Alzheimer Spouses Shop to Raise Awareness of Alzheimer's Disease

For the month of September, the owner of www.thealzheimerspouse.com will donate a portion of her profits from her store - www.etsy.com/shop/joanisknitting - to the Walk to End Alzheimer’s Disease.

Port St. Lucie, FL (I-Newswire) September 5, 2012 - The #1 site on the Internet where spouses of Alzheimer patients have been receiving support and information for 5 years is www.thealzheimerspouse.com Started by an Alzheimer Spouse who could not find understanding of her unique issues related to Alzheimer’s Disease’s effect on marriage, www.thealzheimerspouse has become the place to go for Alzheimer spouses. There they find a community of spouses who share their struggles to adapt to the change in their marital relationship. They also find honest, heartfelt blogs written by Joan Gershman, the website’s founder, as she grapples to adjust to her husband’s Alzheimer’s Disease. The site is filled with information and advice on all topics from finances to male caregiving tips.

And now, in honor of September as World Alzheimer Month, everyone can join the Alzheimer spouses in shopping to help raise awareness of this devastating disease. For the entire month of September, Joan will donate a portion of her profits from the sale of her custom designed scarves and shawls at www.etsy.com/shop/joanisknitting to the Walk to End Alzheimer’s Disease.

Some basic myths about Alzheimer’s Disease that World Alzheimer Month is working hard to dispel are:

• Alzheimer’s Disease does NOT always start with memory loss. PERSONALITY CHANGE and IRRATIONAL BEHAVIOR may be the first indication that something is wrong. When someone suddenly changes from rational, caring, loving, and reasonable, to impulsive, self centered, and irrational, it may be Alzheimer’s Disease. Consult a neurologist.

• Alzheimer’s Disease is NOT normal aging. If the doctor dismisses concerns, a neurologist who specializes in Memory Disorders can be found in any area of the country by logging onto www.thealzheimerspouse.com and clicking the “Finding a Memory Disorders Clinic in Your Area”.

• Alzheimer’s Disease is NOT simple memory loss. It is a BRAIN DISEASE that destroys every part of the brain – behavior, personality, cognition, comprehension, physical abilities AND memory. It is 100% FATAL. There is NO CURE. There are NO SURVIVORS.

• Alzheimer’s Disease is NOT EXCLUSIVE TO THE ELDERLY. Early Onset Alzheimer’s Disease affects men and women UNDER the age of 65, and many in their 40’s and 50’s. It is misdiagnosed as everything from depression, stress, early menopause in women to Attention Deficit Disorder. If you think your loved one has possible dementia, regardless of age, contact a Memory Disorders Specialist for comprehensive testing.

• Aricept and Namenda can help with the symptoms and stabilize the person with Alzheimer’s Disease, for up to 2 years, but they CANNOT CURE IT. THEY CANNOT STOP IT.

Remember - SHOP at www.etsy.com/shop/joanisknitting to help fund Alzheimer awareness, programs, and research.
For more information about Alzheimer’s Disease, log onto www.thealzheimerspouse.com, the #1 site on the Internet (via Google) for education, information, and support for spouses of Alzheimer patients. There are links to information about Young Onset Alzheimer’s Disease, informative videos about the nature of Alzheimer’s Disease, Message Boards of support, and much more.