A definitive and compelling book on one of today's most prevalent illnesses. In 2020, an estimated 5.8 million Americans had Alzheimer’s, and more than half a million died because of the disease and its devastating complications. 16 million caregivers are responsible for paying as much as half of the $226 billion annual costs of their care. As more people live beyond their seventies and eighties, the number of patients will rise to an estimated 13.8 million by 2050. Part case studies, part meditation on the past, present and future of the disease, The Problem of Alzheimer's traces Alzheimer’s from its beginnings to its recognition as a crisis. While it is an unambiguous account of decades of missed opportunities and our health care systems’ failures to take action, it tells the story of the biomedical breakthroughs that may allow Alzheimer’s to finally be prevented and treated by medicine and also presents an argument for how we can live with dementia: the ways patients can reclaim their autonomy and redefine their sense of self, how families can support their loved ones, and the innovative reforms we can make as a society that would give caregivers and patients better quality of life. Rich in science, history, and characters, The Problem of Alzheimer's takes us inside laboratories, patients' homes, caregivers’ support groups, progressive care communities, and Jason Karlawish's own practice at the Penn Memory Center.
Alzheimer's disease is a primary neurodegenerative disease whose incidence and prevalence is rapidly approaching epidemic proportions. A major reason for this is that man is living longer than he has ever lived before and the likelihood of contracting the disease is significantly greater within the elderly portion of the population. The problem becomes even more acute in the light of recent estimates which predict that the number of people living beyond the age of 65 is expected to continue to increase. The impact of these statistics on the family and the health care industry in terms of time, effort and cost are staggering. A recent report issued by the Michigan Task Force on Alzheimer's Disease and Related Conditions (1987) effectively underscores this last point. "Each person with a dementing disease requires an average of seven years of care, either at home or in a residential care facility. Care provided at home is estimated to cost about $12,000 annually, for a total of $84,000 per person. This is a conservative figure, however, because many persons with dementia spend their last few years in a nursing home at an average 'cost of $22,000 per year, and some spend from 10 to 15 years in a nursing home, for a total cost of $220,000 to $330,000.
The Alzheimer's Workbook is an in-depth, easy to use guide to help caregivers track, document and understand the behaviors of a loved one with Alzheimer's Disease and other dementia disorders. * Helps caregivers track the Alzheimer's person through the 3 stages of the disease. * Space for notes to chronicle the progression of the disease. * Hundreds of practical, common sense problem solving suggestions to ease the stress of both caregivers and the person with Alzheimer's. The Alzheimer's Workbook was written by Elizabeth Cochran, a home health nurse and case manager with a Masters Degree in Health Education who cared for her mother-in-law for four years in her home.
A Look Inside Alzheimer's is a captivating read for friends, families and loved ones affected by this mind-robbing disease. Individuals with early-stage Alzheimer's disease will take comfort in the voice of a fellow traveler experiencing similar challenges, frustrations, and triumphs. Family and professional caregivers will be enlightened by this book and gain a better understanding of this unfathomable world and how best to care for someone living in it. Susan and PJ, share their accounts of their own transformation and deterioration with early-onset Alzheimer's Disease and Marjorie shares her perspective as the wife of a person living with Alzheimer's Disease. The book addresses the complexity and emotions surrounding issues such as the loss of independence, unwanted personality shifts, struggle to communicate, and more. The three life-stories intertwined along with boxed quotes from professionals in the field make this book special. "
Your needs as a caregiver are just as important as those your family member with Alzheimer's Disease or dementia. This book will provide just the insight and guidance you need. Caregiving for a loved one with Alzheimer's disease or dementia is hard. It's hard whether you're caring for your spouse, parent, grandparent, sibling, other family member, or friend. Even if you had an extra ten hours each day to do it, it's hard to manage all the problems that come with dementia. And caring for a loved one with dementia can sometimes feel like a long, lonely journey. Six Steps to Managing Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia can help, addressing concerns such as: · Is the problem Alzheimer's, dementia, or something else? · How do you approach problems in dementia? · How do you manage problems with memory, language, and vision? · How do you cope with emotional and behavioral problems? · What are the best ways to manage troubles with sleep and incontinence? · Which medications can help? · Which medications can actually make things worse? · How do you build your care team? · Why is it important to care for yourself? · How do you sustain your relationship with your loved one? · How do you plan for the progression of dementia? · How do you plan for the end and beyond? Six Steps to Managing Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia is comprehensive yet written in an easy-to-read style, featuring clinical vignettes and character-based stories that provide real-life examples of how to successfully manage Alzheimer's disease and dementia.
As some people age, their brain begins to deteriorate, causing loss of memory and other problems. Researchers are still unsure of the exact causes of Alzheimer's disease, but they believe lifestyle and genetics play a role. Through informative sidebars and enlightening infographics, which supplement the relatable text, readers learn about what Alzheimer's is and how to support a loved one who has been diagnosed. They also learn what is being done to work toward a cure for this disease.
An essential guide for everyone who provides care for a person with Alzheimer's disease or other dementias Practical. Easy to read. Comprehensive. Encouraging. Accurate. All of these words describe this indispensable book that belongs in the hands of all family members and other caretakers of people who have been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease or other dementias. Dr. Eric Pfeiffer, a physician who has devoted thirty years to patients suffering from all forms of dementia, here distills the wisdom of those years for the benefit of caregivers confronting some of life's most challenging days. Dr. Pfeiffer's genuine compassion and wise advice are certain not only to reduce caregiver stress but also to improve the patient's quality of life. In these pages are specific tips for all stages of caregiving, from the initial realization of the problem through mild, moderate, and severe stages of dementia, and even beyond, when a caregiver begins to resume a full life after the patient's death. Dr. Pfeiffer identifies specific problems and provides practical solutions. He explains the importance of support groups and many other means of dealing with stressful days. For experienced caregivers and those new to the challenges, this book will be a profoundly useful guide to coping successfully.
My Ladybugs Alzheimers Journey is about the disease that seemed too far removed to imagine it affecting the most important person in my life, my mother. My assumptions changed drastically when Alzheimer took over my mothers existence in all phases of her life. My hope for help from the medical profession hit rock bottom when they informed me, There is no cure for the disease. It was even more agonizing when I watched my mother mysteriously drifting away from me, disappearing into a world of disorientation and delirium. I became a stranger to my own mother. Near the end, there was a paradoxical shift when I became the mother and my mother became my child. My Ladybugs Alzheimers Journey chronicles the grueling challenges in the relationship between a mother and daughter that revolved within complex behaviors and grief of losing a living mother to a life destroyed by Alzheimers Disease. Hopefully readers will join the journey where loved ones can walk together and reach a goal of empathy and understanding. Ultimately, the final aim is to help family members find ways of coping with the many faces of this life damaging disease; Alzheimer.
