2006 marks the 100th anniversary of one of the most defining moments in the history of Alzheimer’s disease. In 1906, Dr. Alois Alzheimer, a German physician who was conducting an autopsy on the brain of a woman in her 50’s who had shown severe memory, language and behavior problems, found and identified the plaques and tangles that characterize Alzheimer’s disease. Earlier scientists had observed similar markers of dementia, but the significance of Alzheimer’s findings led to the disease’s official naming — Alzheimer’s disease.

care ADvantage™ , a caregiver magazine published by the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America, commemorates this widely acknowledged turning point in the history of treating Alzheimer’s disease with a close look at self-discovery in the face of Alzheimer’s disease. The piece captures the voices of thoughtful and diverse individuals as they reflect on their experiences with Alzheimer’s disease.

What was it like to discover you had Alzheimer's disease?

I was angry, and I wanted to not have the disease. I didn’t understand Alzheimer’s, and I didn’t know what to do. I wasn’t necessarily afraid because I didn’t really know what was going to happen to me. After I few weeks, I decided to learn that I could work around it.

Peter Hebert

San Anselmo, CA

Age: 66

Diagnosed: March 2002

What do you find is the biggest challenge of having Alzheimer’s disease?

Withdrawal of my friends is probably the biggest challenge. I have a friend who I used to keep in contact with through email. We had been friends for 30 years. When I told him I had Alzheimer’s disease, he didn’t answer for several months. Finally, one day I sent him an email and told him, “It’s not catching, you know,” and he finally answered, stating that he simply did not know what to say.

Bill C.

Shafter, CA

Age: 70+

Diagnosed: 2001

What do you want others to know about individuals with Alzheimer's disease or about Alzheimer's disease in general?

I want people to know that because you have Alzheimer's or a dementia, you are not crazy or unstable. You don't have to be lying in a wet bed somewhere waiting to be fed to have this disease. The stigma and misconceptions of all of this must be recognized and removed. We are still people. We have thoughts and feelings. We still hurt, laugh and cry. We may forget, but we shouldn't be forgotten.

Tracy Mobley

Elkland, MO

Age: 41

Diagnosed: August 2002

To read more Voices of Alzheimer's Disease . . .

Read “100 Years Later: Voices of Alzheimer’s Disease" and find more infomation about the Alzheimer's Foundation of America.

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