As Alzheimer's Worsens, Conversations About How To Die

Alzheimer's Front Row

In this installment of NPR's series Inside Alzheimer's, we hear from Greg O'Brien about his decision to forgo treatment for another life-threatening illness. A longtime journalist in Cape Cod, Mass., O'Brien was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's disease in 2009.

Excerpt - Spouses of Dementia Patients Pay a Heavy Toll

Alzheimer's Front Row

A study of spouses of dementia patients at Case Western Reserve University found that:

• Some caregivers may have feelings of guilt about participating in activities with friends or in the community when their loved ones are no longer able to do so
• Caregivers report feelings of sadness and loneliness
• 25 percent of caregivers in the study suffered from depression
• and, only 23 percent of those questioned did not feel burdened by the responsibilities of caring for their spouses.

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Spouses of Dementia Patients Pay a Heavy Toll

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