Although one in ten Americans over 65 and half of those over 80 has Alzheimer's, it's one of the most hidden, misunderstood diseases ever known. Because patients appear normal, few believe anything is wrong. Cognitive tests can't show the full extent of its devastation on victims and families-and it is a family disease-everyone is affected. It doesn't happen overnight, it sneaks in over years-decades; denial, blame and conflicts arise, few know what to do. What caused it? Will I get it? He keeps falling. He's violent Why isn't there a cure? The doctor doesn't understand. What's an MRI, MMSE? I feel so guilty. Not every anguished question has an answer, but many of them do, and learning how to best deal with much of it is found in this Revised Edition of "When the Doctor Says, 'Alzheimer's: ' Your Caregiver's Guide to Alzheimer's & Dementia." It's an indispensible book written by a hands-on caregiver with ten years of personal experience and endless research caring for her husband with Alzheimer's and contains some of the best first-hand advice you'll ever receive. Caring for someone with Alzheimer's is uniquely different from other medical conditions. In time, the patient is unable to help in his own care, even to follow such simple instructions as 'stand up' or 'sit down, ' creating a difficult situation for everyone. Perhaps you think when someone forgets, you just remind them; no one forgets their own children, how to eat, dress and use the bathroom But they do In this book, you'll learn things you need to know that will seem counterintuitive and require changes in your normal responses. You will come to understand the basics of the illness, why such bizarre things happen, and how to react to unexpected and on-going problems without making things worse.

"Alzheimer's & Dementia: Through the Looking Glass," explains in easy to understand nontechnical language the difference between Alzheimer's and dementia; discusses issues like driving, hallucinations, delusions, bathing, respite, feeding tubes, hospice, guilt, sexuality, genetics, aging, warning signs, placement or home care, diagnosis, hospice, finding help, emotions and more. Sixty-six columns, and more, from the highly regarded All About Alzheimer's feature written by the author and published monthly in Today's Senior Magazine are assembled here to help the family and caregiver through the demanding trials of living with someone who has Alzheimer's. Few things are as frustrating and maddening as Alzheimer's and caring for someone with the disease is uniquely different from other medical conditions. In time, the patient is unable to help in his own care, even to follow such simple instructions as 'stand up' or 'sit down, ' creating a difficult situation for everyone. Perhaps you think when someone forgets, you just remind them; no one forgets their own children, how to eat, dress and use the bathroom But they do In this book you will learn the difference between your forgetting a word and remembering it later and the Alzheimer's patient who forgets but cannot remember later because the memory is not just momentarily forgotten-it no longer exists If it does not exist, it cannot be recalled. You'll learn things you need to know that will seem counterintuitive and require changes in your normal responses. They are not always easy to use, but they can make life with this disease a bit easier for both the afflicted individuals and those who care for and love them. You will come to understand the basics of the illness, why such bizarre things happen, and how to react to unexpected and on-going problems without making things worse.

Alzheimer's is one of the world's most frustrating conditions, deceptively destructive, maddeningly complex, and one that outsiders rarely see. In relating the history of an ordinary family side-tracked by it, the author presents a literal textbook of myriad emotions, fears, and joy, confusion, sadness and humor, failure and triumph; as well as delving into Alzheimer's elusive medical and physical symptoms that mystify everyone. She brackets her poignant story with startling Alzheimer's statistics; warning signs of the disease; and a checklist of what needs to be done at the first suspicion of the illness. After ten years of caring for her husband, the author opines that any caregiver for an Alzheimer's patient must be able to labor like Hercules, have the patience of Job, the wisdom of Solomon, the lightness of a butterfly, the hide of a rhino, take the punishment of a marathoner, be as gentle as soap bubbles, remain forever vigilant, constantly alert, never sleep, dismiss one's own needs, eliminate everything and everyone else, and have faith that the sun will shine again. Other than that, she assures, there's not much to it.