Family’s Attitude towards Diagnosis of Alzheimer Disease on a Family Member

Introduction: Background of the Study and Problem Statement

It is very common for most of the aged people to be vulnerable in different disease. One common disease that is popular in the old people is the Alzheimer’s disease. Typically, people having this disease were described as the moving back to their childhood and forgetfulness is the very obvious symptom. Aged people with their gray hair suffer from a great memory loss. This severe intellectual loss cannot the projected on how or when to appear, and their family’s are continuing to accept the part that the disease is part of ageing process (Vas, 2001). This is not a good indication because their family doesn’t mind bringing the aged person to a professional. Aside from this common misconception of the family about the disease, what are the other attitudes of the family members towards the other member that suffers in the Alzheimer’s disease?

Research Objectives

The main objective of the study is to evaluate the family’s different attitudes towards the diagnosis of one of the family member on Alzheimer Disease. This idea is supported by the facet objectives that are involved in the promotion of the proper health care even in their own household. The ideas incorporated in the past studies and the current situation can help the execution of the right approach in the old-age population.

Research Questions

The research placed itself in the area of concern about the disease of memory loss. Old-aged people are seeking for attention and understanding therefore, the study prepared some questions that will serve as key points in identifying the right attitudes of the family in their member suffering from a severe intellectual loss.

1. What is Alzheimer’s disease and why does it only appears on old-aged people?

2. What are the attitude of the nurses and medical attendants of “home for the aged” towards the person suffering from Alzheimer’s disease?

3. Are the attitudes of the nurses and attendants are applicable in household?

Literature Review

Based on the opinion of the experts, there is a relative impact of the cultural and/or social differences that might affect the attitudes of the family towards their member with the concern of the Alzheimer’s disease. Particularly, the impact of the disease is being carried by the family members and the lack of accurate information makes it worse. It is advised that the entire family should accept the person fully and deliver him/her to the clinical professionals. Sometimes, the appropriate assessment towards the disease creates an improvement on the person. According to the experts, the patients are using more of their psychological reaction and this affects the person. The improper approach might lead to the complication of intelligence level of the person (Vas, 2001; Pucci, Belardinelli, and Borsetti, 2003). The deep understanding of the family members can strengthen the relationship between them and it is helpful if the people can drive the right treatment of their aged-family member (Sugarman, et al, 1999).

Methodology

The applied methodology is through the use of questionnaires. The relatives that have at least one family member under the disease are encouraged to share their ideas in caring their patient. The questionnaires includes the routine of the members in caring the aged person such as the medication, assisting the person going to hospital setting, and the moods of the patients. Through the applied method, the participants have their own will in sharing their ideas and been recorded in case there are needed for specification. There is a total of fifty participants that came from diversified settings. Most of the participants are family members while others are nurses and caregivers.

Conclusion

Based on the applied method, the relatives spontaneously answered the questions based on the everyday settings. Patients are being cared by the nurses and caregivers because it is part of their duty as health providers. They encouraged the relatives to support their family member to teach the basics, such as teaching the patient on how to use the toilet properly. In that sense, the family member can’t feel the depression and being left out. Meanwhile, due to the busy lifestyles of most of the people, the family members honestly stated that sometimes they have the irritation toward the person but because of the love they for they are their parents, they easily forget the petty sins done by the person. For final words, it is important that the relatives have the knowledge about the disease. The disclosed information from the experts and clinicians can help them set their own approach to their family member.

References:

Pucci, E., Belardinelli, N., & Borsetti, G., 2003. Relatives’ Attitudes towards Informing Patoents about the Diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease. Journal of Medical Ethics, Vol. 29, No. 1. [Online] Available at: http://jme.bmj.com/content/29/1/51.full.pdf. [Accessed 04 Feb 2010].

Sugarman, J., McCory, D., Powell, D., Krasny, A., Adams, B., Ball, E., & Cassell, C., 1999. Empirical Research on Informed Consent. The Hastings Center Report, Vol. 29, No. 1.

Vas, C., 2001. When Old Age Becomes a Disease. Alzheimer’s Disease: The Brain Killer. [Online] Available at: http://www.searo.who.int/LinkFiles/Health_and_Behaviour_alzheimers.pdf. [Accessed 04 Feb 2010].