Ellen Scharaga, an experienced pharmacologist, serves with Algeria Specialty Pharmacy as an operational consultant. Her responsibilities include supporting Algeria in its efforts to develop novel medications for conditions such as HIV and chronic pain. A pharmacist engaged with the broader medical community, Ellen Scharaga gives back by supporting the Alzheimers Foundation of America, a nonprofit dedicated to educating and helping people and families impacted by Alzheimer’s disease. Individuals in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease exhibit relatively mild symptoms that do not prevent them from living independently. For instance, they might forget where they placed an object, find themselves unable to come up with the right word, become confused when attempting to plan something, and/or fail to remember a recently read text. Over time, however, Alzheimer’s worsens as patients enter the disease’s middle stage, which is usually the longest--lasting through a period of many years. As symptoms worsen in this stage, these patients typically require more care. They exhibit symptoms like anger or frustration at their inability to remember facts like their phone numbers or even intimate information about their own lives. Patients may also become prone to wandering and getting lost. In the final stage, when the disease is at its most severe, patients may lose their ability to communicate altogether. Moreover, they can become so cognitively impaired as to be unable to care for themselves. Late stage Alzheimer’s patients often need specialized, 24-hour attention to stay safe and comfortable. To learn more about Alzheimer’s disease and to donate funds to benefit people living with Alzheimer's, please visit alzfdn.org.
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