The youngest known diagnosis of Alzheimer’s was age 28.  While it is very rare to develop the disease this young, what’s considered Young Onset (also called Early Onset) Alzheimer’s is when someone develops the disease before the age of 65.  It is estimated that only about 5% of the approximately 5 million Alzheimer’s disease cases were diagnosed under age 65.

Alois Alzheimer was credited with identifying the disease first, and that case was a woman who was 51 years old.  The youngest I have ever known personally was age 54 when I met her, though she had been diagnosed a few years earlier.  I personally have worked with many people in their 50’s and 60’s with Alzheimer’s disease or a related dementia – and remember, dementia isn’t always Alzheimer’s disease.  Sometimes it’s caused by Huntington’s, Frontotemporal Lobe damage, or Lewy Body Disease, which are all often mistaken as Alzheimer’s, though doctors are now pretty adept at identifying the differences and not just lumping them into the Alzheimer’s category.

I like to focus on helping caregivers enjoy the time they have with their loved ones who have the disease and protect their assets so they live the rest of their lives with dignity.  We can’t spend our lives worrying about what might happen, but we do have the choice to respond positively when something like this does happen. However, it is quite important to physicians, as there are differing medications that can make a significant impact in a person’s medical treatment.  What is very important is to know that a person with Alzheimer’s is still a person, and you can still have a relationship with them regardless of their age or disability.  In addition, it is very important as a concerned party that you take care of yourself - and one of the best ways to do that is to get involved in a caregiver support group. If you’re looking for a support group, give my office a call at (800) 939-9093… we can help get you in touch with the right people to take care of yourself.

Also, check out our “Alzheimer’s Resource Center”  great information and better yet it is FREE to you or anyone else. Just click this link www.DallasMemoryLawyer.com put in you name and e-mail address in order to get instant access to this tremendous resource for caregivers, both professional and family.

It will help give a better understanding of how to better care for your loved one.

You can also go to www.TexasElderLawAttorney.com for additional information.  Should you have any questions please give us a call at 1-800-939-9093.