World Alzheimer’s Day 2024: Theme, History And Symptoms

World Alzheimer’s Day, observed annually on September 21st, serves as an important reminder of the global impact of this devastating disease. It is a very significant day for awareness and battling stigma that might help encourage research work and support activities for those with Alzheimer’s and their caregivers.

According to alzint.org, the World Alzheimer’s Month 2024 campaign, Time to act on dementia, Time to act on Alzheimer’s, will focus on raising awareness and addressing the stigma and discrimination that still exists around dementia. Valuing, respecting, and including all those who live with dementia in society will be its focus. There are three aspects to this: remembering, reimagining our understanding about the disease, and creating a commitment that subsequently generates a future for people with Alzheimer’s disease to live meaningful lives.

World Alzheimer’s Day is a call to action. It is the time to acknowledge the difficult lives of people with dementia and their families and to pledge for a more supportive and inclusive world for them. There are more than 55 million people across the world who are affected by this terrible disease.

According to the National Health Service of the UK, Alzheimer’s disease progresses slowly over several years, often mistaken for normal aging. The rate of progression varies, and conditions like infections, strokes, and delirium can worsen symptoms. Anyone experiencing rapid symptom worsening should see a doctor, as there may be treatable causes.

Early Symptoms:

Memory lapses (forgetting recent conversations or events)
Misplacing items
Difficulty finding the right word
Asking questions repeatedly
Poor judgement or decision-making
Less flexibility, reluctance to try new things
Mood changes (anxiety, agitation, confusion)

Middle Stage Symptoms:

Worsening memory (forgetting names, struggling to recognise family)
Increasing confusion and disorientation (getting lost, wandering)
Repetitive or impulsive behaviour
Delusions or paranoia
Speech and language problems (aphasia)
Disturbed sleep
Mood swings, depression, anxiety, agitation
Difficulty with spatial tasks (judging distances)
Hallucinations 

Late Stage Symptoms:

Severe memory loss and cognitive decline
Hallucinations and delusions
Violence, demanding behaviour, suspicion
Difficulty eating and swallowing (dysphagia)
Difficulty moving without assistance
Weight loss
Incontinence
Gradual loss of speech

While there’s no cure for Alzheimer’s, early diagnosis and management can improve quality of life.