Top 50 Online Resources for Families Coping with Alzheimer's -- A Guest Article by Rachel Davis

Top 50 Online Resources for Families Coping With Alzheimer’s

Alzheimer’s disease is so cruel—it robs our loved ones of their senses of self, of their mental capacities, of their memories, of their lives. And it forces spouses and children to become caregivers in ways that most people never imagine. With millions of people each year being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or a similar dementia, and millions more dying from it, it is still possible for caregivers to feel lost, confused, and alone. We’ve searched the Web to find some of the most helpful resources for families coping with Alzheimer’s. Hopefully, this top 50 list provides you with some information, inspiration, and even comfort.

Personal Blogs By Caregivers

These blogs have been written by children and spouses of Alzheimer’s sufferers.

1. The Yellow Wallpaper : A heart-rending account of a daughter and mother’s story of love and loss to Alzheimer’s disease. 2. Alzheimer’s Moments : A son chronicles the life of his mother in a nursing home for residents with Alzheimer’s and dementia. 3. The Zen of Caregiving : An artist struggling with her own bipolar disorder journals about her daily life caring for a husband with Alzheimer’s. 4. Early Onset Alzheimer’s Adventure : Chuck D’Onofrio has been blogging about his diagnosis with Alzheimer’s disease since 2006. 5. blog.fadingfrommemory.info : Compelling blog about a family’s struggle with Alzheimer’s disease when both parents were diagnosed. 6. Dorian Martin’s SharePosts : Dorian Martin cared for her mother with Alzheimer’s from 2005 to 2007, upon her passing. Her blog shares the ups and downs of being a caregiver. 7. “had a dad” Alzheimer’s Blog : Gereva Bert Piedmont writes this blog as a way to share memories of her late father and to support others going through the struggle with Alzheimer’s. 8. All Your Blogs Are Belong to Us : Heart-wrenching stories from a man who has lost his mother and two brothers to early-onset Alzheimer’s disease. 9. Alzheimer’s Support : Sandy shares stories of her mother and provides links and resources to families dealing with this diagnosis. 10. caringformary.blogspot.com : This blogger relates her story of the Alzheimer’s diagnosis of her mother and the last stages of her life. 11. Never Goodbye : A woman relates the story of her father’s diagnosis, treatment, and death from Alzheimer’s. 12. The Mom & Me Journals dot Net : An amazing body of work from a daughter who became her mother’s end-of-life companion in the year 1993 until her death in 2008.

Information About Alzheimer’s Disease

13. Alzheimer’s Disease – Symptoms Treatment and Care : Articles about Alzheimer’s disease and other resources are included here. 14. holisticnutritionandneurology.blogspot.com : Doctors discuss the connections between nutrition and neurological disorders, including Alzheimer’s. 15. EverydayHealth.com : Everyday Health provides suggestions and contact information for various Alzheimer’s support organizations. 16. The Tangled Neuron : Mona Johnson provides the latest updates on Alzheimer’s research, written in a way that families can understand. 17. Alzheimer’s Association : The Alzheimer’s Association provides excellent resources on their website. 18. alzheimers247.wordpress.com : There are several good articles about Alzheimer’s Disease on this blog. 19. PBS.org: The Forgetting : This is a wonderful companion website to the gripping PBS documentary,The Forgetting, which originally aired in 2008. 20. Partnering With Your Doctor: A Guide For Persons With Memory Problems and Their Care Partners : This excellent online brochure is provided by the Alzheimer’s Association and helps patients and their caregivers know how to work with the doctor. 21. Alzheimer’s Reading Room : This is the #1 blog online in the category of Alzheimer’s and Caregiving. Over 1,500 articles deal with topics from anxiety to behavior problems. 22. AHAF : You can order free brochures from the American Health Assistance Foundation on this site devoted to Alzheimer’s research. 23. Brain Today : Two doctors and a medical professional blog daily about news in the world of neurosciences and Alzheimer’s Disease. 24. About.com : Coping With Alzheimer’s : About.com has many excellent articles about ways to cope with a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Disease. 25. Dementia News : A British website that combines many different resources about the effects of dementia, including Alzheimer’s. 26. Mayo Clinic: Alzheimer’s Disease – Coping and support : The Mayo Clinic offers advice to both the Alzheimer’s patient and the caregiver. Subscribe to the free newsletter. 27. Coping With Daily Life and Alzheimer’s Disease : Alzheimer’s patients who are still aware of their condition and that they are losing their mental capacity have many questions as they wonder how to cope with the disease.

Survival Skills For The Caregiver

28. Tips for Traveling With An Alzheimer’s Patient : Alzcare.net provides excellent tips for traveling with an Alzheimer’s patient. 29. Alzcast.org : Alzcast.org is a website designed for doctors, nurses, and caregivers. The site features podcasts from different experts on all aspects of dealing with Alzheimer’s. 30. Medicare For Caregivers : Anyone who is caring for an elderly relative will appreciate the resources available on this site. Learn all about Medicare coverage and the benefits that are available to your loved one. 31. The CareGiver : Bob DeMarco uses this blog to discuss the many issues that concern Alzheimer’s caregivers on a daily basis. 32. Wego Health : Dementia Support at Wego Health includes many helpful links to online support resources. 33. Activity Ideas That Work : Gina Salazar writes about activities that are appropriate for Alzheimer’s patients. 34. Helpguide.org : Helpguide.org provides well-researched information on Alzheimer’s and dementia, providing resources for caregivers. 35. The Nursing Home Administrator : Insight into the world of the nursing home administrator, someone who may become an important person in your life if your family is dealing with Alzheimer’s disease. 36. Caregiver Support Page at Caring.com : Interact with other caregivers at Caring.com and read many good articles about ways to cope with Alzheimer’s disease in a loved one. 37. Alzheimer’s Caregiver’s Corner : The Alzheimer’s Caregiver’s Corner is provided by the Fisher Center for Alzheimer’s Research Foundation. It has links to many articles about being a good caregiver. 38. Exelon Patch: For The Caregiver : The makers of Exelon provide helpful resources for people dealing with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease. 39. The Unforgettable Fund : The Unforgettable Fund was begun by the McNally family after losing their father to Alzheimer’s Disease. 40. Medicare Florida : This blog combines many different resources for families coping with Alzheimer’s. 41. 1,2,3: Steps 4 Family Caregivers : This free online brochure reminds caregivers to take care of themselves, reach out for help, and believe in themselves. 42. 10 Tips for Communicating with a Person with Dementia : This is a helpful article from the Family Caregivers Alliance. 43. Take Care of Yourself: 10 Ways to be a Healthier Caregiver : This is an excellent checklist that gives caregivers easy strategies for improving their own health. 44. Life Without Memories : This page was created to help support Alzheimer’s patient caregivers and spread news about research developments. 45. Caregiver Relief : Donahue Vanderhider is a gerontologist who specializes in helping caregivers manage stress. 46. bigtreemurphy.com : Beverly Bigtree Murphy, author of he used to be Somebody, provides amazing resources for people who wish to take care of an Alzheimer’s patient at home. She cared for her husband for 14 years after his diagnosis. 47. Caring for a Person with Alzheimer’s Disease: Your Easy-to-Use Guide from the National Institute on Aging. : 48. Dementia, Caregiving and Controlling Frustration. : This page has a great article about dealing with the frustration that so many caregivers face. 49. CareGiverUnderGround : Linda has taken her experiences as a caregiver as well as good outside resources and put them all together in this original blog. It’s designed to give caregivers support and inspiration. 50. KnowItAlz : KnowItAlz, an online community just for Alzheimer’s caregivers, provides a wealth of resources and support.

This guest article comes courtesy of Rachel Davis at Radiology Degree.com