Unlocking the Myths of the Alzheimer’s Mind

According to the National Institute on Aging, more than 5 million Americans currently suffer from Alzheimer’s disease.

This irreversible and progressive brain disease is an increasingly frightening reality for many American elders. Late onset Alzheimer’s occurs after age 65; the early onset type, much more rare, occurs at a younger age. As the disease progresses, it slowly destroys memory and thinking skills, and eventually the ability to perform the basic tasks of daily life.

Unfortunately, this disease will have an increasingly significant impact on the population in the coming decades. The Alzheimer’s Association estimates that the incidence of Alzheimer’s will more than triple by 2050; affecting baby boomers and their parents more than any other illness in history! 

Other tragic statistic are that only half of those with Alzheimer’s are diagnosed in a timely fashion and even less receive the optimal medication plan of care defined by clinical guidelines. So what’s a Boomer to do?

Alzheimer’s medication research is targeting new pathways in the brain; In the meantime, it is crucial that baby boomers educate themselves about this disease and current treatment options.

I would like to “bust” a few myths that prevail about the disease:

1. It only affects memory; not other aspects of health.
2. It is caused by “old age,” so there is nothing we can do.
3. My parent can have “a touch of Alzheimer’s.”
4. We should postpone the medical visit for memory loss until a crisis occurs.
5.  I should ignore this problem to avoid upsetting my loved one.

1. So, what are the true facts about Alzheimer’s? It is the most common type of dementia. It affects not only memory, but the following, even in its earliest stages:
   1. Managing one’s financial affairs
   2. Scheduling of appointments
   3. Taking medication safely, without making mistakes
   4. Preparing meals
   5. Interpreting other drivers’ behaviors, visual cues, remembering rules and responding appropriately behind the wheel
   6. Communicating thoughts and  feelings
   7. Being sensitive and responsive to the needs of persons around them
   8. Retaining interest in previous hobbies, friendships and activities

1. All older persons do not become demented with Alzheimer’s! During my 30-year career, I have treated many persons over the age of 90 who are cognitively intact. However, the RISK of developing symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease increases significantly after the age of 75, with a dramatic increase after age 85. 
2. I don’t believe that there is such a thing as a “touch of Alzheimer’s.” It’s like being pregnant: either you are or you aren’t. I’ve heard this phrase recently from Boomers my own age when discussing their parents. Alzheimer’s disease is usually divided into three stages:  mild, moderate and severe. There is a pre- Alzheimer’s category called “mild cognitive impairment.” I think some of my boomer friends may be describing this stage when using the “touch of Alzheimer’s” description. “Mild cognitive impairment” (MCI) occurs when the family recognizes memory loss, but the persons’ daily functioning has not yet been affected by the memory loss. 
3. Atrophy or shrinkage of specific brain areas affected in the earliest phases of Alzheimer’s disease also occurs in “mild cognitive impairment”. So why would one want to delay diagnosis, when this brain pathology WILL progress? The social, emotional, functional and behavioral challenges will worsen. There are four medications approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that have potential to decrease the rate at which cognitive, functional and behavioral losses occur in this illness.
4. Working with family members struggling with dementia and Alzheimer’s diagnoses over three decades, I’ve seen family members attempt to conceal the “A-WORD/ALZHEIMER’S” from their loved one. The person experiencing early memory loss is keenly aware of their own struggle to remember, locate items, find words, and get through the day. A nurse colleague of mine, Pam Haismann, surveyed both persons with Alzheimer’s disease and their families. Her excellent book, Alzheimer's Disease: Caregivers Speak Out, is a plea for everyone to do a better job in providing information to persons and families attacked by the devastation of Alzheimer’s disease.

These are just a few of the basic myths that I see in my speaking engagements to family caregivers and health care professionals.  For more information, please refer to my white paper “Dangers of Denying Dementia” and its related safety checklist, “I SOAR to HELP.” Both are available without cost by clicking the two separate links on this webpage http://www.dementiaconnection.com/store

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