Contemporary Issues - Honorable mention
Peter Granser
Laif Photos & Reportagen
Laif Photos & Reportagen
21 July, 2001
Alzheimer's patients living in a small group home. Alzheimer's disease is on the increase in Western countries. Approximately 7.5 per cent of elderly people suffer from Alzheimer's, and the disease is likely to become more prevalent as the population ages. Although the illness was identified by Alois Alzheimer as long ago as 1907, little is known about its causes. Early signs of the disease include memory loss, disorientation and problems with language. In the final stages, individuals may lose all capacity for speech and mobility. Alzheimer's is fatal.