Alzheimer's Myth 9

Myth 9: "There's no bright side to an Alzheimer's diagnosis."

It would be sugar-coating to suggest that Alzheimer's is not a particularly difficult disease for the sufferer, the caregiver, or the patient's family. It progressively robs her of her brain and, in turn, her personality, and it places a considerable emotional, financial, and practical burden on all those providing care. Many people do, however, come to appreciate some positives that can come from this hard situation.

Many adult children, for example, derive deep personal satisfaction and pride from meeting the challenge head-on and making their parents' last years safe and comfortable. The crisis can be an opportunity to purposefully reconnect and share quiet quality time as a family. Some people realize that "now's the time," before a parent's memory deteriorates further, to record a family history or sit down together and identify the faces in old photographs.

Another silver lining: Alzheimer's diagnosis often brings together scattered or estranged family members as they work in concert to provide care.