The Fraud of Alzheimers Disease : Lets tell a different story

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I think what your listeners need to look at are really changes that are affecting the quality of their life and their ability to function successfully. So, for example, their whole life they have very easily balanced their checkbook. And now suddenly it's not just they forgot to send in one payment, that is really a struggle for them.

A person who's been a very competent cook their whole life and now suddenly is looking at a recipe and gets confused with the measurements and what goes first and what goes second. Someone whose father every day has driven to the local grocery store, which is a mile away, and now suddenly is getting lost, either going there or coming back. We talked about misplacing your keys — it's one thing if you put them on a table in a different room and you forget, it's another thing if you find the keys are actually in the refrigerator.

Alzheimer's Disease: Improv Lets Patients Live in the Moment

So we're looking at behaviors that are really quite different. And on the memory question, it really would be a consistent and persistent inability to recall information. So that you and I are just speaking and I leave and 30 minutes later I have zero recollection that we ever spoke, and that doesn't come back — it's not something that comes back two or 10 hours later.

Those are all areas of concern. You can't self-diagnose this, really, so what we recommend is that you certainly go talk to your physician, your primary care physician, and then we're blessed here in Massachusetts, particularly, to have a number of some of the top diagnostic clinics actually in the nation.

So there's a number of experts that people can go to if they want to get further diagnosed. Let me ask about a diagnosis that many elderly people receive and that is for dementia. What's the difference between dementia and Alzheimer's? Well dementia really is a description of a set of symptoms, some of which I was just talking about. So we might say that the flu has a set of symptoms including coughing and fever and stuffy nose. So dementia is really a set of symptoms.

Alzheimer's is overwhelmingly the dominant cause of a set of symptoms that we call dementia, but it's not the only one. That is also another reason that it's very important to get a diagnostic evaluation, because some causes of dementia are actually reversible. So, for example, depression — which is highly treatable but untreated the symptomatology can look a lot like dementia and Alzheimer's disease — alcoholism, some vitamin deficiencies.

Other causes of dementia are small strokes, other sort of cardiovascular set of symptoms will also cause dementia. So it's important to understand the causes of those symptoms to see: Let me ask a question about the prevention of Alzheimer's: Generally we've heard what's good for the heart is good for the brain, like exercise, and there was a recent study that suggested there are things we can do. Is there proof that anything actually works, though, and what should we be doing or what could we be doing?

The simple answer is, we don't have definitive proof of really anything at this point that will prevent Alzheimer's disease.

Dementia vs. Alzheimer’s: Which Is It?

The areas that you just mentioned — what is good for you heart is good for your brain, particularly a heart-healthy diet and exercise — there are enough studies now, and there's a lot more work being done on this and certainly the Alzheimer's Association is involved in supporting some of this research, that talks about reducing risk factors, and that is different than an absolute prevention.

So enough studies are telling us that a lifestyle of regular exercise, and we're not talking about a world-class marathon training regimen here, but regular exercise and also what we would consider a heart healthy diet, seem to show on large population studies, large epidemiological studies, to reduce the risk factors associated with Alzheimer's disease. They obviously have all kinds of other benefits, including for heart disease and cancer and other very serious illnesses, so it seems like a slam dunk that if you do not follow those, those lifestyle changes should be implemented. Let's talk about some other figures.

There are just over 5 million Americans right now, as I understand the numbers, who have the disease. With the first of the baby boomers turning 65, the elderly population is just about ready to boom. What are we expecting in terms of numbers for Alzheimer's in coming years? We are projecting that 10 million baby boomers will develop Alzheimer's disease unless we can bring effective treatments to market and that's just frightening. Right now, every 69 seconds, someone in America develops Alzheimer's disease, and that number will decrease by 50 percent over the next 40 years.

So it's very possible we could go from, as you said, a little over 5 million Americans to upwards to 15 or 16 million Americans. We count about two to three family caregivers that are also directly involved with this disease So you're saying beyond those who directly suffer from the disease or will suffer from the disease, many, many, many millions more will be affected? If we're looking at 15 million Americans by the middle part of this century, we're talking about 30 to 50 million people total — just in this country alone, and obviously Alzheimer's is not just in the United States — affected by this disease.

Families are so impacted by this disease, the spouse, whether it's young children with someone with younger onset, or adult children who have their own kids that they're taking care of and then an elderly parent who has Alzheimer's disease. It's an incredibly resource-intensive process to be an effective caregiver for someone with Alzheimer's. We have what some call now the "aging of the aged," in that the number of people living to be over 85 is also skyrocketing. What are the implications of that?

Well it's an irony because as we have become better at treating a number of illnesses and diseases, the population is living longer. One of the reasons we didn't see Alzheimer's disease so much in, let's say, the early part of the s, because people were probably average lifespan was around 50 years old.

So most people were not living up to the age of the greatest risk for this disease. So as people are living longer — and we're very thankful that we're making progress, have made wonderful progress, in other major chronic and acute health care issues affecting people today — more and more people are living to the age of greatest risk for Alzheimer's disease. We believe Alzheimer's disease is really the critical health issue of the 21st century. We need to figure this disease out. Since Alzheimer's disease patients need round-the-clock care as the disease progresses, who is going to care for these people?

Will there be a shortage of caregivers beyond the family members we talked about earlier? We barely have enough resources today in terms of both, as you were saying, professional caregivers and even family caregivers. I know you asked about professional but with the baby boom generation and a smaller population set following behind that, what has traditionally been the role of the adult children, there's going to be a much greater strain on that population group with a larger cohort of baby boomers who have Alzheimer's disease.

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How to understand the difference — and why it matters

Write a customer review. There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later. Excellent book, although there have been advances in the last 13 years. Unfortunately in the meantime Alzheimer's is now the leading cause of death in the US. Will buy the updated book if ever available Does not invalidate this valuable reference for individuals or families, in what to expect for those already diagnosed with Alzheimer's, and includes possible prevention regimens.

One person found this helpful. I'm trained as a counselor specializing in elder care, so I read a lot of books about different mental and physical problems that effect older people. This book is one of the best for its positive approach, concrete, simple suggestions and thorough treatment of the subject of this disease doctors still don't really understand.

Recently I ordered a copy for my aunt who suffers from Alzheimer's Disease. Since she lives alone, she doesn't remember receiving the copy or where it is. So, thanks to Amazon and the ease of ordering, I ordered her two more copies! She's looking forward to receiving one at least. I think this book is now out of print as I've been ordering used copies. The only thing about this book that needs updating might be the medications now being used or the newest research. Otherwise, this book is the best for the person who suffers from this disease and all of the effected care givers.

OK - don't quite believe her merits as non insurance accepting doctor. Might be great on Park Ave.

I originally took this book out of the library but quickly decided that it was one I wanted to own. The book is honest and informative and I was even blessed enough to get an e-mail answer from the author when I had a question. As much as I pray for a cure, this guide has proved very helpful to me. I find the information herein very insightful. This is a very practical book and gives HOPE. While it is a bit dated--written in , it still is full of great ideas.

It offers great alternative approaches as well and is written by a doctor with a heart. One person found this helpful 2 people found this helpful. I have been a caretaker for my spouse who has had dementia for 3 years. I have read many books and this is definitely the best. It is clearly written. It does not scream directions and diagnosis at you from but has a practical and compassionate tone that allows me to read without becoming stressed. It gives symptoms that I have seen first hand but hadn't read about in any other source.

I highly recommend this book. See all 9 reviews. Most recent customer reviews. Published on September 12, Amazon Giveaway allows you to run promotional giveaways in order to create buzz, reward your audience, and attract new followers and customers. Learn more about Amazon Giveaway. Set up a giveaway. Customers who bought this item also bought. There's a problem loading this menu right now. Get fast, free shipping with Amazon Prime.

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