Predicting the Rate of Decline In Alzheimer's Dementia Patients

Readers often ask, what stage of Alzheimer's is s/he in, and how will the Alzheimer's disease progress?.....

By Bob DeMarco

I think most Alzheimer's caregivers wonder about how Alzheimer's disease will progress in their loved one. Do you?

As far as I know there is no answer to this question.

I know I wake up wondering every single day if this will be the day my mother takes a big down turn in her cognitive health. Some days I think she is worse than others. I often think on a real bad day, this is it. But somehow she bounces back the next day.

Alzheimer's--Feeling Abandoned?

You should consider asking your parent(s) if they are lonely.

FEELING ABANDONED?

New research suggests lonely people are at greater risk of developing dementia. Seniors who scored high on the loneliness quiz agreed with three or more of the following scenarios:

• I experience a general sense of emptiness.

• I miss having people around.

• I feel like I don't have enough friends.

• I often feel abandoned.

• I miss having really good friends.

Source: Robert Wilson at the Rush University Medical Center in Chicago
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Bob DeMarco is an Alzheimer's caregiver and editor of the Alzheimer's Reading Room. The Alzheimer's Reading Room is the number one website on the Internet for advice and insight into Alzheimer's disease. Bob taught at the University of Georgia, was an executive at Bear Stearns, the CEO of IP Group, and is a mentor. He has written more than 700 articles with more than 18,000 links on the Internet. Bob resides in Delray Beach, FL.