Caregiving

How long does Alzheimer's disease last on average?
The average, calculated by the Alzheimer' Association is around 8 to 12 years. Read Dr. Grimaldi's full answer.

If Alzheimer’s is a disease of the memory, how do people die from it?
The disease is not only a memory disease. It initially manifests with a marked memory failure. However, learning and higher brain functions are also affected. Read Dr. Grimaldi's full answer.

What are the diagnostic tests used for Alzheimer's disease?
There are no specific laboratory tests that can unequivocally tell that you have Alzheimer's disease. Read Dr. Grimaldi's full answer.

What kind of information should I bring to my first visit to the doctor?
All background blood work and tests that assess brain function and brain imaging studies that might have been performed recently are helpful. Read Dr. Grimaldi's full answer.

Who should I go to if I suspect Alzheimer's disease?
Your family doctor can suspect the disease, but they may not be qualified to diagnosis the disease. Read Dr. Grimaldi's full answer.

Is Alzheimer’s disease hereditary?
Sometimes, if a member of the family has the disease, the siblings show a higher risk. However, 99.9% of Alzheimer's cases are not hereditary. Read Dr. Grimaldi's full answer.

My still independent mother is being treated with Aricept for early Alzheimer’s and Paxil for mild depression. I thought I heard somewhere that those two drugs shouldn’t be combined, but I forget why.
Since there are so many anti-depressants available, why gamble with one that might reduce the effectiveness of the dementia medication?

My (normally controlled) racist, chauvinist, and demented father has become very nasty and vocal about the upcoming election--ranting and embarrassing us everywhere we go. I take care of him in our home and can’t just lock him up. What should I do?
Negative beliefs and thoughts like these come to the surface because dementia often destroys the social filters which previously controlled our parents in public.

How can I get my elderly father to stop eating everything? His doctor isn’t helping me!
I had the same problem with my father. I fed him well and kept all healthy snacks available, but he'd say he was starving to death all the time.

Mom has Alzheimer’s and lives in a facility. My sister has power of attorney. Mom wants to gift $150,000 to grandkids rather than using it to pay for care. She worked all her life paying for Medicare. Shouldn't she be able to use it instead of her savings
This is a difficult dilemma, and one that many families are facing. The dilemma can often be avoided or mitigated with advance planning, but that doesn’t help in your case. Read Jon's full answer.

I have been so busy and stressed out lately and am often misplacing things. Is that a warning sign of Alzheimer’s?
Misplacing things is not a sign of Alzheimer's in-and-of-itself. Losing your keys doesn't mean you have Alzheimer's. But there are 10 warning signs from the Alzheimer's Association that you should look out for.

The doctor told me that my elderly father was having hallucinations and delusions while in the hospital. What’s the difference?
A hallucination is experienced through the five senses; a delusion is something a person thinks, or believes to be true.

My grandmother developed Alzheimer’s at 84. My mother got it at 70. I am 40 and worried I am going to get it. Is there a test to know if I will develop it or not?
There is a test, but even if you have inherited the gene, it doesn't mean you will definitely develop Alzheimer's Disease.

What is "off-time" and “wearing off” in Parkinson's disease? What should a patient do when it occurs?
Over the course of treatment for Parkinson's disease, a substantial number of patients develop fluctations in response to their medication. Read full answer.

Are there any lifestyle adjustments my 68-year-old mother with Parkinson's can make to help improve her tremors and shakes?
Tremors and shakes are very common complaints related to Parkinson's disease. Treatment is often challening, since tremors may not respond optimally to various medications. Read the full answer.

My mother is afraid of everyone who comes to our house. She sits in the dark most of the time and does not talk to anyone except the dog. I don't know what to do. Should I contact her doctor about how she chooses complete isolation?
Absolutely! Better yet, make an appointment and take your mom to the doctor, so you can discuss this in-depth with the doctor, because unless you have a durable power of attorney, they will not be able to discuss your mother's health with you over the phone.

I am caring for my 81-year-old mother who lives with me. She is very controlling, wants to rule my life, and treats me like I’m still a teenager. Pointing this out to her doesn’t seem to do any good. What can I do?
You need the "Jacqueline Marcell emotional shield." Put it on every day, and then don't let anything she says bother you; all negativity has to bounce right off.

I live 3,000 miles away from my father and he needs live-in help, but I’m worried about elder abuse since I can’t be there to monitor the caregivers. What can I do to protect my father and feel more comfortable with hiring caregivers?
I would hire a geriatric care manager who lives very close to your father, and can be your onging eyes and ears in your absence.

Are there any alternatives to heart bypass surgery?
Coronary artery bypass is the gold standard for coronary artery disease. However, there are many other ways to treat it.

My mother is undergoing surgery to have a mechanical heart valve. What is the lifespan of a mechanical heart valve?
Mechanical heart valves are made of pyrolytic carbon, similar to industrial grade diamond. It is very hard and wears very little.