Alzheimer’s Disease: Where Do We Go From Here?

In 2005 the diagnosis came and it was like a thunderbolt hit our lives. My dad, a resident of Fairfax County and business owner for over 40 years was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.

What to do next? I didn’t know much about it. I knew it would steal my dad’s brain and leave him unable to recognize or know his family. What I didn’t know is what this awful disease would do to my family. Decisions that would have to be made, regrets, sadness, fear, worry are all very real emotions when dealing with the Alzheimer’s patient. 

This disease is a family disease. 

I turned to the Alzheimer’s Association almost immediately upon learning about my dad’s diagnosis. I didn’t understand the disease or the challenges that would come with him having it. I don’t think anyone in my family really understood the disease or the impact it was going to have on all of us and my dad. 

The Alzheimer’s Association sent me books to help my children understand what was happening to their grandfather--I cried all the way through reading to my children. They still didn’t understand.

I contacted the Alzheimer’s Association when my dad decided he was leaving Florida (after his license was revoked by the DMV) and took the family car on an adventure leading him from the west coast of Florida to the east coast in Savannah, Ga. They got my dad immediately in the safe return program, we were able to track him down by his use of credit cards. When my dad was located, safe return called local authorities in Savannah and they responded to the hotel. Problem was, police untrained in how to handle patients with Alzheimer’s, drew guns on my father. Thankfully my family (my sister-in-law and niece) were in Savannah and able to respond to the hotel immediately and were able to talk down the police who were frightening my father. God knows what would have happened had family not been there and frankly I don’t want to think about it, because my father like many Alzheimer’s patients had a combative side.

This leads me to the most important point. EDUCATION AND MORE EDUCATION for our community! Education requires grants or federal aid. Nurses, doctors, caregivers, police, EMTs need more education on how to deal with Alzheimer’s patients!

Right now, the Alzheimer’s Association is holding input sessions on the new bill signed into law by President Obama on January 4. The National Alzheimer’s Project Act (NAPA) is making its way around the country for citizens-family and caregivers to provide input to their members of congress/staff on how to overcome this devastating disease. Alzheimer’s is now the sixth leading cause of death in the United States. That is astounding and we need to do something about it. 

You can go on the website and help by giving input on what your legislators can do make Alzheimer’s research a national priority. Go to http://www.alz.org/napa.

Last but not least, come join the 2011 NOVA Memory Walk in Reston on September 25. The walk begins at 6 p.m. with an incredibly moving candlelight vigil at 7.  You can register for the event by clicking here. Your donations are always welcome and if you can’t make the local walk then try to make the National walk on the Mall in DC on November 5.

We need to get on the move to find a cure for this deadly disease! Come walk with me! Come join the fight!