My loved one has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's, Now What?

Your loved one has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, and as it sinks in you wonder “Now what?” There’s shock and disbelief; and tears, but you must pull yourself together. Because there are actions you’ll need to take to as soon as possible that will make life easier for both you and your loved one.

1. Get a second opinion because doctors have been wrong before. So, first ask which doctor made the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s? Was it a specialist or the primary physician? Also, was your senior loved one seen by a neurologist? Was there a MRI taken? A second opinion may or may not change things, but with a second opinion, you’ll be sure of what you’re dealing with.
2. Read everything you can about dementia and Alzheimer’s. There are more than 86 different types of dementia that can be diagnosed and a lot of people will have more than one type. Depending upon what type is diagnosed, it will affect memory, behaviors, life span and the medications of the person who you’re taking care of also. Additionally, dementia doesn’t mean that the person will be passing away anytime soon. Depending upon the diagnosis, a person can live 1-25 years with memory loss. Furthermore, before a person succumbs to dementia, that person may very well later have some other life threatening disease happening first that is unrelated.
3. Call up the family and have a family meeting. This is when you should explain to the family about the diagnosis and what to expect. It’s also a good time to decided what needs to be done and how everyone needs to go about it and who’s going to help with care. In addition, by being prepared and realistic, you’ll know better which people you can depend upon and who you won’t be able to. Plus, it will save a lot of frustration, hard feelings and anger in the long run if you listen to the why’s of the person who can’t help the way that you want, which may be very reasonable, before building up expectations.
4. Gather all the financial facts together so that there aren’t any surprises. Otherwise you may not know if the family home has a mortgage on it or if it’s free and clear. Because if you’re planning on using the home’s equity as backup if things get too bad, you don’t want to be caught unawares. Also, acquire bank information, any PIN numbers, login info or passwords that may be needed. Check for insurance policies, pension plans, see if there are any stocks or bonds, annuities or mutual funds that may eventually need to be accessed. Additionally, check to see if there is a safety deposit box or boxes, at the bank that your loved one uses.
5. Check the health insurance plan to see if the policy will cover your senior’s medical needs. Go over the prescription drug plan to see what it covers because you may need to take out a supplemental policy or file for Medicare or Medicaid. Also, read over the insurance plan to see what it will cover if your loved one must be hospitalized or needs to be placed in a rehab facility. In addition, seeing what the facility is like before it’s needed is a good idea.
6. Put all the legal documents which are going to be needed in one accessible place. This would include a living will and the durable power of attorney. Legal documents need to be reviewed every three years to make sure that they are still viable also. Plus, it’s a good idea to appoint a healthcare surrogate.
7. Know that treatment in the early stages with the new drugs available may add years of time to the length of mental acumen of your loved one depending upon the diagnosis.

 By facing what the future will bring realistically without just jumping into the dark, this is the best way to prepare for it.