Your sensitive, authoritative guide to Alzheimer's and dementia If a loved one has recently been diagnosed with dementia or Alzheimer's disease, it's only natural to feel fraught with fear and uncertainty about what lies ahead. Fortunately, you don't have to do it alone. This friendly and authoritative guide is here to help you make smart, informed choices throughout the different scenarios you'll encounter as a person caring for someone diagnosed with dementia or Alzheimer's disease. From making sense of a diagnosis to the best ways to cope with symptoms, Alzheimer's and Dementia For Dummies is the trusted companion you can count on as you navigate your way through this difficult landscape. Affecting one's memory, thinking, and behavior, dementia and Alzheimer's disease can't be prevented, cured, or slowed—but a diagnosis doesn't mean you have to be left helpless! Inside, you'll find out how to make sense of the symptoms of dementia and Alzheimer's disease, understand the stages of the illnesses, and, most importantly, keep your loved one safe and comfortable—no matter how severe their symptoms are. Find out what to expect from Alzheimer's and dementia Discover what to keep in mind while caring for someone with Alzheimer's or dementia Uncover symptoms, causes, and risk factors of Alzheimer's and dementia Learn the critical information needed to help manage these illnesses Whether you're new to caring for a person affected by Alzheimer's or dementia or just looking for some answers and relief on your journey, this is the trusted resource you'll turn to again and again.

Your sensitive, authoritative guide to Alzheimer's and dementia If a loved one has recently been diagnosed with dementia or Alzheimer's disease, it's only natural to feel fraught with fear and uncertainty about what lies ahead. Fortunately, you don't have to do it alone. This friendly and authoritative guide is here to help you make smart, informed choices throughout the different scenarios you'll encounter as a person caring for someone diagnosed with dementia or Alzheimer's disease. From making sense of a diagnosis to the best ways to cope with symptoms, Alzheimer's and Dementia For Dummies is the trusted companion you can count on as you navigate your way through this difficult landscape. Affecting one's memory, thinking, and behavior, dementia and Alzheimer's disease can't be prevented, cured, or slowed—but a diagnosis doesn't mean you have to be left helpless! Inside, you'll find out how to make sense of the symptoms of dementia and Alzheimer's disease, understand the stages of the illnesses, and, most importantly, keep your loved one safe and comfortable—no matter how severe their symptoms are. Find out what to expect from Alzheimer's and dementia Discover what to keep in mind while caring for someone with Alzheimer's or dementia Uncover symptoms, causes, and risk factors of Alzheimer's and dementia Learn the critical information needed to help manage these illnesses Whether you're new to caring for a person affected by Alzheimer's or dementia or just looking for some answers and relief on your journey, this is the trusted resource you'll turn to again and again.

The 36-Hour Day is the definitive dementia care guide.

An estimated 4 million people are living with Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) in America today, with approximately 370,000 new cases diagnosed every year. AD patients live anywhere from 5 to 20 years after their diagnosis; and their inability to care for themselves grows more dramatic as the disease progresses, creating profound implications for their families and healthcare providers. Its impact on families during the caregiving years is overwhelming. If you have a family member or close friend who’s suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease and you’re looking for current, useful information, then Alzheimer’s For Dummies is for you. This reference guide also is helpful if you Need to know more about its diagnosis and treatment Want to take care of yourself while taking care of your loved one Are not the primary caregiver but want to know how to help Want to know how Alzheimer’s Disease is going to affect you and your loved one Alzheimer’s For Dummies takes a realistic look at Alzheimer’s Disease, what it is and what it isn’t. It offers pertinent, easy-to-understand advice for dealing with the myriad concerns and responsibilities that a primary caregiver must assume when managing an Alzheimer’s patient. Here’s a sampling of the information you’ll find in this valuable guide: Maneuvering through medical, legal, and financial tangles Distinguishing AD from other brain diseases and medical conditions Handling the fears that may accompany the diagnosis Evaluating current drug therapies; watching out for scams and quack treatments Finding the best doctors; dealing with attorneys and CPAs Looking at Medicare regulations Evaluating the cost of care The current state of research, diagnosis, and treatment Television personality Leeza Gibbons, whose mother was stricken with AD, writes in the foreword of this book, “There is no upside to keeping your head in the sand. This book is a crucial step in your new fight. Arm yourself with the knowledge waiting for you in these pages. It will help you find answers and resources as you adjust to your new reality.”

The result is a guide that integrates the practicalities of caregiving with the human emotions that accompany it.

Although the public most often associates dementia with Alzheimer’s disease, the medical profession continues to advance distinctions of various types of “other” dementias. What If It’s Not Alzheimer’s? is the first and remains the only comprehensive guide dealing with frontotemporal degeneration (FTD), the most common form of dementia for people under 60 years of age. The contributors are either specialists in their fields or have exceptional hands-on experience with FTD sufferers. Beginning with a focus on the medical facts, the first part defines and explores FTD as an illness distinct from Alzheimer's disease. Also considered are clinical and medical care issues and practices, as well as such topics as finding a medical team, palliative approaches to managing care and rehabilitation interventions. The next section on managing care examines the daily care routine including exercise, socialization, adapting the home environment, and behavioral issues along with end-of-life concerns. In the following section on caregiver resources, the contributors identify professional and government assistance programs along with private and community resources and legal options. The final section focuses on the caregiver, in particular the need for respite, holistic health practices and the challenge of managing emotions. This new, completely revised edition continues to follow worldwide collaboration in research and provides the most current medical information available including understanding of the different classifications of FTD, and more clarity regarding the role of genetics. Additionally, essays written by people living with the disease provide moving, first-hand experiences. The wealth of information offered in these pages will help both healthcare professionals and caregivers of someone suffering from frontotemporal degeneration.

The Common Sense Guide to Dementia for Clinicians and Caregivers provides an easy-to-read, practical, and thoughtful approach to dementia care. Written by two specialists who have cared for thousands of patients with dementia and their families, this ground-breaking title unifies the perspectives of neurology and psychiatry to meet a variety of caregiver needs. It spotlights many real-world concerns not typically covered in standard textbooks, while simultaneously presenting a more detailed medical perspective than typical caregiver manuals. This handy title offers expert guidance for the clinical management of dementia and compassionate support of patients and families. Designed to enhance the physician-caregiver interaction and liberally illustrated with case examples, The Common Sense Guide espouses general principles of dementia care that apply across the stages and spectrum of this illness, including non-Alzheimer's types of dementia, in addition to Alzheimer's disease. Clinicians, family members, and other caregivers will find this volume useful from the moment that symptoms of dementia emerge. The authors place an emphasis on caring for the caregiver as well as the patient. Essential topics include how to find the right clinician, make the most of a doctor's visit, and avert a crisis - or manage one that can't be avoided. Sometimes difficult considerations, such as driving, financial management, legal matters, long-term placement, and end-of-life care, are faced head-on. Tried, true, and time-saving tips are explained in terms of what works - and what doesn't - with regard to clinical evaluation, medications, behavioral measures, and alternate therapies. Medical, nursing, and allied health care professionals will undoubtedly turn to this unique overview as a vital resource and mainstay of clinical dementia care, as well as a valuable recommendation for family caregivers.