Entire families affected by Alzheimer's

GREENVILLE, N.C. - It's said Alzheimer’s is a family disease, in that although one person is diagnosed, the entire family is affected.

In continuing our Understanding Alzheimer’s week, today you'll find out that the family affected doesn't just mean relatives.

For the doctors and nurses at the Monks Geriatric Center in Greenville, Alzheimer’ Disease is something they see in about 50% of their patients.

“Dealing with Alzheimer’s patients can be very challenging.  They often times don't remember things from one moment to the next,” said Lynne Wardle, RN.

“It's a chronic disease that progresses over time and it's painful to watch as your loved ones slip away.  We try to prepare families for that,” said Dr. Kenneth Steinweg, Geriatric Physician.

While that may be difficult to deal with, the nature of the disease brings closeness.

“You get attached to these patients because Alzheimer’s is a chronic disease.  Most patients live anywhere between 4 and 8 years after diagnosis and each time you see the patient there is a little bit less there.  And it is sad and it is sad as they lose their ability to communicate because it gets harder and harder to connect with them,” said Stanley Oakley, Prof. of Psychiatric Medicine, Brody School of Medicine at ECU.

“Sometimes it is ok to be emotional in front of the patient and the family because to them that lets them know that you are human and you care,” said Wardle.

For Pharmacist Dr. Ann Marie Nye, Alzheimer’s was literally a family affair with 2 grandparents having the disease. She said that's one of the reasons she works in geriatrics, “It was part of it and also I saw very complex medication regiments that had quite a bit of room for improvement.  It's not unusual for someone to be on 15 meds.  It can be difficult to manage.”

Those in the medical community are not the only ones directly involved with Alzheimer’s patients and their families.

Anne Paugh of Alzheimer’s North Carolina is often a go between for families.

She helps them with everything, from literature on Alzheimer’s, to workshops on the disease, to support groups and even legal services.

For her too the disease is personal. Her grandfather and mother died from Alzheimer’s.

“It is something I am passionate about because I do understand and can empathize with families in what they are going through, probably in a much deeper level now than say I could 12 years ago when I was working with families,” said Anne Paugh, Alzheimer’s North Carolina.

Anne feels her understanding goes a long way to help others heal.

“One of the things that I find is when I am meeting with these families and I am just talking to them, as soon as I mention I took care of a mother with it, they just really open up and they understand what they’re saying,” said Paugh.

Being there for the worst of times is why these folks wouldn't trade their jobs for the world.

“The part that I find most rewarding to geriatrics Alzheimer’s patients is that you helped make their life and end of life the best it could be for them and their family,” said Steinweg.

All of those 9 On Your Side spoke with were very humble and tell me that the disease is much harder on the families than it is to them.

They say the family members taking care of the Alzheimer’s patient are the true heroes.