Is It Alzheimer's?

A renowned medical expert answers your most pressing questions about memory loss, causes of dementia, diagnosis, prevention, treatment, and more.

Has someone in your family been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease—or are you worried about developing dementia yourself? In this revised second edition of Is It Alzheimer's?, medical expert Dr. Peter V. Rabins educates both new and current readers with updated answers to often-asked questions about memory loss and dementia.

Written in a conversational, accessible Q&A style, the book is organized into seven unique sections. This new edition includes improved methods of diagnosis and new therapies and pharmaceutical options. A companion to the best-selling The 36-Hour Day, which Dr. Rabins coauthored, this book discusses:

• how to distinguish aging-associated memory difficulties from mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and early dementia
• how mild cognitive impairment and dementia are diagnosed
• what tests are needed to be eligible for recently approved anti-Alzheimer's drugs
• what factors influence the progression of dementia
• whether it's possible to lower your risk of developing Alzheimer's disease or dementia
• how to improve the quality of life of people with dementia
• how to assess long-term care facilities and nursing homes
• available treatments, including medication
• how to explain the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease and dementia to others
• how to provide caregivers with psychological and emotional support
• and much more

Aimed at people worried about their memory, as well as friends and family members of the estimated 5.1 million US adults with dementia, the book offers helpful directions and comfort. Is It Alzheimer's? is a quick, accessible, and essential reference for anyone navigating the confusion of memory loss.

Peter V. Rabins, MD, MPH, is professor emeritus in the Departments of Psychiatry and Medicine at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. The author of Is It Alzheimer's? 101 Answers to Your Most Pressing Questions about Memory Loss and Dementia and coauthor of The 36-Hour Day: A Family Guide to Caring for People Who Have Alzheimer Disease and Other Dementias, he was the founding director of the Division of Geriatric Psychiatry and Neuropsychiatry and the first holder of the Richman Family Professorship for Alzheimer's and Related Diseases.