Alzheimer’s disease affects memory, identity, and relationships. Understanding it helps us respond with wisdom and compassion. It is a progressive brain disease causing memory loss and cognitive decline. Key features that help to identify it include amyloid plaques and tau tangles as viewed on brain scans.
Doctors use cognitive tests, blood tests that measure beta-amyloid, a protein that accumulates abnormally in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients, urine tests, and perform brain scans such as a Cat Scan or CT Scan, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), or positron emission tomography (PET). Sometimes they collect spinal fluid via a spinal tap that measures levels of proteins associated with dementia.
I know well what this dreaded disease can do to the patient and to loved ones. Here me clearly. This is a disease you want to avoid. So here are some facts you must know about Alzheimer’s disease.
- Alzheimer’s Is Not Just Memory Loss.
It is a disease that affects language, judgment, personality, and behavior. There are five A’s to this disease:
Amnesia – is often the first recognized symptom of Alzheimer’s disease. It’s simply the loss of memory. Short-term memory is usually affected first. This is why you will see your loved one ask the same question over and over again. I remember my father would tell me an important story from his past. Then ten minutes later, he’d tell me the same story again. It was amazing how he could accurately tell these stories and recognize familiar people from his past. Eventually, that long-term memory would also go away.
I’ll never forget the day when my father watched a video I had made of his life and did not know who the man in the video was. I made this video to remind him of what he did in life. At first, it was familiar. But the day came when he did not remember who he was and what he did in life. That was painful and this journey is painful for everyone.
Aphasia – is the loss of ability to use language. My father was an avid speech writer, author of many books, and an eloquent speaker. I was amazed early on when he was showing some symptoms, yet he could be interviewed on TV and not miss a word. My father also wrote a column for a newspaper. My mom and I noticed that we had to correct and edit everything he sent out. Then eventually, he was not able to use language at all.
Apraxia – is the loss of motor skills. Fine motor skills will be lost first. They may have difficulty brushing their teeth or buttoning a shirt as well as being a bit clumsy with motor skills. Eventually towards the end stages, they lose the ability to swallow. The brain is having difficulty carrying out normal movements.
Agnosia – is the loss of ability to recognize things through sight, sound, taste, touch, and smell. They may see your face but not recognize you. They might not be able to cook because they can’t figure out how to turn on the stove. Or worse—how to turn it off.
Apathy – is the loss of ability to take initiative. My father was the energizer bunny—a type A-personality who worked hard all of his life. He took initiative—until this disease progressed. He could sit in a chair and get nothing done while giving you a blank stare.
If you walk into a room and forget why you went in there or stumble over a word when making a speech—don’t be concerned. Welcome to the aging process. These things are normal as we age—and are not symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease.
- There is no known cure.
A doctor can give you drugs such as Aricept to slow down the progression, but sometimes this drug does nothing. A doctor can give you Ativan to help control the anxiety that comes with sundowners. It’s hard when your loved one is diagnosed with a non-curable disease that you can do nothing about but manage the symptoms.
- 90 percent is lifestyle-caused. This may be hard to believe, but there are many risk factors for this disease and I’ve done a video on that you will want to watch. It’s called “Seven Research-backed Tips to Prevent Alzheimer’s Disease.” It will be referenced below. There is a genetic mutation called APOE-4, but only 5-10 percent of people have this mutation. According to neurologists, Ayesha and Dean Sherzai, 90% of cases are preventable. Since there is no cure, the best way to handle this disease is to prevent it in the first place.
- Women are twice as likely as men to get Alzheimer’s disease. The facts don’t lie, but the reason why is largely unknown. Some researchers think this may be because women lose estrogen levels during menopause, and estrogen is brain protective. Further research needs to be done in this area.
- Vitamin D can cut risk by 40 percent. Research study published in March of 2023 revealed that Vitamin D exposure was associated with 40 percent lower dementia incidence versus no exposure. This study even found that vitamin D has potential for dementia prevention especially in the high-risk strata, those who are carriers off APOE-4 gene. Vitamin D is known to participate in the clearance of amyloid beta aggregates and may provide neuroprotection against amyloid beta-induced tau hyperphosphorylation. Vitamin D also benefits females more than males.
- There is a new blood test. According to the Mayo Clinic, the FDA approved the first blood test as a tool to help diagnose Alzheimer’s disease in May of 2025. The test is called Lumipulse. It measures certain proteins including a specific form of the tau protein that can indicate the presence of amyloid plaques in the brain. Amyloid plaque is considered the hallmark sign of this disease. This blood test can detect changes even before memory problems begin. Previously, invasive and expensive tests like a PET scan and lumbar puncture were the only tests to detect Alzheimer’s disease. The test is considered 90 percent accurate and is usually paired with imaging scans. You should discuss with your doctor if this test is appropriate for you—especially if you’ve been through this disease with a family member and have a healthy fear of it. Catching it early is important.
- One in three older adults dies with Alzheimer’s or another dementia. Alzheimer’s kills more than breast and prostate cancer combined. Over 7 million Americans are currently struggling with this disease, but it’s estimated that by 2050, 12 million people with have Alzheimer’s disease. More than 1 in 9 people age 65 and older has Alzheimer’s disease. But that percentage increases with age. 35% of people 85 and older have this disease. It ranks 6th in the cause of death.
- Costs can exceed $111,000 per year. My father had this disease for about ten years. We were able to keep him at home for the first five years. At the second year, we signed him up for a daycare center. After the third year, we added a sitter during the day so my mom could get some things done. By the end of the fifth year, my mom, sister, and I were exhausted as his care became 24 hours a day and his sundowner episodes harder to manage. The last five years, although it was hard, we felt the need to put him in a dementia center. We waited until he did not know who we were. I can remember crying outside the center.
When I arrived at my conference near the coast, I sat in the back of the room because I could not hold back my tears. Another counselor came over to comfort me. I told her why I was upset. Her father also had this heartbreaking disease. She put her arm around me and said, “It’s the hardest thing you’ll ever do, but you’ll see in time that it was the right thing to do.” And she was right.
There may come a time when you can no longer manage your loved one at home. Instead of caring for them full time 24 hours a day, you’ll be caring for them while someone else shoulders the 24 hours a day. We didn’t stop caring for him. My mother and sister who lived nearby and I visited him on alternating days. My mother was there almost every day up until the end.
In 2007, the costs for 24-hour care and supplies hit around $80,000 a year. Today, those same costs including supplies would be around $120,000 per year.
- There is hope on the horizon. It’s not hope in a pill or medical treatment, although that may come one day. It’s hope from several doctors who specialize in the underlying causes of this disease. They are beginning to make strides in reversing this disease or holding it at bay if caught in the early stages. Dr. Dale Bredesen, a research neurologist who graduated from Duke Medical School, is one of those giving hope. He’s identified 36 underlying causes that can be tested and if fixed, progress can be made. The Bredesen Protocol is a comprehensive, personalized program targeting over 36 metabolic, nutritional, and environmental factors.
Dr. Mary Kay Ross uses the Bredesen protocol, and she practices in Savannah, Georgia and California. Dr. Heather Sanderson also follows the Bredesen protocol and is doing her own research. These doctors will do a series of tests which are usually paid for by insurance; however, their medical fees and excess hours are paid out of pocket. They are treating the root cause, not just the symptoms.
Their fees can get expensive. When I recommend that people look at this option, many shy away due to the cost. In my opinion, the medical costs are far less than what this disease will cost them in the long run especially when 24- hour care is needed.
I only wish I had known all this information when my family needed it. After all we went through, I set up an appointment with an integrative doctor for this one reason—I wanted to avoid this horrible disease. According to a screening test by Dr. Vincent Fortanasce, I was high risk for getting Alzheimer’s in the future. Thankfully, those risks have diminished as I’ve changed my lifestyle. Proverbs 27:12 tells us, “The prudent see danger and take refuge.”
What are you doing to prevent this dreaded disease?
View this message on YouTube:
Nine Facts You Must Know About Alzheimer’s Disease
Related video:
Seven Research-backed Tips to Prevent Alzheimer’s Disease
For Your Health,
Ginny
Ginny Dent Brant is a speaker and writer who grew up in the halls of power in Washington, DC. She has battled cancer, ministered around the world, and served on the front lines of American culture as a counselor, educator, wellness advocate, and adjunct professor. Brant’s award-winning book, Finding True Freedom: From the White House to the World, was endorsed by Chuck Colson and featured in many TV and media interviews. Unleash Your God-Given Healing: Eight Steps to Prevent and Survive Cancer was released in May 2020 after her journey with cancer and was recently awarded the First Place Golden Scrolls Award for Memoirs, a finalist in Serious Writers Book of the Decade, and Second Place in both Selah Awards for Memoirs and Director’s Choice Award for Nonfiction at the Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writer’s Conference. It recently received the Christian Authors Network’s (CAN) Gold Award for Excellence in Marketing for reaching 62.5 million people with a message of cancer prevention and survival. It was written with commentary from an oncologist and was featured on CBN’s Healthy Living Show, Atlanta Live, and CTN’s Homekeepers along with over 75 media outlets. Learn more and cancer and wellness prevention blog and book information at www.ginnybrant.com.
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**** This content is strictly the opinion of Ginny Brant and is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice or to take the place of medical advice or treatment from a personal physician. All viewers of this content are advised to consult their doctors or qualified health professionals regarding specific health questions. Neither Ginny Brant nor the publisher of this content takes responsibility for possible health consequences of any person or persons reading or following the information in this educational content. All viewers of this content, especially those taking prescription or over-the-counter medications, should consult their physicians before beginning any nutrition, supplement, or lifestyle program. ****
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