Quick summary
Knowing the life expectancy of someone with Alzheimer's can help your family prepare for the gradually increasing amounts of care giving that eventually will be needed. Someone in the final stages of the disease, for example, requires constant hands-on care. Estimating life expectancy can help you and your family plan ahead for all the practical and financial issues you'll face.
I have looked after my father since his stroke in 2004 and i must say as time as gonne on he has deteriated but still with us. He is now the eldest of 18 - 6 of his brothers and sisters died as babies and another 6 died before reaching 70 but my father is now 74 so really is doing quite well considering. It does worry me as time goes on but i try my best although it can be stressful at times i am learning to live with looking after someone i care for but as long as he can still smile and enjoy life even though he cant remember the next day he still has some life. Sometimes i feel like crying about the situation but sometimes you just have to smile put on a brave face and get one with things - that way i feel i can get through whatever life has the throw at me Mark Randell
When people read the TITLE of this article, it leads them to believe that they will be getting an answer to the question. The text of this article should state BRIEFLY, clearly and succinctly: "THERE IS NO ANSWER TO THE QUESTION." This article simply states what anyone in the trenches already knows, and it offers ZERO useful information for Newcomers. NO ONE who comes to this site has time for useless generalities... I really detest these useless articles.
I am a dementia practitioner and have been asked this question on many occasions. There is no real answer as there is only one person who really knows and that is our great creator. Every person is an individual as you mentioned. I have had a woman in the same end stage condition for six years and she just passed a month ago. You just don't know. The caregiver is the person who has the most stress . unfortunately there are no real answers to the expectancy in which a person with AD will have, which your article does suggest. Thank you for your article there are some very good points.
My heart goes out to anyone who must face this disease and watch it destroy your loved one. My mom was diagnosed in 2000, we initially thought she had had a stroke. An MRI ruled that out. She lived with me until I couldn't care for her anymore, about 2 years. I had to place her in a nursing home, where she fell and broke her hip and died with pneumonia 4 months later, in 2002. We tried all the meds that were on the market at the time and nothing seemed to even slow the Alzheimers down. The meds were all expensive and my mom (a widow) was living on a fixed income. It put a strain on our income as well. I quit my job to take care of her and we were depending on my husband's sole income. We don't regret our decision though. I hope and pray that medical science can come up with a cure, a prevention or at least a medicine that helps. My mother said, (when we were told that she had the disease) "There are lots of things that are worse than Alzheimers". I'm just glad that I don't know what that could've been. This was pure hell for all of us and I can't imagine a more cruel, helpless, disease. I love you mom and miss you every day!!
I hate this disease. my mother passed away 5 years ago. For 2 years it was so awful for her and myself as I was her caregiver. Had to place her in a group home. Fortunately a decent one. But did cost... Put me in the poor house. But, could not work a come home finding her on the floor. Having someone there for 10 hours a day too expensive and daycare just did not work out. Then she would be up alot at night. Just so awful. I'm still not over it. The best to all who have this disease.
The article mentions that the general health can suffer since your loved ones may have difficulty with eating and sleeping properly. Another important factor to maintaining health is closely monitoring any medication they take. If they are reliant on insulin for diabetes, for example, neglecting to properly medicate can dramatically impact health and therefore shorten life span.