Resources

General Information

The Alzheimer's Association

Alzheimer's Disease Education and Referral Center   Includes research findings on new treatments.

Treatment Information

How to join clinical trials

Cholinesterase Inhibitors: Aricept and others

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS)

Antioxidants e.g. selegiline

Ampakines

Estrogen Information

Prevention

A variety of dietary and drug agents may have symtom-delaying effects. We think this area holds great promise, and current agents, taken together, can already make a worthwhile difference.

A vaccine may be on the way before very long.

Caretaker Information

Here is a good international site.

A wide variety of chat rooms, documentary film, and other support for caretakers can be found online.

Reaching Out to the Caregiver - A more extensive array of caregiver resources.

Eldercare locator 1-800-677-1116
In our experience, this number gives pleasant, immediate personal contact. They can refer callers to a wide variety of services.

An increasing number of studies (e.g. 10/15/03 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association) are indicating that combining environmental design, social stimulation, and independence enhancement with drugs will decrease anxiety and depression in Alzheimer's patients. Some of the leaders in this field (whose work is detailed in many volumes) are Barry Reisberg at NYU, John Zeisel in Massachusetts, and Marilyn Albert at Johns Hopkins. Early detection can allow more time for the development of a full treatment package.

Compassion and choices

Many of us have been influenced by the experiences of our family members who suffered extended futile treatment that drained the finances, time, and emotional reserve of other family members. Many of us have decided not to go through the latter stages of Alzheimer's. Recently, Dutch doctors approved a mentally competent Alzheimer's patient's request for assisted dying. The issue of competence to express one's wishes and receive help in this regard is just beginning to be faced in the United States. Although physician assisted dying (for mentally competent, terminally ill adults wht six months or less to live) is legal only in Oregon, organizations such as Compassion & Choices are at the forefront of the effort to respect and honor the pre-dementia wishes of Alzheimer's patients. They have many local affiliates that provide free, one-on-one client services, and where local affiliates are not available, they can provide assistance via their national toll free number, (800) 247-7421. We are most familiar with the dynamic and well-established Washington State affiliate, Compassion & Choices of Washington, people who really know what compassion means.

Go to top of page