The 10 Best Questions for Living with Alzheimer's: The Script You Need to Take Control of Your Health »

Dede Bonner, Ph.D., a.k.a. ?the Question Doctor,? is on the graduate business faculties of The George Washington University and Curtin University in Perth, Western Australia.  She is an internationally acclaimed expert in questioning skills and money-saving ?Best Questions? for CEOs and other clients.  A former political analyst for the federal government, Dr. Bonner is the owner of the 10 Best Questions, LLC and New Century Management, Inc.   She has a doctorate of education in executive leadership.

A good mind knows the right answers...but a great mind knows the right questions. And never are the 10 Best Questions™ more important than after the life-altering diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease.

Drawing on cutting-edge research and advice given by experts from the Alzheimer's Association, Mayo Clinic, and UCLA's Memory Clinic and Center for Aging — as well as personal stories from caretakers, including television star and activist Linda Dano and nationally syndicated columnist Harriet Cole — The 10 Best Questions™ for Living with Alzheimer's is a guide you'll take with you to your doctor's office and keep close at hand as your loved one progresses from the initial diagnosis through all the stages of the disease. In addition to the medical questions, you'll also learn what you need to ask your spouse or parent; questions to assess home safety issues, driving skills, and home care; and how to care for your own emotional, legal, and financial health.

With a wealth of resources and up-to-the-minute information, The 10 Best Questions™ for Living with Alzheimer's shows you and your family how to move past a scary diagnosis and use the power of questions to become your own best health advocate — for yourself and for your loved one.

Acknowledgments vii

Foreword Dr. Roger A. Brumback xiii

Introduction 1

Part I Talking with Your Medical Team 5

The 10 Best Questions

1 About a Diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease 7

2 To Get a Reliable Referral for a Top Alzheimer's Specialist 20

3 To Find a Top Alzheimer's Specialist 29

4 About the Test Results for Alzheimer's Disease 38

5 To Ask When Getting Second Opinion 48

Part II Choosing Treatments 57

The 10 Best Questions

6 To Ask About Alzheimer's Drugs 59

7 For Brain Fitness 68

8 To Avoid Alternative Treatment Scams 77

9 Before Participating in a Clinical Trial 83

Part III Caring for the Person with Alzheimer's Disease 97

The 10 Best Questions

10 To Decide if Your Loved One Can Remain at Home 99

11 To Assess Home Safety for a Loved One with Alzheimer's Disease 112

12 To Decide, Should Mom Move In with Me? 123

13 To Find Quality Adult Day Care for Alzheimer's Patients 131

14 To Hire a Top Home Health Care Agency 142

15 To Choose a Long-Term Care Facility for an Alzheimer's Resident 152

16 To Recognize Elder Abuse 168

Part IV Caring for the Caregiver 177

The 10 Best Questions

17 For a Caregiver's Emotional Health 179

18 When One Spouse Has Alzheimer's Disease 189

19 For Long-Distance Caregivers-Does Dad Need Help? 198

20 Before Joining an Alzheimer's Support Group 208

21 The 10 Worst Questions to Ask People with Alzheimer's Disease 218

Part V Planning for the Future 225

The 10 Best Questions

22 For Deciding When to Retire from Driving 227

23 For a Caregiver's Financial Health 239

24 To Settle Legal Issues at the End of Life 250

25 For Choosing Quality Hospice Care 261

Conclusion: Living Well withAlzheimer's Disease 271

Resources 273

Meet the Experts 301

Index 307