Understanding Alzheimer's Disease
In this section, we will help you identify the signs, symptoms, causes and risk factors of Alzheimer's disease. We'll also help you locate doctors who can diagnose Alzheimer's disease; give you insight into the types of questions to ask when choosing your doctor; and describe some of the diagnostic tests you should expect.
Alzheimer's Disease Resources
Many financial, medical and legal issues arise when you are responsible for a loved one's care. These may be new to you and can often be very confusing. In this section, we will provide you with information and resources that will help you make the right choices in insurance and financial planning, legal matters, and medical and end-of-life care.
Alzheimer's Disease Treatment
In this section, you will learn how Alzheimer's disease is treated. Because there is no cure, managing the disease usually involves medications to control symptoms, in combination with various non-drug strategies designed to ease the suffering of the person afflicted as well as his or her family and caregiver.
We'll tell you what medications might be used and what clinical trials are underway to improve drug treatment of Alzheimer's. We'll also describe the critical role of the caregiver, give you tips for communicating and actively engaging a person with the disease, explain how home modifications may impact Alzheimer's, and describe how diet, exercise and complementary health approaches fit into overall care.
Click the links below for more information on each topic, or select a question from the list.
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Alzheimer's Disease Research
This section covers: the primary areas of Alzheimer's research, the importance of continued efforts in research and what science is learning about environmental and risk factors.
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Alzheimer's Disease Continuing Care
Alzheimer's disease is a chronic illness; its course may range from a few years up to 20 years. Alzheimer's symptoms are progressive, which means that each stage of the illness will require different levels of care. Moreover, each person is affected differently at each stage. In final stages, the person with Alzheimer's requires complete care - 24 hours a day, seven days a week. No single person can manage all this care all the time.
Fortunately, there is help. A vast network of social, medical and continuing-care services is available to help the person with Alzheimer's - and their caregiver(s) - get the best care possible at each step along this difficult journey. The important thing is to be able to access and use this network to best advantage.
In this section, we will help you understand the range of services and programs that are available to help make this journey less difficult. You will find information on:
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