There's Still a Person in There: The Complete Guide to Treating and Coping with Alzheimer's

Alzheimer's disease strikes some 250,000 Americans annually, the editors maintain, and an estimated 2.4 million people care for the several million people who have the disease. What makes caring for someone with Alzheimer's particularly difficult is the transformation the victims undergo. As this book evidences through its case histories, people with Alzheimer's become almost unrecognizable: a quiet, shy person will suddenly shout in the middle of the street for hours at a time; a well-groomed woman will forget about showering and insist on wearing the same article of clothing for days at a time. Still, there is some cause for optimism, claim the authors (Castleman wrote Nature's Cures, Naythons is a physician and Gallagher-Thompson cared for her ailing mother). Diagnosis and treatment has changed over the past decade, so that with proper medication and a different approach by caregivers and health-care professionals, Alzheimer's sufferers can be made comfortable, which in turn helps their families. The case studies provide insights into the stages from diagnosis through progression of the disease. Practical information on new drug therapies, alternative treatments, tips on evaluating residential facilities as well as an appendix of other resources make this an indispensable guide for patients, caregivers and anyone who must deal with Alzheimer's disease. (Jan.)