Understanding Alzheimers

One of the most heartbreaking things someone can go through is watching their loved one suffer from Alzheimer’s. Alzheimer’s is a type of dementia that causes problems with memory, thinking and behavior. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, while there is no cure for Alzheimer’s disease or a way to stop or slow its progression, there are drug and non-drug options that may help treat symptoms. Understanding available options can help individuals living with the disease and their caregivers to cope with symptoms and improve quality of life.

Treatment for Alzheimer’s

You and your family are not alone. Over 5 million people in the United States live with Alzheimer’s disease. According to the National Institute on Aging, medications called cholinesterase inhibitors are prescribed for mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease. These drugs may help reduce some symptoms and help control some behavioral symptoms, and include:

• Razadyne® (galantamine)
• Exelon® (rivastigmine)
• Aricept® (donepezil)

How To Get Involved

Since there is not yet a cure for Alzheimer’s, it is important to get involved if the cause is near and dear to you. There are many ways to get involved with finding a cure for Alzheimer’s, including participating in fundraising or participating in an Alzheimer’s clinical study.

Participate in Fundraising

Raising money for Alzheimer’s research is extremely important. You can help raise money by participating in local events, such as charity walks. You can also donate money to an Alzheimer’s association or advocate at the local level of your government for funding and grants.

Volunteer

If you don’t have extra money to lend to Alzheimer’s research, volunteering is another great way to get involved. Working as an advocate or volunteering at an Alzheimer’s support location is just as important. You can also work as a caregiver or help advance policies that protect those living with dementia from abuse and exploitation. This includes lobbying to make it a criminal offense for someone to financially exploit a cognitively impaired individual and establishing laws and regulations governing the financial industry in cases of potential financial exploitation of vulnerable adults.

Participate in an Alzheimers Clinical Study

Scientists do not yet fully understand how cholinesterase inhibitors work to treat Alzheimer’s disease, so further research is needed to progress their knowledge. One of the most important parts of scientist’s research is to test their treatments on actual patients. This is done through clinical studies.

Participating in an Alzheimer’s clinical study allows you or your loved one access to cutting-edge research, around the clock medical care, the chance to participate in a scientific breakthrough and even financial compensation. If you want to see if you or your loved one can qualify for an Alzheimer’s clinical study, just fill out our contact form. Having such closely monitored medical care during an Alzheimer’s clinical study can make all the difference in you or your loved one’s care.