VIII.

ECOLOGIC MODEL

A. Hypothesis

The patient’s condition could be caused by variety of factors which have interrelationship to
one another. The factors that contribute to the occurrence of having Alzheimer’s disease are the host,
the agent and the environment. Among the three factors mentioned earlier, the host factors which
include the client’s age tremendously contribute in the occurrence and causation of the disease.

B. Predisposing Factors

Host

1. Age

-Alzheimer's usually affects people older than 65 and the average age at diagnosis is about 80.  Our
client is already 97 years old and studies shows that people 85 and older are most likely to suffer
alzheimer’s in about 50 percent.

2. Sex

- Alzheimer disease affects both men and women; however, studies found the risk of developing
Alzheimer disease to be significantly higher in women than in men, primarily due to the higher life
expectancy in women compared with men.

Agent

The cause of Alzheimer disease is unknown. Several investigators now believe that converging risk
factors, which include advancing age, lipoprotein E epsilon 4 genotype, obesity, insulin resistance,
vascular factors, dyslipidemia, hypertension, and inflammatory markers trigger a pathophysiologic
cascade that, over decades, leads to Alzheimer pathology and dementia.

Environment

Scientists have found aluminum, zinc, and other metals in the brain tissue of people with AD. They are
studying these metals to see if they cause AD or if they build up in the brain as a result of the disease.
Some studies shows that people exposed to these chemicals are highly at risk for developing Alzheimer’s
disease. On the other hand several studies also appeals that some chemicals such as aluminum does not
contribute in developing Alzheimer’s disease.
C. Ecologic Model

E
A

Analysis:

The figure illustrated above is an example of a lever model. We can see that the host
outweights the environment and the agent, this shows that the host aspects contributes more
to the occurrence of the disease specifically the age factor. Any imbalance between the factors
means that the illness has taken place.

D. Conclusion and Recommendations

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an age-related, irreversible brain disorder and caused mainly by increasing
age. Therefore, the focus of care is more on the treatment of signs and symptoms. Safety precautions
and measure should be enforced. Give patients individualized humanistic caring as well.