Alzheimer’s Resources

The most common form of dementia, Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive, degenerative brain disease that results in impaired memory, thinking and behavior. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, one in 10 persons over 65 and nearly half of those over 85 have Alzheimer’s disease; a small percentage of people as young as their 30s and 40s get the disease. Check these sites for more information.
Alzheimer’s Association
This extensive web site features separate sections for people with Alzheimer’s, family caregivers and friends, physicians and health care professionals, researchers, and the media. Each section is packed with information geared for the target audience, including fact sheets, articles, frequently asked questions, expert opinion, programs and resources, Spanish information, and interactive opportunities. Information about the organization and its chapters is also included. At the time we last reviewed this site (December 2000), we were somewhat frustrated by the nonfunctioning internal search engine.
Alzheimer’s Disease Education and Referral (ADEAR) Center
The ADEAR Center is a service of the National Institute on Aging (NIA), which is one of the National Institutes of Health. Its web site includes information about the Center’s information and referral services, research updates, a list of NIA Alzheimer’s Centers, publications, multimedia, and links. The bibliographic database and the clinical trials database are of particular interest to consumer and professional researchers.
American Health Assistance Foundation (AHAF)
AHAF is a nonprofit organization that funds research and provides educational information about Alzheimer’s and other disorders. It also offers emergency financial assistance to Alzheimer’s disease patients and their caregivers. Its web site provides general information about Alzheimer’s disease as well as information about its services.
NINDS Alzheimer’s Disease Information Page
This one-page fact sheet from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) provides an overview of what is Alzheimer’s disease is, how it is treated, what the prognosis is, and what kinds of research are underway. Selected references, organizations, and related NINDS publications are also included.
Related Sites
Aging
Mental Illness
Neurological Disorders
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