THE COTTAGES
AT ARTESIA
Alzheimer's Residential Care
Phone: +1 (714) 670-1111
DINING
Alzheimer's Resources
The Cottages at Artesia Gardens provides knowledgeable and individualized care to residents with varying memory care needs. Our dedicated, long-term staff cares for Alzheimer’s Disease and other dementias with a foundation of respect, compassion, and preservation of dignity.
What is Alzheimer's Disease?
Alzheimer’s Disease is the most common type of dementia – a general term for the loss of memory and cognition — affecting approximately 5 million Americans. Alzheimer’s is a progressive disease that begins with mild memory loss, possibly leading to an inability to carry on a conversation or respond to the environment.
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According to the Alzheimer’s Association, a person with Alzheimer’s can live an average of four to eight years after diagnosis, but may live as long as 20 years.
What does Alzheimer's Disease do to the brain?
Recent studies published by the Alzheimer’s Association have shown distinct differences between a healthy brain and a brain affected by Alzheimer’s Disease. Alzheimer’s presents itself in the brain in the following ways:
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The cortex shrivels, damaging areas of the brain needed for thinking, planning, and remembering.
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The hippocampus, which plays a key role in the formation of new memories, shrinks.
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Nerve cell death and tissue loss occurs, which causes memory failure, personality changes, and difficulty with daily activities.
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Plaque can build up between nerve cells, disrupting communication in the brain.
How does Alzheimer's Disease progress?
The rate of progression varies greatly from person to person, and the course of the disease is influenced by age of diagnosis and other health conditions.
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Early Stage Alzheimer’s: Changes may begin 20 or more years before diagnosis. While a person may function independently (driving, working, socializing, etc), they may experience memory lapses. Some common difficulties include forgetting information that was just read or names recently learned, or misplacing valuable objects.
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Mild to moderate Alzheimer’s: Can last between 2 and 10 years, during which time symptoms are more pronounced. A person with Alzheimer’s may confuse words and/or have difficulty expressing thoughts and performing routine tasks without help. They may also become angry and frustrated, act out unexpectedly, or seemingly revert to a younger age.
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Severe Alzheimer’s: This final stage of the disease may last 1-5 years, during which time individuals lose the ability to respond to carry a conversation, respond to their environment, and control movement. Significant personality changes are common and most require continual personal care.
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