We know a lot about Alzheimer's disease. For example, we know that it is the sixth-leading cause of death in the United States. We know that one in three seniors dies with some form of dementia. And we know that over 5 million Americans are currently living with Alzheimer's. But there are some important things we don't know—and I am not referring simply to the still-elusive cure for the disease. I am also talking about new insights familiar to experts in dementia care, which have not yet reached many of the 15 million Americans caring for a loved one with the disease. In dementia care, what we don't know can really hurt us.
I recently spoke with Theresa Klein, an occupational therapist at Augustana Emerald Crest Assisted Living in Minneapolis, who has been caring for people with dementia for 23 years. Theresa and her colleagues have known and cared for hundreds of patients, and this wealth of experience has provided insight on how to craft a better life for both patients and caregivers. First and foremost is the realization that a dementia diagnosis is not the medical equivalent of falling off a cliff. If we stay hopeful and focus on what matters most, she says, we can do a lot to help patients reach their peak every day.
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