthly payment
Losing track of the date or the season	Forgetting which day it is and remembering later
Difficulty having a conversation	Sometimes forgetting which word to use
Misplacing things and being unable to retrace steps to find them	Losing things from time to time