The Alzheimer's Action Plan

“Most of us will either get Alzheimer’s or care for a loved one who has"

The Alzheimer's Action Plan: The Experts' Guide to the Best Diagnosis and Treatment for Memory Problems

"This book is the most comprehensive and up-to-date guide for the diagnosis and management of Alzheimer's disease. Whether you are a health care professional or have Alzheimer's in your family or are simply interested to living to an old age, this book is a must read."
--Deepak Chopra, M.D., New York Times bestselling author of Perfect Health: The Complete Mind/Body Guide

Insight and Advice about Alzheimer's Disease
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"Memory does matter. Adults across the life cycle are asking questions, many questions! The authors answer these questions for the educated public, family members who encounter memory loss in a loved one, and even adults who believe they are experiencing early memory loss. The answers are comprehensive and understandable, no small accomplishment given the plethora of new information available—information that at times is not only confusing but also conflicting."
--Dan G. Blazer, M.D., Ph.D., former Dean of Medical Education, Duke University School of Medicine; past President of the American Geriatrics Society

"Dr. Doraiswamy has done a masterful job of communicating what the layman should know on the treatment, the care giving and, most important, the prevention of Alzheimer's. It was gratifying to learn about the mountain of evidence that what is good for your heart is also good for your brain."
--Arthur Agatston, M.D., cardiologist and #1 New York Times bestselling author of The South Beach Diet

"I love this book! A powerful and vital resource for people who need it the most. Dr. Doraiswamy is that unique blend of medical expertise mixed in with warmth and compassion topped off with humility that makes him rare and wonderful."
--Leeza Gibbons, Emmy award-winning TV host and founder of Leeza's Place and the Memory Foundation

"Lisa Gwyther is a national treasure. She has been a pioneer in providing innovative care and education for Alzheimer’s patients and their families for many years. Lisa’s long experience helping families cope with the challenges of memory loss and Alzheimer’s disease makes her uniquely qualified to co-author this book. Families experiencing the new world of memory loss and Alzheimer’s couldn’t ask for a better companion for the journey. Her warmth, compassion, and wisdom shine through, and will help light the way."
--Pat Lynch, Director of Communications, Alzheimer’s Center Program, National Institute on Aging

"Most of us will either get Alzheimer's or care for a loved one who has. This action plan can empower you to make a difference."
--Mehmet C. Oz, M.D., co-author of the #1 New York Times bestseller, You: The Owner’s Manual

"Five million Americans have Alzheimer disease, and an even larger number with mild to moderate memory loss are at high risk of developing this illness. Murali Doraiswamy, a leading clinical researcher in Alzheimer disease, and Lisa Gwyther, a founder of the Alzheimer Association, have co-authored this timely, state-of-the-art book directed at patients with Alzheimer disease, their informants, and their primary care physicians....I fully predict that this exceptionally well-written, reader-friendly book will become the standard resource for patients with Alzheimer disease and their loved ones. Its up-to-date information, patient-centered approach, and focus on prevention and treatment directed at patients with incipient Alzheimer disease distinguish it from The 36 Hour Day by Nancy Mace and Peter Rabins, which is directed at caregivers of patients with moderate to severe Alzheimer disease."
--JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association)

Bob DeMarco is an Alzheimer's caregiver and editor of the Alzheimer's Reading Room. The Alzheimer's Reading Room is the number one website on the Internet for advice and insight into Alzheimer's disease. Bob taught at the University of Georgia, was an executive at Bear Stearns, the CEO of IP Group, and is a mentor. He has written more than 700 articles with more than 18,000 links on the Internet. Bob resides in Delray Beach, FL.

More from the Alzheimer's Reading Room

• Test Your Memory (TYM) for Alzheimer's or Dementia in Five Minutes
• The Thyroid and Alzheimer's
• Are Alzheimer's Caregivers the Forgotten?
• Flavanol-rich Cocoa Consumption Improves Blood Flow to the Brain
  
• A Simple Three Minute Test Can Detect the Earliest Stage of Alzheimer's Disease
• Eli Lilly Launches Two Late Stage Clinical Trials for Alzheimer's (LY2062430)
• Dimebon Clinical Trial?
• Wii a Useful Tool for Alzheimer's Caregivers
• Five Ways to Keep Alzheimer's Away
• 2009 Alzheimer's Disease Facts and Figures
• The Mini-Cog Test for Alzheimer's and Dementia
• What is Dementia?
• A Real Solution to the Health Care Crisis
• 80 Percent of Medical Bills Contain Errors -- Fighting Mistakes

The Alzheimer's Action Plan: The Experts' Guide to the Best Diagnosis and Treatment for Memory Problems

Original content the Alzheimer's Reading Room

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My Mother the Dynamo

She lived on her own, paid her own bills, and took care of herself.......

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My mother at the age of 85 was a dynamo.

She lived on her own, paid her own bills, and took care of herself. She had been doing this for more than ten years since the death of my father. She was on her own.

My mother was often spotted walking to the pool in her community (most of the residents drive).

A tiny women the senior citizens all around her marveled. It seemed as if father time had forgotten about her. There was no limit to what she could do. Walk 20 blocks, no problem, you name it. Up at dawn and awake at midnight she was a real dynamo.

My mother was very funny, a real character. She made people laugh and smile. She read the paper and watched CNN, she had an opinion on everything and wanted to know your opinion.

My mother was a wonderful person: always welcoming people into her home. Everyone raved about her great Italian cooking. I remember as a kid that all of my friends really looked forward to staying over our house. Donuts, spaghetti and meatballs you name it. Ravioli anyone?

Me? I was there with my mother when my fathered "passed away'; this was when I really started thinking about her longevity, her health (she was 76). I was thinking about her for years knowing that someday she had to live with one of us (I have a brother and sister). As the years flew by I started to think about it more and more. In the meantime, she just kept going ang going without a health problem of any kind. She was the real energizer bunny.

At times, my brother, sister and I had discussions about putting my mother into some kind of "facility". To be honest, to be honest now, I knew I would never be able to do it. While I had only mentioned it to a few people, I had made a promise to my father not long before he died. I promised him no matter what, I would take care of his wife of 55 years, my mother, our love. Dorothy. It was not a promise I made haphazardly. I made up my mind about this while we were taking care of my dying father. It seemed as natural to me as breathing. I already knew in my mind and my heart, I was the one.

I knew the day would come. I just didn't know when. Or how.

And then, out of the clear blue sky, dementia struck....

Bob DeMarco is an Alzheimer's caregiver and editor of the Alzheimer's Reading Room. The Alzheimer's Reading Room is the number one website on the Internet for insight into Alzheimer's disease. Bob taught at the University of Georgia, was an executive at Bear Stearns, the CEO of IP Group, and is a mentor. He has written more than 600 articles with more than 11,000 links on the Internet. Bob resides in Delray Beach, FL.

From the Alzheimer's Reading Room

• Eli Lilly Launches Two Late Stage Clinical Trials for Alzheimer's (LY2062430)
• Dimebon Clinical Trial?
• Are Alzheimer's Caregivers the Forgotten?
• A Simple Three Minute Test Can Detect the Earliest Stage of Alzheimer's Disease
• Is it Really Alzheimer's or Something Else?
• Wii a Useful Tool for Alzheimer's Caregivers
• The Thyroid and Alzheimer's
• 2009 Alzheimer's Disease Facts and Figures
• What is Dementia
• Flavanol-rich Cocoa Consumption Improves Blood Flow to the Brain
  

Follow the Alzheimer's Front Row on Twitter

Why Didn't I Get It?

Be careful when you hear these words, "she is just getting old".

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I was talking to my sister one evening and she said to me, “You better call Mom she says she hasn’t talked to you in months.”

I laughed and said I talked to her two days ago. Later in the evening, I decided to call my mother. After she recognized my voice she said, “Well its about time you called.” When I said I just talked to you two days ago, she just shrugged it off and we began our usual conversation.

I really don’t know why I wasn’t more concerned at the time but to be honest I wasn’t. And neither was anyone else.

The typical comment I received from relatives and friends, “she sounds good to me.” I guess like most people, I just accepted the fact that she was getting old. Nobody saw a problem not even her friends who saw her on a daily basis.

Looking back there were plenty of signs.

For one thing, she was developing a very negative attitude. But, it seemed when I spent time with her -- a few days -- she would turn back into her normal self and start to have a more positive outlook on things.

Another sign occurred when she began to scrape her feet as she walked. I suppose I should have concluded something but I didn’t. Everyone said, "she is getting old".

We thought she was finally slowing down. I could go on and on.

Then Christmas came and I decided to take her shopping. To my surprise she could barely walk for five minutes without stopping. In fact, she was almost slumping over.

Out of the clear blue sky, or so it seemed, she just couldn’t walk any distance and it was struggle just getting her back to the car.

Clearly something was a-muck.

I took her to the doctor. Other than her high blood pressure, her heart was fine, and her overall blood work was good. Keep in mind we are talking about an 87 year old woman. A woman who had never had a major illness or operation her entire life. The closest she had come to any of that was when she had an operation on a bunion on her foot. The doctor told me, "she is getting older".

For some reason she was no longer able to walk comfortably. I began to notice how she was somewhat unsteady, how she began to reach out and hold on to things as she walked, and how she no longer had an interest in doing anything that required her to walk.

Two years earlier this woman, my mother, walked more than a mile round trip with me in New York to eat breakfast.

This is when my stomach started to bother me. My head was telling me, "she is getting old". My body was telling me a different story.

Bob DeMarco is an Alzheimer's caregiver and editor of the Alzheimer's Reading Room. The Alzheimer's Reading Room is the number one website on the Internet for insight into Alzheimer's disease. Bob taught at the University of Georgia, was an executive at Bear Stearns, the CEO of IP Group, and is a mentor. He has written more than 600 articles with more than 11,000 links on the Internet. Bob resides in Delray Beach, FL.

From the Alzheimer's Reading Room

• Eli Lilly Launches Two Late Stage Clinical Trials for Alzheimer's (LY2062430)
• Dimebon Clinical Trial?
• Are Alzheimer's Caregivers the Forgotten?
• A Simple Three Minute Test Can Detect the Earliest Stage of Alzheimer's Disease
• Is it Really Alzheimer's or Something Else?
• Wii a Useful Tool for Alzheimer's Caregivers
• The Thyroid and Alzheimer's
• 2009 Alzheimer's Disease Facts and Figures
• What is Dementia
• Flavanol-rich Cocoa Consumption Improves Blood Flow to the Brain
  

Follow the Alzheimer's Front Row on Twitter

Test Your Memory for Alzheimer's or Dementia in Five Minutes (TYM)

A new cognitive test for detecting Alzheimer's disease is quicker and more accurate than many current tests, and could help diagnose early Alzheimer's, dementia, or mild cognitive impairment.

Researchers at the Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge, England have developed a new test for Alzheimer's and dementia. Test Your Memory (TYM) is a short, on paper, test that can detect Alzheimer's disease at an early stage. The quiz takes about 5 minutes to administer.

The TYM is comprised of ten simple tasks including: the ability to copy a sentence, how items relate to each other, simple math, and the ability to recall.

In a clinical trial involving 679 people, the TYM detected 93 percent of people with Alzheimer's.

This compares with 52 percent for the Mini-Mental State Exam (MMSE). The MMSE is the test that doctors have been using for decades to detect mild cognitive impairment, dementia and Alzheimer's.

I will be updating this article several times, so check back. I also intend to try and talk to one of the researchers in England. For the time being, you can read more about the research below.

Go here for the Test Your Memory test.

Go here for the TYM Scoring Sheet.

Go here for the Mini-Mental State Exam (MMSE)

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Addenbrooke’s researchers develop Alzheimer’s test

A new cognitive test for detecting Alzheimer's disease is quicker and more accurate than many current tests, and could help diagnose early dementia, concludes a study published on bmj.com today.

An estimated 24 million people throughout the world have dementia and the number affected will double every 20 years. Early diagnosis is crucial to effective treatment, but there is no available short cognitive test that is quick to use, examines various skills, and is sensitive to Alzheimer's disease.

So researchers at Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge designed and evaluated a new cognitive test, the TYM ("test your memory"), in the detection of Alzheimer's disease.

The TYM is a series of 10 tasks including ability to copy a sentence, semantic knowledge, calculation, verbal fluency and recall ability. The ability to do the test is also scored. Each task carries a score with a maximum score of 50 points available. The test is designed to use minimal operator time and to be suitable for non-specialist use.

The test was completed by 540 healthy individuals (controls) aged 18 to 95 years of age with no history of neurological disease, memory problems or brain injury. A further 139 patients with diagnosed Alzheimer's or mild cognitive impairment were also tested.

The test was compared with two commonly used bedside cognitive tests – the mini-mental state examination and the Addenbrooke's cognitive examination.

The mini-mental state examination has been the standard short cognitive test for 30 years and is the main test chosen by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) for deciding which patients should receive drugs and for monitoring their response to treatment.

Controls completed the test in an average time of five minutes and gained an average score of 47 out of 50. Patients with Alzheimer's disease performed much poorer than controls with an average score of 33 out of 50. Patients with mild cognitive impairment scored an average of 45 out of 50.

The average TYM score remained constant between the ages of 18 and 70 years, with a small decline in performance after this age. Scores did not differ between men and women or by geographical background, suggesting that education and social class would have only mild effects on the TYM score.

The TYM detected 93% of patients with Alzheimer's disease, while the mini-mental state examination detected only 52% of patients, suggesting that the TYM test is a much more sensitive tool for detecting mild Alzheimer's disease. Compared to the mini-mental state examination, the TYM also takes less time to administer and tests a wider range of cognitive domains.

The Addenbrooke's cognitive examination tests a similar number of cognitive domains to the TYM and is sensitive to mild Alzheimer's disease, but it takes 20 minutes to administer and score.

The TYM is a powerful and valid screening test for the detection of Alzheimer's disease, conclude the authors.

The usefulness of screening tests varies according to the clinical setting, says consultant physician Claire Nicholl in an accompanying editorial.

If the test your memory test is to be adopted more widely it must be validated in a range of settings and different populations, she writes. Until then, the most important message is that clinicians should identify a test that suits their clinical setting, and develop experience in its use to improve the identification of patients with early dementia.

>Source: BMJ-British Medical Journal

Bob DeMarco is an Alzheimer's caregiver and editor of the Alzheimer's Reading Room. The Alzheimer's Reading Room is the number one website on the Internet for insight into Alzheimer's disease. Bob taught at the University of Georgia, was an executive at Bear Stearns, the CEO of IP Group, and is a mentor. He has written more than 600 articles with more than 11,000 links on the Internet. Bob resides in Delray Beach, FL.

More from the Alzheimer's Reading Room

• The Thyroid and Alzheimer's
• Flavanol-rich Cocoa Consumption Improves Blood Flow to the Brain
  
• A Simple Three Minute Test Can Detect the Earliest Stage of Alzheimer's Disease
• Eli Lilly Launches Two Late Stage Clinical Trials for Alzheimer's (LY2062430)
• Dimebon Clinical Trial?
• Are Alzheimer's Caregivers the Forgotten?
• Is it Really Alzheimer's or Something Else?
• Wii a Useful Tool for Alzheimer's Caregivers
• Five Ways to Keep Alzheimer's Away
• 2009 Alzheimer's Disease Facts and Figures
• The Mini-Cog Test for Alzheimer's and Dementia
• What is Dementia?
• 80 Percent of Medical Bills Contain Errors -- Fighting Mistakes

The 36-Hour Day: A Family Guide to Caring for People with Alzheimer Disease and Memory Loss in Later Life

Original content the Alzheimer's Reading Room

Follow the Alzheimer's Reading Room on Twitter

Maybe I Should Have Known it was Alzheimer's -- Tip # 1

Looking back, it all started long before anyone knew. The dementia.

Sometimes I wonder how my mother was able to drive herself to bingo at night, do the grocery shopping, and live a semblance of a normal life. All the time living under a dark cloud that not even she could recognize.

I now know the signs of dementia. What to look for. What you should be looking for as your parent, or grandparent, ages into their 80s. I didn't know back in 2003.

Maybe I should have known, when my mother ran her car over a concrete abutment, and scraped off the entire side of her car on a tree.

I was told the car was not that bad. Two days later and on the scene, I found out the car was totaled.

Nobody could figure out what happened. We assumed her foot slipped off the brake. Several people said to me -- she's getting old.

Fortunately, my little tiny five foot tall, 87 year old mother was just fine. At least that is what she and all the doctors told me. Relief.

While I accepted it at the time I just knew something was not right. This was the beginning for us.

Over the next several months as the evidence added up, I kept hearing these fatefully words -- she is getting old. This was the sum total of all the advice I received.

Looking back, I wish someone had said to me, "have you consider getting her memory checked", or a neurological examination.

I thought, erroneously, that her personal care physician would let us know if that was necessary. After she ran her car into the wall they assured us she was given every appropriate test and she was fine.

One out of every two people over the age of 85 suffers from some form of dementia, usually Alzheimer's disease.

I wish I had know that back then. If I had I would have taken immediate action.

Do you know anyone nearing or over the age of 85?

Tip #1 -- if you know someone over 80 consider getting them a simple memory check every one to two years.

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Bob DeMarco is an Alzheimer's caregiver and editor of the Alzheimer's Reading Room. The Alzheimer's Reading Room is the number one website on the Internet for insight into Alzheimer's disease. Bob taught at the University of Georgia, was an executive at Bear Stearns, the CEO of IP Group, and is a mentor. He has written more than 600 articles with more than 11,000 links on the Internet. Bob resides in Delray Beach, FL.

• The Thyroid and Alzheimer's
• Flavanol-rich Cocoa Consumption Improves Blood Flow to the Brain
  
• A Simple Three Minute Test Can Detect the Earliest Stage of Alzheimer's Disease
• Eli Lilly Launches Two Late Stage Clinical Trials for Alzheimer's (LY2062430)
• Dimebon Clinical Trial?
• Are Alzheimer's Caregivers the Forgotten?
• Is it Really Alzheimer's or Something Else?
• Wii a Useful Tool for Alzheimer's Caregivers
• Five Ways to Keep Alzheimer's Away
• 2009 Alzheimer's Disease Facts and Figures
• The Mini-Cog Test for Alzheimer's and Dementia
• What is Dementia?
• 80 Percent of Medical Bills Contain Errors -- Fighting Mistakes

I'm Hungry, I'm Starving

My mother utters those words at least 20 times each day.

This morning right after she finished eating her oatmeal, and with the bowl still in front of her, my mother said, "I'm hungry, I'm starving".

Back during that difficult, very trying, first year, my mother would eat constantly. It was driving me crazy.

It honestly made me feel crazy and disconcerted.

Then one lucky day in the gym, I mentioned to two complete strangers how this was making me nuts. They had already gone the full round trip with Alzheimer's.

As I vented, they stood there listening, smile on their faces, head nodding up and down yes, and listened to me vent.

When I finished, they told me about their very similar experience(s). They gave me a great deal of encouragement. Even though I never saw them again, I think of them often.

They changed my life.

It was later that day that the little light bulb in my head went on.

I realized -- I am not alone. There are millions of people, just like me, going through the same experiences, day in, day out. Millions all over the world.

I thought about the smiles on the faces of the two people I met in the gym. The encouragement and positive feedback they offered. Their kindness.

I decided, right then and right there, to learn as much as I could about Alzheimer's.

I decided that I would do everything possible to get control of the crazy situation I found myself living, day in, day out.

I decided that sooner or later, I would become a happy caregiver.

I made it.

The Alzheimer's Reading Room is all about changing the lives of Alzheimer's caregivers. For the better.

At the end of the day, I want each and every person that comes here to know -- they are not alone.

I want them to know that Alzheimer's is a sinister disease that will try to ruin their life. But, it doesn't have to be that way.

I want them to know, if it is up to me, that is not going to happen.

The collective brain of the Alzheimer's Reading Room is growing each and every day.

Each person that makes a comment, shares their words of wisdom, or offers advice on this website lets another Alzheimer's caregiver know -- they are not alone.

One by one, we help each other turn on the little light bulb in our head.

I'm happy to be a part of it.

Gotta go, "I'm hungry, I'm starving".

Original content the Alzheimer's Reading Room

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Bob DeMarco is an Alzheimer's caregiver and editor of the Alzheimer's Reading Room. The Alzheimer's Reading Room is the number one website on the Internet for insight into Alzheimer's disease. Bob taught at the University of Georgia, was an executive at Bear Stearns, the CEO of IP Group, and is a mentor. He has written more than 600 articles with more than 11,000 links on the Internet. Bob resides in Delray Beach, FL.

From the Alzheimer's Reading Room

• Eli Lilly Launches Two Late Stage Clinical Trials for Alzheimer's (LY2062430)
• Dimebon Clinical Trial?
• Are Alzheimer's Caregivers the Forgotten?
• A Simple Three Minute Test Can Detect the Earliest Stage of Alzheimer's Disease
• Is it Really Alzheimer's or Something Else?
• Wii a Useful Tool for Alzheimer's Caregivers
• The Thyroid and Alzheimer's
• 2009 Alzheimer's Disease Facts and Figures
• What is Dementia
• Flavanol-rich Cocoa Consumption Improves Blood Flow to the Brain
  

Follow the Alzheimer's Front Row on Twitter

Should Women Be Worried about Alzheimer's ?

Current statistical studies indicate that at age 80, there is a one in five chance of suffering from Alzheimer's disease (20 out of 100).

At age 85, the odds rise to one out of every two (50 out of 100). I call this the Alzheimer's danger zone.

It is well known that women live longer than men. But, I don't think it is well known that healthy women live much longer than healthy men, and live into the Alzheimer's danger zone.

Women who reach the age of fifty without suffering from cancer or heart disease can expect to live nearly ninety-two years (92).**

Men who live to age sixty-five without suffering from cancer or heart disease, can expect to live to eighty-one (81).