Is It Alzheimer's?: 101 Answers to Your Most Pressing Questions about Memory Loss and Dementia

by Peter V. Rabins

Overview

Perhaps someone in your family has been diagnosed with Alzheimer disease—or maybe you worry about developing memory loss yourself. In Is It Alzheimer's?, Dr. Peter V. Rabins, a top expert in the field, educates readers by answering 101 often-asked questions about memory loss and dementia.

Written in a conversational, easy-to-use Q&A style, the book is organized into seven unique sections. A companion to the best-selling The 36-Hour Day, which Dr. Rabins coauthored, this book discusses

• how to distinguish typical memory loss from early dementia
• how dementia is diagnosed
• what factors play a role in the progression of dementia
• whether it's possible to lower your risk of developing Alzheimer disease or dementia
• how to improve the quality of life of people with dementia
• how to assess long-term care facilities and nursing homes
• available treatments, including medication
• how to explain the symptoms of Alzheimer disease and dementia to others
• how to provide caregivers with psychological and emotional support
• and much more

Aimed at friends and family members of the estimated 5.1 million US adults with dementia, as well as adults who are concerned about developing dementia, the book offers helpful directions and comfort. Is It Alzheimer's? is a quick, accessible, and essential reference for anyone who hopes to navigate the confusion of dementing illnesses.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781421436401
Publisher:	Johns Hopkins University Press
Publication date:	03/10/2020
Series:	A Johns Hopkins Press Health Book
Pages:	160
Sales rank:	610,939
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.47(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Peter V. Rabins, MD, MPH, best-selling author of The 36-Hour Day, is professor emeritus of psychiatry and medicine at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. He was the founding director of its geriatric psychiatry program and the first holder of the Richman Family Professorship of Alzheimer Disease and Related Disorders.

Table of Contents

Preface
Chapter 1. Should I Worry about My Memory?
Chapter 2. What Is Dementia? What Is Alzheimer Disease?
Chapter 3. What Causes Dementia? What Causes Alzheimer Disease?
Chapter 4. What Steps Can I Take to Lower My Risk of Alzheimer Disease and Dementia?
Chapter 5. What Treatments Are Available?
Chapter 6. What Suggestions Do You Have for Caregivers?
Chapter 7. What Are Some of the Difficult Decisions Caregivers Face?
Index

What People are Saying About This

"Is It Alzheimer's? offers honest answers and positive bottom-line approaches to tough decisions and questions. Dr. Rabins' unique book will have you read every word!"

Laura Wayman

"Bringing together the most significant questions, concerns, and misunderstandings about Alzheimer disease and dementia, Dr. Rabins responds with relatable explanations pertaining to some of the more common challenges and difficulties experienced by caregivers on this long and arduous journey of dementia care. A continuation of the immensely important work Dr. Rabins has presented in The 36-Hour Day."

Rachael Wonderlin

"I can think of no one more qualified than Peter V. Rabins to educate readers about dementia by answering often-asked questions. A valuable book."

Lisa P. Gwyther

"Is It Alzheimer's? offers honest answers and positive bottom-line approaches to tough decisions and questions. Dr. Rabins' unique book will have you read every word!"

Cynthia R. Green

"An excellent, accessible, and much-needed contribution to the popular literature. This highly approachable, usable book should be a resource for all those living with dementia and their families and caregivers."

Editorial Reviews

Reviewer: Jennifer Tinker, PhD (Thomas Jefferson University)
Description: This patient- and family-focused guide is a clear, concise introduction to memory loss, dementia, and caregiving. Designed as a supplement to the best-selling The 36-Hour Day, 6th edition, Mace and Rabins (Johns Hopkins University Press, 2017), this book provides straightforward and compassionate answers to the most common questions about memory loss and dementia.
Purpose: The purpose is to provide easy-to-understand information on the diseases that cause dementia and to summarize recent research advances. What makes this book distinct is that it highlights the importance of caregiver physical and psychological well-being and provides outstanding tips on how to improve the quality of life of people with dementia and manage the symptoms caused by the disease.
Audience: This book is written to be helpful to a broad audience. Individuals worried about their memory will find answers to questions about normal aging and prevention of cognitive decline. Families coping with end-stage dementia in loved ones will find frank conversation about ethical decision making, caregiver guilt, and practical advice to optimize care. While primarily written for patients and families, it will also serve as a useful resource for providers. Author Dr. Rabins is a well-established pioneer in caregiver support as co-author of the "Caregiver Bible," The 36-Hour Day, now in its sixth edition.
Features: This guide is an informative, evidence-based, and accessible introduction to memory loss and the most common types of dementia. It presents brief but comprehensive primers of the memory system, relevant neuroanatomy and neuropathology, diagnostic tools and procedures, interactions between genetic and environmental factors, and treatment options. It can serve as a lifeline to patients and their families looking for resources to maximize quality of life and independence for a person living with dementia. While the bulk of the chapters focus on prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and care, the greatest strength lies in the final few chapters, which focus on the often overwhelming and unpredictable nature of caregiving and present practical suggestions to address common challenges, caregiver guilt, and difficult ethical questions in a caring and thoughtful manner.
Assessment: This book is an exceptional companion to The 36-Hour Day and will serve as an essential resource to patients and families faced with dementia. Quick, accessible, direct, and supportive, it seamlessly marries practical solutions with relatability that will reduce the isolation so common to patients living with dementia and their caregivers.

Doody's Review Service

03/01/2020

It is normal to sometimes forget a name or a fact, or to wonder why we entered a room. It is also normal to begin having concerns about whether such lapses might be signs that something isn't quite right. In a structured Q&A format, Rabins (Johns Hopkins Univ. Sch. of Medicine) sets out to provide assistance. He offers answers to topics divided into seven broad areas: "Should I worry about my memory?"; "What is dementia?"; "Causes"; "Steps to try lowering the risk"; "Treatments"; "Suggestions for caregivers;" and "Difficult decisions for caregivers." Combining evidence from medical research, along with solutions developed from patient care experience, and technical information in straightforward language, the author points out where the research struggles and when seeking a support group might be the best option. VERDICT The difficult topic of memory is one science has a great deal yet to learn about, and Rabins does an effective job of outlining the current research, providing an excellent resource for worried individuals, diagnosed patients, loved ones, and caregivers.—Richard Maxwell, Porter Adventist Hosp. Lib., Denver

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