Introduction

Alzheimer's disease is a progressive disorder that causes brain cell waste (degeneration) and death.
Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia - a continuous decline in the ability to
think, behave and social skills, which disrupts a person's ability to function independently. Forgetting
recent events or conversations are the early symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease. Severe memory
impairment and lose the ability to carry out daily tasks will develop as the disease progresses.
Current medicines may improve symptoms for some time. Sometimes these medications can assist
Alzheimer's disease individuals maximize function and retain independence for a while. There are
various programs and services that may help to support individual with Alzheimer's disease and their
caregivers. Through several years, the signs of Alzheimer's disease develop steadily. Such signs are
sometimes confused with other conditions and may be put down to old age in the beginning. The
level of development of the symptoms for each patient is different. Certain conditions may be
responsible for worsening symptoms in some cases. Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common
form of dementia, a syndrome characterized by declines in memory, thinking, behaviour, and the
ability to carry out daily tasks (World Health Organisation, 2020). AD is an irreversible progressive
neurodegenerative disease that affects the brain; research to date has proven AD to be incurable
(Zvěřová, 2019; Alzheimer’s Association [AA], 2021). According to the American Psychiatric
Association (APA) (2013), the diagnostic criterion for both mild and major neurological disorders
such as And encompasses: the criterion for a neurocognitive disorder being satisfied; an insidious
onset, disease that comes on slowly that does not initially show symptoms (Cambridge
Dictionary,2021), accompanied by the gradual impairment of at least one cognitive domain; and the
criterion for either possible or probable AD. After diagnosis, the average survival time is
approximately ten years, however, some individuals live with the disease for up to twenty years
(APA, 2013).AD is a long-term condition that develops gradually in three distinct clinical stages: mild,
moderate, and severe (Zvěřová, 2019), however, changes in the brain often begin a decade before
symptoms, appear in what is known as the preclinical stage (National Institute of Aging [NIA], 2019).
In the mild stage, individuals often appear healthy, but are finding it increasingly difficult to
comprehend the world around them. In the mild stage, the initial symptoms of AD differ from
person to person and are often not pronounced, meaning AD is difficult to diagnose. Individuals
often still have the ability to drive and partake in social activities, and symptoms may be dismissed as
normal ageing (Zvěřová, 2019; NIA, 2017).Mild AD symptoms include: memory loss; poor judgment;
loss of initiative; increased difficulties completing daily tasks; repetition of behaviour; repeatedly
asking the same questions; losing objects or becoming lost; personality changes; mood fluctuations;
and increased aggression or anxiety (NIA, 2017). Signs of moderate AD include increased memory
loss and confusion; the inability to retain information, language difficulties underlined by reading
and writing issues; difficulties thinking logically; decreased attention span; difficulties following
instructions; difficulties recognising friends and family members; paranoia; hallucinations;
uncharacteristic impulsive behaviours; restlessness; anxiety; and repetitive actions and statements.