When Love Meets Dementia

Long time educator Ada Anbar is the author of several parenting books that discuss early childhood development issues and the difficulties that mothers encounter in balancing their needs with those of their young children. She lives in Phoenix, Arizona.

Table of Contents


Acknowledgments deletexiii

Foreword by Marwan N. Sabbagh MD, FAAN

Preface

Introduction

Part I: The Personal Story—Sixty Years of Marriage, Then Kicked

1 • The Day That Changed My Life

A Cruise to the Baltic

2 • A Fractured Spine

The Long Flight Home

A Stay in the Hospital

3 • The CNAs Are Coming Home

Fountain Hills

A Bad Idea

The Suicide Threats

4 • Romantic Beginnings

A Personal Security Guard

The Lawyers Are Stepping In

5 • Kicked Out of My Grave

The Need for a Medical Evaluation

6 • The Apartment

The Missing Gold Coins

Life After the Crash

Sunday Visits to Fountain Hills

Part II: The Elusive Diagnosis

7 • An Emerging Pattern

The Chronology of a Disease

A New Homecare Agency

The Race for a New Psychiatric Evaluation

A Tragicomic Scene

8 • At Last a Diagnosis

Difficult Decision

The Silver Lining

9 • Crossing Over

Part III: Lingering Questions

10 • What Exactly Is FTD?

Is FTD Common?

Is FTD a New Disease?

How FTD Got Its Name

The Importance of Scientific Conferences

Diagnostic Criteria

11 • Sub-Types of FTD

Prognosis

Warning Signs

12 • The Clinical Symptoms of FTD

FTD vs. Alzheimer’s

What Causes FTD?

13 • Triggers for FTD Development

The Role of Genetics

The Pros and Cons of Genetic Testing

Other Possible Factors

Part IV: Treatment/Prevention/Management

14 • Basic ­Pre-Treatment Information

Before Treatment Begins

15 • Common Pharmacological Treatments

16 • Non-Pharmacological and Nutritional Support

Supplements

The Healthy Brain Diet

17 • The Healthy Lifestyle

Keeping Active

The Importance of Sleep

A Good Bedtime Routine

Manage Your Stress

Stop Smoking and Drinking

18 • Rehabilitation

The Rehabilitation Team

The Danger of Deconditioning

Pressure Sores

Assistive Devices

19 • The Supportive Environment

A Sense of Calm and Reassurance

Minimizing Fall Risks

General Environmental Safety Issues

FTD and Driving

Part V: When FTD Is Suspected

20 • What to Do When FTD Is Suspected

Confirm the Diagnosis

Convene a Family Meeting

Create a Care Team

Legal Issues

Money Matters

Conclusion

21 • The Altered Relationship

Loss of Insight and Self-Awareness

Loss of Empathy

Apathy and Social Withdrawal

Socially Inappropriate Behavior

Gone but Not Gone

22 • The Care of the Caregiver

The Job of the Primary Caregiver

Helpful Recommendations for the Primary Caregiver

23 • Caregiver Resources

Community Services

The Silverado Story (Model I)

Dementia Village (Model II)

24 • Is Dementia a Normal Part of Aging or a Disease?

The Story of the ­Super-Centenarians

The Blue Zone Areas

The Effect of Our Changing Demographics

Conclusion

25 • The Future of FTD Research

Slow Progress but Much Hope

More Genetic Research

A Search for the Process

Are Rates of Dementia Falling?

The Bredesen Protocol

Autopsy Research

Famous People Who Suffered from Dementia

26 • Personal Reflections

Chapter Notes

Resources

Recommended Reading

Bibliography

Index