Alzheimer's Early Stages: First Steps for Family, Friends and Caregivers, 2nd edition

"Where did I leave my keys?"
"It's on the tip of my tongue."
"How could I forget to pay that bill or make that appointment? "

We all have "senior moments" that we brush off; perhaps we were too busy or stressed about other things. Forgetting is a normal part of life but sometimes we pause and shiver with dread: does that forgetfulness signal the beginning of the descent into the abyss of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer's Disease (AD).

If you or a family member has recently received such a diagnosis, Alzheimer's Early Stages can help prepare you and your family for the changes that this disease brings. Kuhn deals with what AD is, how to deal with and care for an AD patient and how to take good care of yourself. Kuhn's show more suggestions range from the basic "think positive, try not to feel overwhelmed, maintain a good diet, exercise and socialize" to the equally important "keep guns and power tools away from someone with AD". He covers when it might be necessary to stop driving, finances, changing roles and responsibilities and avoiding caretaker burnout. Insights are included from people who have AD and from their caretakers. Kuhn refers the reader to many helpful websites and organizations as well as listing other resources and state by state research centers.

While this book is helpful and necessary it is also very depressing. Kuhn reminds us that there is no effective treatment for AD, no recovery or cure. Currently there are only four medications available and they do not work at all for fifty percent of patients. The other half derive limited benefit which lasts a year or less. There are no new treatments on the horizon so the immediate outlook is bleak. Add to that the fact that Medicare and most private insurance don't cover long-term care for chronic conditions like AD. This becomes a crushing burden for the family who is already coping with grief as they watch someone they love slip away. Kuhn ends with a plea for increased funding for research. We are already spending more than $200 billion annually for health care and the number of baby-boomers who will succumb to this disease requiring even more time and expenditures is bound to soar. show less

An excellent first source for persons facing an Alzheimer's diagnosis themselves, or for family and friends of those with the disease. While Kuhn candidly admits that not much progress has been made on the medical front within the past dozen years, he does not come across as a harbinger of doom. Rather he stresses the positive choices that can be made and the quality of life issues that depend not upon medications, but rather upon attitude of those around the person facing the disease. Alzheimer's is not a one-size-fits-all diagnosis and many persons maintain a relatively high quality of life for years before facing the issues that come with late-stage Alzheimer's. All in all a hopeful and positive book that nonetheless doesn't sugar show more coat the very real issues that families face. I took away the all-important realization that a person with Alzheimer's is first and foremost a person - not a diagnosis nor a disease. A valuable section on additional resources is included at the back of the book. show less

This is a book I wish I had when my father died of Alzheimer's 15 years ago. My mother, brothers and I were "driving blind," as even his doctor did not have many resources for us. Kuhn's well-written book describes in detail the many clues a family, or the patient himself, may detect in the beginning stages of Alzheimer's. Many first-hand accounts from patients and families may give "aha" moments as others recognize the symptoms. The book includes lots of advice for managing the disease, including information on current drug treatments, community resources, help for the caregivers and print, video and web resources.

This book is a deep dive into the stages and levels of dementia, offering sound advice for caregivers and others who have someone in their life experiencing this diagnoses.
Sadly, my own father was in late stage Parkinson’s related dementia when I read it and I realized some of the things I could have been doing better to help him. But it did help when my mother’s own diagnoses came some years later.
I would recommend this book to anyone with elderly people in their lives. I’m not saying it will impact all elderly, but enough to warrant knowing more about it if the time comes.

First, the good news. This updated guide is literally crammed full of absolutely vital information for preparing -- legally, medically, psychologically -- for the long, hard road of a family's Alzheimer's journey. I sure wish I'd had it for our family's trip with mama.

Now, the bad news. This book is not an easy read. I don't mean that it's a "downer," though -- of course -- parts of it are. It's dense. Its design -- very copy heavy with few white-space breaks -- is mind numbing. The gold is there, but you have to dig, dig, dig for it. I had real trouble maintaining my concentration for more than a couple of pages, and often found myself having to read paragraphs several times before they'd sink in. I can't imagine how anybody already show more stressed with dread over a loved one's condition could finish it.

Lastly, the book is written for a college-reading-level audience. As I noted, I had serious difficulty wading through it. It reads like a text book. I suspect that less than half the folks I regularly corresponded with in Alzheimer's forums would have the focus and stamina to fully appreciate the wealth of information contained in this comprehensive guide. This makes me sad. show less

I found this book very informative as well as comforting and empowering... even for me as a caregiver who has been taking care of my husband who is in "advanced middle" stages of Alzheimer's disease. It was very honest in telling the un-sugar coated truth in telling the reader that "We are the ones that must change. We must do a major shift in attitude and behavior." Also the realization that research in the area is slow and if we are ever to hope for a better life for our loved ones, we must look to ourselves, not to medicine. The caretakers are the ones who can make a difference. It addresses all the emotions that I feel - sometimes on a daily basis - patience, courage, strength, frustration, ander, dispair and depression and gives me show more the knowledge that I am not alone and can go on. Excellent read. show less

I thought this book excellent in regards to not only first stage alzheimer's, but also other types of dementias such as stress dementia. As I have a parent in the early stage of dementia, it opened my eyes to what I can do to ease both my parent's pain and mine. Kuhn explains clearly the signs of each stage and more indepth the first stage. He also explains how to look thru the eyes of the person with alzheimer's and reminds us that first and foremost, this person is a real, live individual and deserves to be treated as such. I would definitely recommend it to folks who have individuals in their families who are in the first stage of alzheimer's.