Alzheimer’s Disease Throughout my childhood, Granny was always there for me. She was my babysitter until I was old enough to attend elementary school, she kept me after school until my parents gothome, and she supported me throughout middle and high school. I never imagined Alzheimer’sdisease would take away a person I grew up with, who was always there for me, and was one ofmy very best friends. Alzheimer’s disease affects the brain, and causes “the gradual loss of brain cells”(What is, What is AD, 2). The disease effects about 4.5 million Americans, and leads to eventual death. In 2001, 53,852 people died from Alzheimer’s disease(Alzheimer’s disease, fastats, 2004). Firstdiscovered in 1906 by a German physician Dr. Alois Alzheimer, the disease is the leading causeof dementia. Dementia “is an umbrella term for several symptoms related to a decline in thinkingskills”(What is, What is AD, 3). Symptoms include gradual loss of memory, problems withreasoning, disorientation, difficulty in learning, loss of language skills, and the loss of ability toperform routine tasks. People with dementia may also experience mood changes and behavioralproblems such as agitation, anxiety, delusions, and hallucinations.

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