While taking care of my 105.7 yo grandmother solo for the last 9 years of her life, I had plenty of time during her naps and televised masses to research anything I wished. One such topic was Alz, and in Sept of last year, everything magically clicked into place for me into a simply amazing Eureka moment.
To explain it properly would require almost a thesis, so for right now, let me just say that although the previous posts are correct from the POV of conventional wisdom, there is plenty of hot-off-the-press research suggesting that the Alz condition can be improved.
I have to go now, but:
A - put "coconut" into the "search site" box at the top right of this webpage, and you will find the topic you mentioned
B - put "Diagnosis of Alzheimer's isn't always accurate" into Google and you will find a USA Today article describing how the aggregate side effects from a prescription drug mish-mash can be falsely diagnosed as Alz.
Actually I was not really "asking" that question - I was trying to locate an article I'd seen on this site about someone who actually did "get better" but nonetheless, the information provided in answers here is helpful. What I am really trying to research is how people can be mis-diagnosed or improperly treated -suffering from drug induced dementia due to Ativan reaction or other anti-psychotics. Seems these drugs don't ALWAYS help and in fact can create dementia sypmtoms or make them worse. Anyone seen this happen to loved ones? Afraid this is what has happened to my aunt. So sad.
Dementias are progressive diseases and they only progress in one direction -- they get worse.
HOWEVER ...
Appropriate medications can help minimize some of the symptoms, and the person appears better and does have a better quality of life.
Some symptoms may not be dementia-related. When the cause of those symptoms is treated (or clears up), the person will appear improved. A common example is that a uti can add ugly symptoms, and when the uti is treated those particular symptoms clear up and the person appears to have improved.
A not-so-common example (but one that may be more common than previously known) is something we experienced. My husband's first year with Lewy Body Dementia was awful, terrible, horrible, and no good. But things got dramatically better for him. I like to say we've had 8 years of early-stage LBD and 1 year of advanced stage -- and the advanced stage came first! A few years ago the LBD specialist who treats him finally had an explanation: apparently in SOME patients, the body's autoimmune system valiently tries to fight off the deposits of protein in the brain, reacting to them as a foreign invader. This causes inflamation of the brain, which in turn causes all kinds of symptoms. When the inflamation subsided, everything got remarkable better. During this same period I learned a lot about how to deal with the behaviors and that made them seem less terrible. And drugs were prescribed, one by one, for various symptoms. Did the LBD get better? No. Did our quality of life improve? Amazingly and dramatically so!
There is so far no cure for Alzheimers or other progressive dementias. But there are often ways to improve quality of life for the patient and for the caregivers.
Does this no-and-yes answer help, or confuse matters?
Sorry Patty, the answer to that is NO, it is a progressive disease and they only get worse..... it is a horrible disease that we all hate, why are you asking...
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While taking care of my 105.7 yo grandmother solo for the last 9 years of her life, I had plenty of time during her naps and televised masses to research anything I wished. One such topic was Alz, and in Sept of last year, everything magically clicked into place for me into a simply amazing Eureka moment.
To explain it properly would require almost a thesis, so for right now, let me just say that although the previous posts are correct from the POV of conventional wisdom, there is plenty of hot-off-the-press research suggesting that the Alz condition can be improved.
I have to go now, but:
A - put "coconut" into the "search site" box at the top right of this webpage, and you will find the topic you mentioned
B - put "Diagnosis of Alzheimer's isn't always accurate" into Google and you will find a USA Today article describing how the aggregate side effects from a prescription drug mish-mash can be falsely diagnosed as Alz.
Good luck.
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HOWEVER ...
Appropriate medications can help minimize some of the symptoms, and the person appears better and does have a better quality of life.
Some symptoms may not be dementia-related. When the cause of those symptoms is treated (or clears up), the person will appear improved. A common example is that a uti can add ugly symptoms, and when the uti is treated those particular symptoms clear up and the person appears to have improved.
A not-so-common example (but one that may be more common than previously known) is something we experienced. My husband's first year with Lewy Body Dementia was awful, terrible, horrible, and no good. But things got dramatically better for him. I like to say we've had 8 years of early-stage LBD and 1 year of advanced stage -- and the advanced stage came first! A few years ago the LBD specialist who treats him finally had an explanation: apparently in SOME patients, the body's autoimmune system valiently tries to fight off the deposits of protein in the brain, reacting to them as a foreign invader. This causes inflamation of the brain, which in turn causes all kinds of symptoms. When the inflamation subsided, everything got remarkable better. During this same period I learned a lot about how to deal with the behaviors and that made them seem less terrible. And drugs were prescribed, one by one, for various symptoms. Did the LBD get better? No. Did our quality of life improve? Amazingly and dramatically so!
There is so far no cure for Alzheimers or other progressive dementias. But there are often ways to improve quality of life for the patient and for the caregivers.
Does this no-and-yes answer help, or confuse matters?