While studies on a potential cure for Alzheimer's are an important part of what we may hope for, my own concern is for where we are, where we're headed, and how much thought we should be giving to what might affect our own lives.... maybe not in age 40, 50 or 60, but a little later on. (in my own case , age 75). If married, how it affects ones' marriage, and if single, what kind of care and expense to expect for the future.
Please believe me.... it's real... Yes... heart attack cancer or accident can shorten a life in short order, or instantly, but the odds are that Dementia will be long term, and more common, and probable. Understanding what can happen in terms of years is quite important. In my own case... stage 4, a relatively slow onset has allowed a certain degree of normalcy, but digging in to the details seems to have helped.
For those who may be interested, this WebMD site describes the stages in some detail.
https://www.webmd.com/alzheimers/guide/alzheimers-disease-stages#1
Know that contracting Alzheimer's is not like being hit by lightning. It may be relatively short, as in a few years, but more commonly it takes much longer. Being prepared... as a patient or a caregiver, can ease the stress, and allow for more measured dealing with the disease. It can also help in understanding the cases of friends or relatives who are already personally involved.
Medicine is going to have to change. Probably in ways that we cannot yet imagine. Barring an unseen breakthrough, projections for the next 10 through 30 years will change, not only medicine, but the world wide economy.
.... so... not like the question of a looming recession, but a more complicated future that involves a lot more than money.
Lest this may seem a little bit unreal, or a minor part of your larger plan, having direct contact with stage 6 or 7 sufferers is a sobering experience. Being able to cope and to explain to others more about this can ease ones way through the future.
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On a more personal basis, I would add an uncommon side effect that is not well or usually discussed. It involves the loss of the sense of smell, and sense of taste. Over the past year or so, I have lost the desire for tasty foods, and while not a serious problem, has led jeanie and I to do less "eating out"... and few home made elaborate meals. No big deal, but part of a loss of social contacts, and new situations.
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And one more thing... re: medication. Perhaps the fastest moving part of the medical profession is coming in the form of studies of the effects of prescription drugs. Not just on a per-drug basis, but on the interactions of commonly prescribed drugs for all manner of ills. Going to the drug interaction sites, has been a little scary for me, as I see initial studies that seem to indicate that alone or in combination, more and more probabilities that increasing amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles, come from interactions.
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At another time... thoughts on preparing for the possibility of Alzheimer's or Dementia. Seeing symptoms and adjusting activities and lifestyle.