LIVING WITH ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE: INTRODUCTION
Alzheimer’s disease is an illness that will affect the lives of many of us, directly or indirectly, in the coming years, and this book has been written to provide support, guidance, and information on the subject. It is intended mainly for relatives who find themselves having to look after someone who is suffering from a dementing illness, but it also contains much information that should be of assistance to professional carers and those working with voluntary organizations. It should help people make the most of the resources available and improve as much as possible the quality of life of a person suffering from Alzheimer’s disease or a similar disorder.
The background to Alzheimer’s disease and the other illnesses that cause dementia forms the subject of some of the earlier chapters. Much of the hope for the future is invested in the enormous amount of research that is being undertaken all over the world to help develop new and more effective approaches to treatment and ultimately to identify the causes, so that one day we may be in a position to prevent people contracting this terrible illness. Some of the more important research is described here. The greater part of the book explains the ways in which a person’s illness affects him or her and also those who are in a caring role. There is practical advice on how to cope with the physical and psychological problems that occur in those suffering from a dementing illness, and also advice for carers about the problems that may well affect them too.
In addition to being involved in treating people with dementia in my day to day work and offering advice to carers, I have been privileged to gain a much wider insight into the problems from my experience in the voluntary sector — particularly the Alzheimer’s Disease Society, which I helped to found in 1979. Much of what is written in this book is based upon discussions I have had with sufferers and those caring for them. It also draws upon the advice that has been given by countless relatives, friends, and professional carers on coping with the problems they have encountered.
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