Dementia

Alzheimer's early stages: first steps in caring and treatment
Kuhn D, Bennett DA. Hunter House, 1999

The first part of this important book offers a comparison of the normal aging pattern of the brain and what happens in Alzheimer's disease. It explains the difficulties of diagnosis, risk factors for developing the disease, treatments, and guidelines for prevention. The second part is devoted to practical ways that families can help the patient, including adapting to changing relationships, establishing new ways of communicating and decision making, and planning for the future. The last part offers advice about self-care for family members and helpers, from joining a support group to exploring spiritual resources.

Alzheimer's: answers to hard questions for families
Lindemann Nelson J, Lindemann Nelson H. Main Street Books, 1997

A guide through the difficult moral and ethical problems any family dealing with Alzheimer's disease will have to face; it provides an invaluable step-by-step guide to caring for an afflicted loved one. The authors create hypothetical scenes that demonstrate some of the most common situations caregivers have to face.

Alzheimer's at your fingertips
Cayton H, Graham N, Warner J. Class Publishing, 1997

Clear and helpful answers to all your questions about Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia.