After the Alzheimer’s Diagnosis

Although many spouses and friends may suspect that something serious is wrong, the actual diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease can be devastating, both for the patient and for the family. About 4½ million US citizens have Alzheimer’s, and almost half of them are in the early stages. As we live longer and the treatment of many chronic diseases improves, more and more of us will develop dementia before we die. New tests carry the doubtful benefit of diagnosing Alzheimer’s in earlier stages than before, so that there’s more time to try treatments, and also more time to plan for the future.

To help in the early days after getting the diagnosis, there’s a new publication from the National Institute on Aging. It’s called “What Happens Next”, and you can download a PDF file, or order print copies online. It consists, very largely, of quotes from many people who’ve found themselves face with the diagnosis; how they reacted initially, how their activities were limited, keeping up their spirits, and finding ways to cope. Further examples cover how to tell family and friends about the disease, what to expect in the future, and patients’ experience with doctors. Finding out how other people react to the diagnosis will help newly- diagnosed patients realize that they are alone in their reactions, and may provide some useful answers to their individual problems (or where to go to find an answer).

The National Institute on Aging also has a website that is particularly senior-friendly; I can heartily recommend it, as well as the links it provides to other sources.