Customer Reviews

The Alzheimer's Project

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My parents are in their 90s and we just assumed when they were in their 80s that senility/dementia was just something that came along with the territory of advanced age. The five years between 85 and 90 were the most painful years of all our lives. We had no information on Altzheimers, no specialty doctors (like geriatric medicine), no housing facilities that would take both of them -- after 70 years of marriage they refused to be separated. We tried to get caregivers 24/7 but could only get untrained babysitters. And it cost a fortune. Then we viewed this wonderful documentary.

We learned a thousand things about the disease that we didn't know before. We learned what medications there are to slow down the disease. We learned that age is only one marker of the disease, as is heredity. The vignettes of the patients and families and doctors and caregivers are touching. They give the general audience an idea of what these people are going through. More important, though, is what the documentary tells us about our future as we age. Every man, woman, and adolescent ought to see this film to understand 1) what is happening to their dear ones and 2) the liklihood of your getting the disease.
As the documentary states, the brain is a muscle that can put out more neurons if it is oxygenated (exercise, exercise) and if one's lifestyle is sedentary, the brain atrophies.
Please watch this, and tell eveyone you know about it.

I work with the elderly. This DVD collection was shown on HBO, I watched it and was so taken with the contents that I purchased it so that everyone at work could view it. Understanding Alzheimer's is very important to everyone, not just health care workers. This collection helps others to understand what the person affected is going through and what you can do to help. My husbands grandfather suffered from this disease for 7 years until his death. After watching the DVD's my husband now understands what was really happening. He stated that he wished he could have seen this when his grandfather was in the early stages to help prepare for what was happening and how he could have helped more.

My maternal grandparents both died having "dimentia". We now suspect that it was Alzheimer's. Three of their daughters later died of Alzheimer's. One of those daughters was my mother. I have been an active advocate for Alzheimer's research for 10 years.
Before Ronald Regan announced that he had the disease, no one talked about it, and certainly did not advocate research. I have seen the awareness grow over the years, but this particular series is the absolute best I have seen rearding Alzheimer's and the devestation it brings to families. I only wish that all major networks would play these tapes all in the same time frame (like the presidential speaches) so that more people will be truely aware of this horrible disease. We all are likely to get it eventually as we are living longer and longer. What a blessing it would be to humanity to eradicate Alzheimer's.
Huge kudos to Maria Shriver and the Alzheimer's Association for this wonderful film.

Though I've yet to officially add this DVD set to my home library, having watched the series numerous times on television, I assure any potential Amazon shopper this is a worthy investment. Each installment is captivating and interesting and heart-breaking in its own right, and so masterfully composed! I didn't have much knowledge of or exposure to the disease prior to my initial encounter with the documentary but was moved to tears by each individual story. Every segment represents a different stage of this vicious illness, from diagnosis to death, and--apart from disturbing the viewer with how rapidly the mind and body can deteriorate--provides candid and nuanced views into the lives of those who could just as easily be our friends and/or family. We also learn there is hope. Great strides are being taken to address a medical issue many Americans fear. I think sharing this series and the stories within it can only help to inform an otherwise unaware society, teach compassion and empathy as well as remind us to cherish every moment we have with those we love. We owe it to those victims of Alzeihers to take full advantage of the life we have while we can. Beautiful and relevant. A must see!

I saw the original on HBO and as a medical educator I purchased it to show segments to medical students and residents. The first sections on The Memory Loss Tapes and Caregiver Stress is touching and clearly shows the progression of the disease and impact on the family. The last disc includes the latest evidence-based science which is very interesting and is explained in ways the general public can understand. This is a very professionally done and well formatted DVD. Healthcare educators of all disciplines will benefit from seeing and discussing this program.

I saw this documentary on HBO and had to purchase it, 2 copies actually, one for my nursing assistant class and one for me. Most of us will have our lives touched in some way by this horrible illness, and education and research will help us all learn how to cope, and to have hope that some day a cure will be found. This dvd set is just amazing and I would recommend it to everyone, especially for relatives and caregivers of Alzheimer's patients.

As a "child" of Alzheimer's - my father and all of his siblings died of the complications of Alzheimer's - and an Alzheimer's Caregiver Support Group,leader I have found this series, which I was able to preview at NIH, before it's release, is an importnat educational experience for anyone who is/may be dealing with the Alzheimer's world. I ordered two copies and will be sharing them with the members of our Support Group.

I conduct a family council meeting at the local veterans home. For the last meeting we started watching the DVDs and they are great. My family members are impressed with the way the film is done on a "normal" level where they can relate to it.

This is an amazing video - shows the reality of the disease. This so needs to be shown to everyone, so that the reality of the what happens can be realized and people will join to advocate, fundraise and work for the cure.

I saw this on HBO. I was very impress on the mini series. I work for a senior citizens organization and I would highly recommend anyone caring for Alzheimer patients or know someone who is.