In my last post, I reviewed Alzheimer’s Care with Dignity by Frank Fuerst. It’s a book that I believe should be at your fingertips. In this post and others to follow, I want to highlight some of the chapters that were especially interesting and helpful. One of the most important members of your team is your doctor and in this post, I highlight how to choose a doctor for Alzheimer’s disease patients. However, Fuerst quotes the Alzheimer’s Association in the June 2006 report to Congress:

When a person under age 65 goes to a doctor with symptoms of dementia, the doctor may not even think of dementia as a possibility or may not know how to diagnose it. As a result, getting an accurate diagnosis can be a long, difficult, and frustrating process.

For Fuerst, it took almost three years and he states:

If one suspects early onset dementia, one should choose a doctor who can distinguish between depression, menopause, and dementia. A neuro-psychiatrist may be more likely to recommend tests that will give a more accurate diagnosis. The best choice for most people is a doctor whom other doctors highly recommend.

What makes an ideal doctor? A Mayo Clinic study suggests the following:

1. Confident
2. Empathetic
3. Humane
4. Personal
5. Forthright
6. Respectful
7. Thorough

Are there any other traits you could recommend?

How is dementia different from Alzheimer’s disease? According to ezinearticles.com author Molly Shomer, she says that the term dementia seems to be preferred over Alzheimer’s disease possibly because of the less frightening connotation and that many are using the word interchangeably, but that is not correct. Dementia and Alzheimer’s are different.

Shomer says dementia is a symptom, just as pain is a symptom for something causing the pain. According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, memory loss by itself does not mean you have dementia. People with dementia have serious problems with two or more brain functions, such as memory and language. Many different diseases can cause dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease and stroke. Drugs are available to treat some of these diseases. For a list of other dementias from the Fischer Center for Alzheimer’s Foundation, click here.

So the actual cause of dementia could be one of a myriad of things where cognitive abilities have been impaired. With dementia, it could simply be a temporary thing if the cause is treated. On the other hand, Alzheimer’s is an actual disease and the disease causes dementia. Many different diseases can cause dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease and stroke. Drugs are available to treat some of these diseases.

What we know about Alzheimer’s disease today, according to the Alzheimer’s Association, is that:

1. Alzheimer’s is a progressive and fatal brain disease.
2. Alzheimer’s is the most common form of dementia.
3. Alzheimer’s has no current cure.

In our next post next week, we will specifically look at how Alzheimer’s disease is defined. In the meantime, challenge your brain to something new as was discussed here.