Did anyone watch The Alzheimer's Project: The Memory Tapes?

I didn't get to watch the tape, however I think this is great.  I am trying to find where I can find a dvd on alzheimer's.  Or CD or any information to present to a group of senior citizens. Can anyone help me with that?

you can find HBO:The Alzheimer's Project as well as other Alzheimer dvds at http://www.netflix.com/Search?lnkctr=srchrd-ips&v1=alzheimer+&btn=Search

Personally, you should view the The Alzheimer's Project before showing it to others.  I was disappointed with it.  It is depressing and they show a man die.

Our Caregiver's group was sent DVD's to preview. Everyone agreed that while sad it is also positive. We all knew going in the Alz. is dreadful but seeing the reality of it helps us to better provide care for our people. I just pray they don't decide to do a reality show!

I have ordered the DVDs pre release from Amazon.com at a discounted rate

If you are a regular on this site, then there really was nothing new to be found on the series. I thought it was like Alzheimers 101. The only benefit it might have is to educate those who knew little or nothing about the disease and to possibly gather fundraising support for future research.

the library

There was a clip on ABC news that shows what it is like for Alzheimer's patients. This may not be suitable for seniors with Alzheimer's...but is very good for caregivers to understand the experience from inside the patient. http://abcnews.go.com/video/playerIndex?id=7974006.... please watch this to understand how these people feel doing everyday tasks. Once you open this site click on TOP VIDEOS from the list on the left and this one should play automatically.

I got tapes, very helpful DVD's from my local library

Has anyone read the book 'Still Alice'? I thought it was gave a great look inside the mind of a young lady who got Alzhehimers at an early age. I couldn't put the book down till I'd finished it. I've since passed it on to friends and relatives. Also --- I enjoyed the movie 'The Savages'. Its just your regular movie --- only its based on a family with a father who has Alzheimers. Good story line. You can probably rent it about anywhere now.

The best show I have seen on Alzheimers is called "The Forgetting" and was aired on PBS. You can google it on the internet and watch it online. It shows everything and every stage. You will shed tears but come away very well informed. I can not praise it enough. My mom and sister have this sad disease. Be sure to watch the "after show" as it updates the first show and adds even more info. Watch it alone first before showing to someone else so you can monitor what is appropriate. Would love to hear your comments.

I saw the film. It was beautiful and personal in that well crafted made-for-TV-movie way, but it did not hold any answers. More importantly, I found it to be lacking in that they did not address one very important issue. Most, if not all of the families, seemed to be of middle to higher socioeconomic background. This disease is not easy no matter how much money you have but the fact that the caregivers could pay for housing or in-home help, I imagine that it gave the afflicted a better quality of life and the caregiver some relief to know that their loved one was safe. The fact that (as is my situation with my mother), there is an additional burden and stress with this disease as well as other long term illnesses when a person is destitute was completely overlooked. There is limited help from the state government, but in the 3 years that I have been dealing with this, the programs have been drastically cut. Navigating the social and medical system alone and on top of that not having adequate resources to ensure that she is well cared for, is a nightmare. In reality I find it worse than dealing with the disease. I can deal with the emotional pain of her decline but what is killing me is the stress of figuring out how, when and where to find additional social or charitable services that will help me take care of her. I think I have exhausted all possibilities. Every week I spend HOURS on line or on the phone checking to see if there is something I have missed. The issue is that the show seemed to focus on the caregivers learning how to relate or deal with their loved one which is great but in my case...who has time for that? For me it's all business in the form of intake forms, phone calls, and navigating appointments with any number of state or social service programs while dragging my mother along. Every year there is less help and every year they make you jump through more hoops to qualify in the hopes to disqualify you so that they can "trim the budget." The assistance is a life saver but even at that it is minimal. I found the show to be touching but in true Hollywood style it left out a huge part of the economic reality of dealing with this condition for those of us who weren’t lucky enough to be middle class or higher. I tried writing a letter to the "producer" who just happens to be the wife of the governor of California and incidentally is part of the Kennedy family. I found it completely ironic and absurd that she produced that movie about her pet project at the VERY SAME time that her husband was cutting the funds for the very programs that help people with this disease. Try as I might to find a way to write her or any of the producers there was no access listed; how very convenient. Was I mad, you bet you! This disease; any disease is devastating. I can't imagine that watching someone get terminal cancer is any easier. The real human tragedy and cost to our health and well being as a collective society is our lack of resources and the disparity in good health and social services available for lower income individuals. I have a tad more money than my mother but only because I work; technically I am part of the working poor but the minute I would find myself in a major medical situation, what will become of me? I do not have a spouse or children or any family member to rely on. Making a simple phone call to access any type of service requires endurance, intellectual capacity, time and patience; something very few people will have when they are dealing with a devastating disease. What of the people who have no one? My mom has one and that's me but I won't have anyone. This documentary left out a huge part of the population by ignoring the stressor which is being ill in this country when you do not come from a higher socioeconomic background. It felt like most of TV; a touching and well crafted story with a little dramatic impact added but for me none of the stories resembled my life in the slightest. I am not sure what the point of the documentary was and who it was meant for. I need to know what happens to those who get this disease who have no one. Who finds out, who intervenes, who comes to the rescue?

I have watched most of the mentioned films. Years ago I attended a few conferences on this disease. In one case,the husband had a new home built that was identical to his current home, so that his wife would be able to cope better with their move out of state. I have taken care of people in a private duty situation,hospital,and nursing home with this disease. Nothing is easy. As most of the private duty cases were long term, it was difficult to see the destruction of a loved one. My husband found the documenty difficult to watch. I only took care of someone for 8 or 12 hrs at a stretch. That was physically and mentally wearing on me, so I can well imagin how it must be for those who have no respite. We both have plans of how to care each other if we get this disease. Of course TV and movies cover up the "worst" of a disease. The violent family memember is a shock. Even worse is when the healthy family starts hitting back.

June 03,2010

Thank you very much for posting your message about the video "The Forgetting" and "The After Show". My mother Ms. Susan (66 yrs Native of Mt. Holly North Carolina) has early stage Dementia and my life went into a whirlwind when I learned that she was in fact losing her memory. Even worse, my heart sunk once I began to realize that this disease may take away our beloved. I know that according to the bible that all those who have life will one day lose it, however, I pray that God will grant our family (Sons Bryan & Elliot)more time. A child's wish is to have our loved one's with us "FOREVER". I know this isn't possible at least not in the physical. Yet, lifetime memories can be cherished now and forever more. I'm glad that I found this site today and can contribute my message as you have. God Bless, Anita Yawson Maryland State

A few years ago I worked in home health care. I learned from a couple clients that they used an attorney to manage their personal and financial needs. Confiding in a close friend about your need and asking them to help you or be your caregiver. A close aunt, niece, and your personal physician, also some one from the department on aging and your involvement with Alzheimer groups. You may find a caregiver from one of these groups who would be willing to help. I hope this may be of some help to you. My husband is experiencing short term memory at this time. We use a special supplement that seams to be helping, too. Good luck ....wingbird.

i have seen it a few years ago. but i have seen and been through it back in the early 70's when my grandfather had it. but back then all memory loss was still dementia. since then my grams and mother in law both have it.my grams is now just weeks away from the final end. she has a dnr order so she is on meds to make her comfortable. she has sleep apenia and she quits breathing for up to 30 seconds and then the nursing home wakes her up. now we told them to let her sleep it would be better for her to go in her sleep.

I would like to get a cd on alzheimers also

I know this is old but contact your local alzhiemiers association. They have a list of speakers you can invite to come and talk as well as a library loan program that will lend you DVDs.

Yes you are very right about that. I wish they would have shown more of the hateful violent parts that alzheimers patients go through. Yes not all but a heck of a lot. And my dad, he was bipolar all his life, and antisocial, to have alzheimer's on top of all this, has created a total monster. He fools people into thinking he's normal. He's made a career of this and he still does it even with alzheimer's nobody would believe he has it if you didn't live with him. It's practically indescribable but I am glad that somebody even tried. It is different for each person with it so at least they've made an attempt at educating people, maybe the more people become aware of it, the more questions will start popping up and they'll start addressing the real look at alzheimer's.

The Palm Springs Police Department, Citizens On Patrol, Project Lifesaver unit has DVDs available from the Alzheimer's Foundation of America. You can reach them at 760-323-8149.

They also provide wristband transmitters that allow rapid location of lost Alzheimer's patients.

My name is Joe. I not only saw it I was in it. Some of your comments are really without foundation and absurd, from this side of the fence. If you had met the people doing the filming as I had them around me for 12 hours a day for I think 4 days, you might be able with your great intelligence to figure out how they felt. Film was made in 2008, so things have changed. I think the showing of Uncle Chucks death as requested by HIS WIFE, was a perfect attribute to him and his life, but of course you cannot see that nor knew that it was his wife's request. Most, if not all of the families, seemed to be of middle to higher socioeconomic background. & you say you watched it.
I am not sure they were able to connect with any of the violent ones for sure, but they did not show my rage at times. I think most people would not be able to handle viewing it or would not think it was real, except those that experience it. Others ofthe film have passed since it was aired. See we all die from this, no survivors and watch the time span around 8 years. Some shorter some longer, I am at 6 years now and with help I am getting this to you, because I remember crap now and really feal like destroying most of the so called experts. Drugs control the real rages but not all. You saw reality, maybe you cannot stand it. If I sterred feelings and hurt some of them well good, maybe you will get off your dead asses and really fight for us, we cannot, we get shut away, because believe it or not families are still ashamed of us today and do not want to talk about us. I only answer things here because you need to know the hell of the other side. You can go to sleep and get away from it, or get someone to help and relieve you, WHERE THE HELL DO WE GO TO GET AWAY.

God Bless, Joe

Joe it was good to hear your side of things. I am a realist with a Mother suffering moderate Alz. and a sister much more advanced with early onset Alz. It is a horrible disease and yes both the families and the patients are ashamed. I am not and will tell it as it is. Cancer used to be in the closet also. Where did that get us? I have been a caregiver for many years, in fact my whole adult life and I am 48. The one out of five siblings that actually have cared for our parents. Know matter how much we share no one can understand that has not been there. With that said, we can not give up. Even in the face of ignorant comments and what only appears to be ignorant comments. Some people mean no harm but we are touchy and with good reason. You have every right to feel the way you do. Hats off to you and your honesty. I believe you will help many people down the road. I wish you only the best.

Michele

I'm 53 years old. I've been told I have atypical Alzheimer's, dementia with lewy bodies, or posterior cortical atrophy. Because the back, or posterior, part of the brain controls vision, I could also go blind. I lived a pretty chaotic life, focusing on holding onto teaching jobs to the exclusion of thinking about relationships or financial matters like long-term care insurance, until I was finally diagnosed with bipolar disorder and properly medicated in 2005. I've also been told by my neuropsychologist that I have Asperger's syndrome. I first started having cognitive difficulties in 2007. I live on Social Security disability, for the bipolar disorder, and live in federally subsidized housing. No one to act as a caregiver. Have contacted every organization and agency I can think of. Can anyone offer any help? I'm beginning to think that my only hope is to try to start raising money on my own somehow. I should qualify to get into a nursing home under Medicaid, I think. The problem is my care between now, when I'm relatively OK, and the time in which I'll be in a nursing home. Any philanthrophic individuals or organizations willing to help? I'm writing from Texas. Thank you. Kate

It would probably help you more to post a new thread in the forum where your question will get noticed quicker rather than buried under this Memory Tape posting. Good luck.