OTHER TYPES OF DEMENTIA
Alzheimer’s is by no means the only form of dementia. Dementia refers to a whole category of conditions in which the brain is affected to such an extreme that the person loses basic cognitive skills such as thinking, remembering, and reasoning, and can no longer perform daily activities.
A doctor will rely on the results of all these different evaluations to determine whether you have Alzheimer’s, another form of dementia, or another condition that may causing your symptoms. If Alzheimer’s is the most likely reason for your signs and symptoms, the official diagnosis will be probable Alzheimer’s since a diagnosis cannot be confirmed until an autopsy is done. To help doctors make a diagnosis, the National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke and the Alzheimer’s Association have established certain criteria:
When you were younger and healthier, seeing a doctor once a year for a checkup was probably the most frequent contact you ever had with a healthcare professional, except for the occasional illness. Or maybe it was picking up a prescription from your local pharmacist. But if you think you or a loved one has Alzheimer’s, you will be seeing a lot more of the healthcare industry. And as you wrestle with the barrage of emotions that having Alzheimer’s Disease can cause, you may be asking the critical question: Who is going to take care of me?
Sometimes, a person may develop dementia as a result of another condition. By curing or at least partially treating the underlying condition, the signs and symptoms of dementia are often partially or completely reversed. Conditions that may cause reversible dementia include the following:
Anyone who cares for the needs of another person is a caregiver. The needs may be temporary, as in the case of a minor surgery, or permanently, as in the case of Alzheimer’s.
NURSE OR NURSE PRACTITIONER
While the doctor may handle most of the medical matters, a nurse can provide invaluable support for the day-to-day health concerns. So while it’s unlikely that you’ll actually choose a nurse, you do want to select a physician whose nursing staff meets your personal needs. The nurse should also be well versed in the care of Alzheimer’s patients, communicate well with you and your loved ones, and treat you with courtesy and respect.
Continue reading Alzheimer’s: Help of Nurse, Pharmacist and Social Worker
When your health is at stake, finding a competent doctor with the right credentials and training is critical to your treatment and well-being. You want someone who can accurately diagnose your condition and help you handle any problems that come up. Some¬one who is on top of the latest developments in the field of Alzheimer’s—which is under intensive research these days. The doctor you choose to spearhead your care is a critical player on your medical team. Other things you should consider in making your decision might include:
If you have a loved one who has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, and you’re reading this book to learn more about the condition, you are already beginning to assume a role in caregiving. Taking care of a person with Alzheimer’s Disease is unlike caring for someone with any other illness, and your roles and responsibilities will be many, including the selection of medical professionals to care for the person with Alzheimer’s.
If you or a loved one was just recently diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, you are no doubt feeling overwhelmed by the news. You may be struggling with some practical concerns that involve your safety and that of your loved ones. Perhaps you will have to give up driving or turn over the household finances to someone else. Maybe you’ve already had to stop working. Perhaps you can no longer pursue a beloved hobby such as traveling or cooking.
Continue reading Alzheimer’s: Managing the Challenges of Alzheimer’s Disease
Your initial instinct may be to hide your condition from the young people in your life. But the truth is, the impact of Alzheimer’s is far and wide, and can affect everyone in the family, even the youngest children. Exactly how it will affect the children in your life depends on several factors: whether they are your children or grandchildren; how close you are to them emotionally and physically before the illness; and whether they live in the same house, nearby in the same town, or in a faraway state.
Continue reading Alzheimer’s: How Do I Tell My Children And Grandchildren?