The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge

The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge:  It’s about creating awareness for Lou Gehrig’s Disease

If you use any type of online social media (which we know you do since you read our blog and follow us on Facebook and Twitter, right?), then surely you’ve seen videos or read articles about people taking the “Ice Bucket Challenge”. But did you know what this new trend is all about? It’s about creating awareness for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease, a condition that can affect seniors.

The Ice Bucket Challenge is sponsored by alsa.org to spread awareness and raise funds in the fight against ALS. The idea is this: If you’re dared to take the challenge, you have 24 hours to dump a bucket of ice water over your head, or make a donation to an ALS charity. It’s a silly idea for a great cause. As of Tuesday, August 19, 2014, The ALS Association has received $22.9 million in donations compared to $1.9 million during the same time period last year (July 29 to August 19). These donations have come from existing donors and 453,210 new donors to The Association.

 

What is ALS?

ALS is a disease of the parts of the nervous system that control voluntary muscle movement. In ALS, motor neurons (nerve cells that control muscle cells) are gradually lost. As these motor neurons are lost, the muscles they control become weak then nonfunctional.

The word “amyotrophic” comes from Greek roots that mean “without nourishment to muscles” and refers to the loss of signals nerve cells normally send to muscle cells. “Lateral” means “to the side” and refers to the location of the damage in the spinal cord. “Sclerosis” means “hardened” and refers to the hardened nature of the spinal cord in advanced ALS. In the United States, ALS also is called Lou Gehrig’s disease, named after the Yankees baseball player who died of the condition in 1941.

 

Who gets ALS?

ALS usually strikes in late middle age (the late 50s is average) or later, although it also occurs in young adults and even in children, as well as in very elderly people. Some forms of ALS have their onset in youth. Men are slightly more likely to develop ALS than are women. Studies suggest an overall ratio of about 1.2 men to every woman who develops the disorder.

 

What are the symptoms of ALS?

At the onset of ALS, the symptoms may be so slight that they’re frequently overlooked. With regard to the appearance of symptoms and the progression of the illness, the course of the disease may include the following:

• Muscle weakness in one or more of the: hands, arms, legs or the muscles of speech, swallowing or breathing
• Twitching (fasciculation) and cramping of muscles, especially those in the hands and feet
• Impairment of the use of the arms and legs
• “Thick speech” and difficulty in projecting the voice
• In more advanced stages, shortness of breath, difficulty in breathing and swallowing

The initial symptoms of ALS can be quite varied in different people. One person may experience tripping over carpet edges, another person may have trouble lifting and a third person’s early symptom may be slurred speech.

 

About The ALS Association
The ALS Association is the only national non-profit organization fighting Lou Gehrig’s Disease on every front. By leading the way in global research, providing assistance for people with ALS through a nationwide network of chapters, coordinating multidisciplinary care through Certified Treatment Centers of Excellence, and fostering government partnerships, The Association builds hope and enhances quality of life while aggressively searching for new treatments and a cure. For more information about The ALS Association, visit alsa.org.

 

About Alternatives for Seniors

Alternatives for Seniors is a print and online directory that specifically caters to the housing and personal care concerns of senior citizens and their families since 1992. Call our Senior Specialists at (888) WE-ASSIST (888-932-7747) or visit the Alternatives for Seniors website to begin searching for the perfect home for you or your loved ones. Also, be sure to join our Facebook community and follow us on Twitter.

If you’re presently seeking a senior apartment, independent-living, assisted-living, or other continuing-care community for yourself or a senior loved one, don’t forget to visit alternativesforseniors.com to assist your search.

 

BLOG Date: Thursday, August 21, 2014
Writer: Ryan Allen