Help for the Caregiver of an Azlheimer’s Patient

Helpful Resources for Alzheimer’s Caregivers

Alzheimer’s disease is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States. An estimated 5.3 million Americans of all ages have Alzheimer’s disease in 2015, according to the 2015 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures report from Alzheimer’s Association, Of the 5.3 million Americans with Alzheimer’s, an estimated 5.1 million people are aged 65 and older. Learn more on the latest facts in this video from Alzheimer’s Association.

Resources for Alzheimer’s Care

Here are some helpful resources to help families caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease.

1) Alzheimer’s Association
The Alzheimer’s Association is the leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer care, support and research.

2) Alzheimer’s Disease Education and Referral Center (ADEAR)
The ADEAR Center is a service of the National Institute on Aging (NIA), one of the Federal Government’s National Institutes of Health and part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The ADEAR Center strives to be a current, comprehensive, unbiased source of information about Alzheimer’s disease.

3) Alzheimer’s Foundation of America
Alzheimer’s Foundation of America is a leading national nonprofit organization providing optimal care to individuals with dementia, and caregivers.

4) Fisher Center for Alzheimer’s Research Foundation
The Fisher Center is one of the largest and most modern scientific facilities in the world dedicated to solving the puzzle of Alzheimer’s disease.

5) ALZConnected
ALZConnected™, powered by the Alzheimer’s Association, is a new online social networking community designed specifically for people with Alzheimer’s disease and their caregivers.

6) Alzheimer’s Disease Research – BrightFocus Foundation
Alzheimer’s Disease Research (ADR) is a program of the BrightFocus Foundation to fund research and educate the public about Alzheimer’s Disease.

7) Alzheimers.gov
An official U.S. government website for Alzheimer’s and related dementias managed by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.

8) WebMD’s Alzheimer’s Disease Health Center
WebMD helps you sort through mental health counseling and support options if you or a loved one has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.

Alzheimer’s & Dementia Care

Hearing the news that a loved one has Alzheimer’s or Dementia can be unsettling, even scary. Most families are unprepared for this news and it can be a shock that leaves you feeling powerless. But we’ve found that families can feel empowered when they’re armed with the knowledge and resources they need to support their loved one.

How BrightStar Care Can Help

BrightStar Care® is your solution for professional care for early, middle, and late-stage dementia care. Our mission is to provide your loved one living with Alzheimer’s or Dementia the individualized care and support they need to:

Live with Dignity and Purpose safely and securely in their own home
Enjoy Optimal Health and emotional well-being
Maintain Connections to the people, places, things, and memories that matter most to them

We call this specialized approach “BrightStar Connections.”

BrightStar Connections is the Only In-Home Alzheimer’s & Dementia Care Program of its Kind, and truly is A Higher Standard of Memory Care.

Learn more about the BrightStar Care person-centered approach to Alzheimer’s and Dementia Care.

Partnering for Alzheimer’s Disease awareness

BrightStar is a proud partner of the Alzheimer’s Association’s Early Detection Alliance (AEDA). We are dedicated to promoting Alzheimer’s awareness, encouraging early detection and fighting for a cure.

We have joined forces with the Alzheimer’s Association to provide a number of helpful resources in hopes of making more possible – more knowledge, more security, more hope – for families facing this disease.

Resources

Alzheimer’s: Understanding What You’re Dealing With

What Is Alzheimer’s? Five Frequently Asked Questions

Alzheimer’s disease affects more than 47 million people worldwide, and that number continues to grow. Experts estimate 76 million people will suffer from the degenerative cognitive disease by 2030^{^[1]}. Recognizing the ever-pressing need for research, the Alzheimer’s Association has organized Alzheimer’s Awareness Month this June to bring attention to this fatal disease. To bolster their efforts, we’ve answered five frequently asked questions about the disease below. We’ll continue blogging all month about Alzheimer’s, so check back next week for more.

What causes Alzheimer’s?

More research is necessary to thoroughly understand the causes of Alzheimer’s. However, it’s generally accepted that the late-onset form of the disease (by far the most prevalent) develops slowly over decades based on a variety of genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors. Having a close relative with the disease increases a person’s chance of getting it, but by no means guarantees it.^{^[2]} As for environmental and lifestyle variables, increasing age is the most significant risk factor, but high blood pressure and diabetes can also play a role.^{^[3]}

What are the symptoms of Alzheimer’s?

Alzheimer’s is most commonly characterized by mental confusion and forgetfulness, but these symptoms also accompany normal aging. What’s the difference? The Alzheimer’s Association lists ten typical signs of Alzheimer’s, including memory loss that disrupts daily life, challenges in planning or solving problems, and difficulty completing familiar tasks^{^[4]} They also differentiate these symptoms from the milder signs of normal cognitive decline. For instance, while a normal older adult might occasionally struggle to balance their checkbook or forget an important name or date and then remember it later, these difficulties are more persistent for an Alzheimer’s sufferer.^{^[5]}

What’s the typical Alzheimer’s prognosis?

For people diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, the exact timeline, symptoms, and severity of their disease can vary.^{^[6]} However, the trajectory of the disease tends to flow through seven distinct phases, originally outlined by Dr. Barry Reisberg of New York University.^{^[7]} The arc generally begins with symptoms similar to those of normal aging,^{^[8]} proceeds through gradually worsening stages that can include difficulty with simple arithmetic and forgetting personal details,^{^[9]} and ends with severe decline typified by the inability to swallow.

Is there a cure for Alzheimer’s?

There’s no known cure for Alzheimer’s, only treatments that can ease symptoms.^{^[10]} The FDA has approved two types of medications (cholinesterase inhibitors, such as Aricept, Exelon, and Razadyne, and memantine, found in Namenda) that diminish mental confusion, memory loss, and other cognitive symptoms, but these do not reverse the underlying causes.^{^[11]} Likewise, many tout alternative supplements—gingko biloba and coenzyme Q10 among them—but no clinical trials have been done to confirm these. Thus, the need for more rigorous research is ever-pressing.

How can I prevent Alzheimer’s?

As with many degenerative illnesses, a healthy lifestyle, including regular exercise, balanced diet, and sound sleep habits, may help prevent Alzheimer’s. Perhaps most notable is the correlation between high blood pressure and high cholesterol and the incidence of the disease. Doctors recommend getting these numbers under control, not only for Alzheimer’s prevention but for general good health.