Product Description

Alzheimer's has struck more than 4 million of the nation's elderly and is the most common form of mental degeneration. In Tangled Minds, Dr. Muriel R. Gillick convincingly demonstrates that confusion and loss of memory resulting from Alzheimer's, or in any form, is a disease known as dementia, and not an inevitable part of aging. Tangled Minds provides a comprehensive overview of dementia, its history, the politics of its fight for recognition, the research being done to discover its causes, and the treatments now being used to alleviate its symptoms. Weaving these details around the story of one Alzheimer's patient, Gillick provides both a human interest story and an analytical study. Clearly describing medical details while fully capturing the pain of dementia with compassionate insight, Tangled Minds is an invaluable resource for family, friends, caregivers, and professionals dealing with Alzheimer's and similar disorders.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #770577 in Books
• Published on: 1999-04-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 288 pages

From Publishers Weekly
Gillick, an associate director of the Geriatrics Fellowship Program at Harvard Medical School, began this study convinced that to be diagnosed with Alzheimer's was one of the worst things that could happen to you. Yet as a result of her extensive research into dementia, of which Alzheimer's is the most common manifestation, she now concludes that those with mild or moderate dementia can lead acceptable lives, although the illness results in eventual intellectual deterioration. By describing the progression of Alzheimer's through the case study of a composite patient and her family, which she interweaves with an informed discussion of the science, history and politics of dementia, Gillick points out mistaken public assumptions about the condition. According to the author, although ongoing research should continue, a cure is not imminent, and the elderly cannot prevent dementia just by keeping active and eating right. Gillick believes that to develop a humane and responsible public policy, society must accept the reality that a large number of the very old will experience dementia.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal
Unlike many popular books on Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia, this is not a how-to guide for caregivers. Gillick, a practicing physician and expert gerontologist, brings together two distinct sides of the dementia story. The first side, the toll on the victim and his or her family, is recounted through the representative experiences of an elderly woman diagnosed with Alzheimer's. The second side concerns the science, history, politics, and image of dementia in the United States. These two sides combine to create a compelling narrative with factual information. Although this book will be of special interest to those affected by dementia, it is designed to inform all members of society. The appendix of resources, notes, and references provide opportunity for further exploration of the topic. Recommended for consumer health collections and public libraries that already hold a how-to guide for dementia caregivers.?Aida Marissa Smith, Loma Linda Univ. Lib., CA
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Kirkus Reviews
An instructive, consciousness-raising look at Alzheimer's that not only makes painfully clear what it does to an individual and a family, but also clarifies how politics and cultural attitudes are intertwined with Alzheimer's research. To put a human face on her story, Gillick (Harvard Medical School) has created a composite patient, Sylvia Truman, from among the many she has known in her clinical practice in geriatric medicine. Sylvia is first brought to Gillick by her daughter, son, and daughter-in-law because of their concern about problems she is having with memory. The odd-numbered chapters chronicle Sylvia's downward spiral as she gradually loses her competence and independence. While telling Sylvia's story, Gillick shows a supportive family making tough decisions about tests, medications, and living arrangements. Adult day-care centers, assisted living, and nursing homes are imperfect at best, and the story of Sylvia's decline and her family's suffering is not a pretty one. In the in-between chapters, Gillick provides a historical perspective by describing changing attitudes toward and scientific theories about aging and senility, and research into Alzheimer's and other dementias. With the creation of the National Institute of Aging at the NIH in 1975, research into Alzheimer's moved into high gear, and owing largely to the lay advocacy movement led by the Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders Organization (now the Alzheimer's Association), the illness rapidly became a national concern. Gillick emphasizes, however, that the scientific goal of understanding a disease is quite different from the clinical goal of treating people and that neither a cure nor effective treatment yet exists; until that cure comes, we must learn to accept people with dementia just as we accept those with physical disabilities. While this frank and discerning book will be especially illuminating to families already beginning to cope with Alzheimer's, Gillick speaks to a much larger audience, for as her closing words warn, we are all at risk. -- Copyright ©1998, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Customer Reviews

a combined personal and professional review of Alzheimer's
I picked up this book while browzing the bookstore in an effort to make sense of the behavior my family was seeing in my 87 year old mother who had had a stroke (right brain) in 12/97. Having been told that she was suffering from "vascular dementia", I proceeded to investigate what that really meant. Even my son, a physician, was not really clear on how that differed from Alzheimer's. Dr. Gillick's book outlines a typical course of dementia, from early to late stage using a fictional composite patient drawn from her medical experience. She interstices this story with factual material on legal, political, medical research, and cost issues. I have recommended this book to friends and colleagues interested in aging, particularly related to brain assaults. There is much good material in this book even if the patient is not a diagnosed Alzheimer's sufferer.

good information but difficult format
While I found the content of the information accurate the format of the author praising their own good decision making was tedious. I purchased the book expecting a more straight forward approach to the material and soon put the book down for others including "The 36-Hour Day" which was a better fit for my needs.