What We Didn't Know About Alzheimer's Disease More and more people are being diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease as compared to simple "senile dementia" it seems. In fact it's common knowledge that most people well into their 80s are ending up with that dreaded disease where they don't know who they are or recongnize their own families. My mother has recently been told that she's in the early stages of Alzheimer's but she's already 86 years old. I could regale you with humourous incidents and others that would make both you and me cry, but the long and the short of it is that she's afflicted with both depression and paranoia on top of the Alzheimer's disease. An article I read recently determined (through "thorough scientific" research...as throrough and Scientific that may be) that depressed seniors can veer off into Alzheimer's over a period of time if the depression is not treated. Sometimes these results can be double edged swords because the drugs given to depressive people do more harm than good and each patient reacts differently. My mom recently phoned the police (she's still in her own home...don't ask why or how) because an intruder had come in and stolen her handbag. It was a false alarm because she was losing her purse at least once a week...but she was so paranoid about intruders that she double locked every door and window and barely even looked outside for fear of seeing someone lurking on the street. She is now on a mild tranquilizer as well as her Alzheimer's medicine, which, incidentally, is brought to her door each evening by an LPN who doesn't leave till she's taken the medication with a glass of water. The article, by Brad Evenson in the Canadian National Post, pointed out that elderly people suffering from loneliness, sadness, fear and depression must seek help and be treated to keep from contracting Alzheimer's but there's the rub. Most people who become clinically depressed don't realize that they're ill and try to hide their symptoms from loved ones. I know that my mom is very adept at presenting a cheerful demeanor in front of me because she's afraid that I'll do something drastic like making her go into a senior's residence...her worst nightmare. However, having said that, Mr. Evenson cites statistics showing that one in 13 people over the age of 65 have Alzheimer's or age onset demetia now and by 2031 that number will have doubled (that looks like 25% of all seniors.) Those are scary statistics and have certainly set my mind in motion. I know I'll be in that "other" percentage because I'm already taking CoQ10, Ginkgo Biloba, acetyl l-Carnitine, hydergine, galantamine, and everything else I can get my hands on. Now, if only I could remember where I put them..... Back to the Writing Index