Do all "old" people get Alzheimer's disease?
The answer is an emphatic NO. Alzheimer's disease is not a stage of normal ageing. The majority of people will never get Alzheimer's. About 1 in 10 people over the age of 65 may be afflicted, and this incidence increases to about 25-30% of people over the age of 80

Is there a cure for Alzheimer's disease?
No. This is a terminal disease. There are no drugs or therapies to halt the progression of the disease, or reverse the damage done. At best, there are both drugs and non-drug therapies to help manage the behavioural changes associated with this disease.

How long does a person with Alzheimer's disease live?
This is impossible to predict. The symptoms, severity and rate of progression of this disease varies from person to person. An individual may live up to 20 years or more from the time of diagnosis. On average it appears to be about 10 years.

What is the difference between Alzheimer's disease and Senility?
In the past "going a bit senile" was the term used to describe odd and changing behaviours in some older people. There was little recognition, even amongst the medical profession, of Alzheimer's disease and its associated behaviour changes. The physical nature of the disease was not well understood, and it was often thought that people with the disease were being intentionally difficult and obstructive. The term "senile" is rarely used nowadays. It is now known that the people who would once have been labeled as senile, are afflicted with a disease over which they have no control.

What is the difference between Alzheimer's disease and Dementia?
Dementia is an umbrella term describing a group of symptoms occurring together (10 warning signs). These symptoms may be due to Alzheimer's disease which is the most common cause of dementia. They might also be due to other conditions some of which are treatable, which is why a thorough medical assessment is essential.

Is it hereditary?
Alzheimer's mostly affects older people over the age of 65 years. The common scenario is where one member of a family is affected with the disease late in life. This is known as sporadic incidence of Alzheimer's disease and does not run in families. Other members of a family are at no greater risk of developing the disease if an elderly relative is diagnosed with Alzheimer's.

Although rare, Alzheimer's disease can occur in people in their 30's, 40's & 50's. This is referred to as Early Onset Dementia and accounts for less than 10% of all cases of Alzheimer's disease. Scientists believe Early Onset Dementia is genetically transferred across the generations of some families, or in other words, is hereditary. It is this variation of the disease (also called Familial Alzheimer's) which runs in families.

As an example, if one of your parents developed Alzheimer's disease in their 70's or later, you would have no greater chance of developing the disease than what is the normal incidence in the general community.

If however, if you have a parent or close relative who developed the disease while under 60 years of age, there is a greater chance of other family members developing the disease in their younger years as well.

In summary, Alzheimer's disease, in rare cases, can be hereditary. When it does run in families it affects mostly younger members of the family ie those under the age of 65.

What is a Geriatrician?
A medical doctor specialising in the diagnosis and treatment of disorders that occur in old age, and with the care of the aged.

What is a Psychogeriatrician?
A psychiatrist who specialises in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of mental disorders occurring in the aged.

What is a Psychiatrist?
A medical doctor who specialises in the study, treatment and prevention of mental disorders.

What is a Gerontologist?
A scientist who studies the changes in the mind and body that accompany ageing and the problems associated with them

What is a Psychologist?
A person engaged in the scientific study of the mind, mental processes and behaviour. They are not medical doctors and are not qualified to prescribe drugs.

What is a Neurologist?
A scientist who specialises in the study of the structure, functioning and diseases of the nervous system.

What is ACAT?
Aged Care Assessment Team. A multi-disciplinary team of health care workers who assess people in their own home to determine the level of assistance the aged person needs to remain living there independently. The team are also responsible for assessing people for admission into nursing homes. The team is comprised of a nurse, social worker, occupational therapist and physiotherapist. ACAT's are attached to major hospitals.