About 60-80% of dementia cases are classified as Alzheimer’s disease. This common form of dementia is characterized by memory loss and the deficiency of intellectual abilities, which can impede a person from leading a normal life due to its aggressiveness.

Known as a progressive neurodegenerative disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is characterized by its impact on the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. The degeneration caused by ALS eventually causes the motor neurons that travel through the brain, spinal cord and muscles to die. This then leads to the loss of the brain’s ability to initiate and control muscle movement.

Parkinson’s disease is known to cause the slowing and halting of dopamine production in a person’s brain. As the dopamine supply decreases, a person will find it harder to control their body, movements and emotions.

Strokes generally occur when the natural blood flow to the brain stem stops as a result of an obstruction, or blood loss accompanied by swelling. This can often lead to a coma where a person becomes unresponsive to their environment.

On the surface, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease makes it difficult for a person to breathe correctly. Its nature usually means this progressive disease can worsen over time. This can lead to coughing accompanied by excessive mucus, wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, etc. It’s important to understand that smoking is commonly considered the leading cause of pulmonary disease.

When acute kidney injury/failure occurs, the kidney’s natural ability to both remove waste products and balance the minerals in the blood stops. This means waste products, electrolytes and fluids start to accumulate in the body.

These diseases are known to affect the brain, spine and the nerves that join them. Diseases such as brain tumors, epilepsy and Parkinson’s disease are just some of the 600 diseases that can plague the nervous system.

Viruses, alcohol use and, to some extent, obesity and genetics, are some of the factors that can lead to liver damage. This damage can then develop scarring (cirrhosis) in the liver which can then cause life-threatening liver failure.

HIV is characterized by the damage it can cause to CD4 cells (also known as T cells), which are an integral part of the immune system. The virus may be spread through body fluids and can, over time, destroy so many CD4 cells that the body can end up defenseless against infections or diseases. After this aggressive damage to the immune system and its cells occurs, HIV can give way to AIDS.

Heart disease is the term given to depict the problems that can arise as a result of atherosclerosis and the plaque buildup in the body’s artery walls. This buildup causes a decrease of blood flow due to the artery’s shrinking size. The lack of blood flow increases the threat of a heart attack or stroke.

Cancer, the unregulated increase of abnormal cells, arises when the control mechanisms in the body fail. The body’s old cells won’t die and new cells will continue to grow uncontrollably, which leads to the formation of new abnormal cells. The excessive amounts of abnormal cells can eventually form a tumor.

Patients with a non-specific terminal medical condition that cannot be attributed to a single specific illness qualify for hospice care. Symptoms of non-specific illnesses can include, but aren’t limited to, weight loss, progression of cognitive impairment and dysphagia with recurrent aspiration.