4 steps to take after a diagnosis of early-stage Alzheimer's

Early-stage Alzheimer's disease refers to mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and mild dementia caused by Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s disease is a neurodegenerative disorder that causes damage to the brain and a loss of abilities related to memory, thinking, communication, and behavior.

With mild cognitive impairment (MCI), a person experiences changes in memory and thinking that are greater than normal compared to other people in their age group. A person may lose or misplace things, have difficulty finding a word, or forget appointments. However, these changes are not significant enough to affect a person’s daily functioning.

With mild dementia, changes to memory and thinking will interfere with daily functioning. However, people with mild dementia are often able to maintain independence with some help from loved ones.

A diagnosis of early-stage Alzheimer’s disease can feel overwhelming. If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with early-stage Alzheimer’s disease, below is an overview of four things to do in the months after a diagnosis.

Establish your healthcare team

Treatment for Alzheimer’s disease is often a collaborative effort that involves multiple healthcare providers with different specialties. Your healthcare team can include:

• Medical doctors who specialize in dementia treatment, such as a behavioral neurologist or a geriatric psychiatrist.
• Primary care providers, such as a geriatrician (and possibly a geriatrician that specializes in treating people with dementia).
• Specialists who treat coexisting conditions, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, or mental health conditions.
• Genetic counselors, who can provide information and guidance on the results of genetic tests used in diagnosis or to make treatment decisions about disease-modifying therapies.
• Social workers, who can help you navigate the healthcare system and access resources for people with Alzheimer’s disease and caregivers.
• Nurses, who play an essential role in care and patient education.

Learn about your treatment options

There is no cure for Alzheimer’s disease. For early-stage Alzheimer’s, medications called cholinesterase inhibitors are prescribed to help with symptoms related to memory and cognition. Disease-modifying therapies (anti-amyloid therapies) are a treatment option for some people.

Alzheimer’s treatment is also evolving, with new therapies under development. It’s worth your time to learn about what is under development and what the latest research has to say about managing this disorder.

Create consistency and routines

Mild cognitive impairment and mild dementia affect memory, thinking, concentration, and organization. Habits and routines can help you cope with these symptoms and make everyday tasks easier. Some strategies include:

• Write down things that you need to remember and keep a checklist of the things that have already been done
• Use calendars, alarms, and electronic reminders to help you keep appointments, take medications on time, and pay bills
• Declutter and organize your home and workspace to make things easier to find
• Follow a consistent schedule day to day and week to week
• Go to bed and wake up at the same time each day, aiming to get 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night (and talk to your healthcare provider if you are having trouble getting enough quality sleep).

Build your support network

It can be difficult to ask for help, but Alzheimer’s disease is not something you should face on your own—and social isolation is associated with faster disease progression. Spend time thinking about what you need and the different people in your life who can help you. Support can mean help with practical things, like transportation to an appointment or managing a monthly budget. Emotional support is also important—it helps to have a friend to talk to when trying to make an important decision, and when you need a break from thinking about your diagnosis.

People on your support team can include:

• Your loved ones and friends
• Support groups where you can talk to other people living with Alzheimer’s disease, who can be a source of emotional support and information
• A social worker, who can advise you on programs for support and resources for people with Alzheimer’s disease
• Your healthcare providers, who should know about anything that you are struggling with or anything that is affecting how you manage Alzheimer’s disease

Alzheimer’s disease is also a condition that progresses over time, and the type of support you will need will change over time. People with early-stage Alzheimer’s disease are also advised to make decisions related to finances, power of attorney, living will, and long-term medical care. These are other topics to discuss with your loved ones. A social worker can also be a valuable source of information.