From Library Journal
Nelson, James Lindemann & Hilde Lindemann Nelson. Alzheimer's: Answers to Hard Questions for Families. Doubleday. Nov. 1996. c.224p. ISBN 0-385-48533-6. $21.95. Cutler, the director of California Clinical Trials, and Sramek, its director of clinical research, provide a readable, straightforward guide to understanding Alzheimer's, which affects one in five older Americans. Their introductory chapters offer a detailed discussion of diagnostic procedures, various theories about causes, and a brief outline of normal brain functioning. While practical suggestions for caring for Alzheimer's patients make up the bulk of this book, ideas for communication techniques, daily routines, and legal and financial matters are also covered. The authors review current drug treatments, and their general description of how drugs and treatments are developed will be of interest to anyone who is considering participation in an experimental drug trial. Appendixes cover diagnostic criteria, drugs, videos, further reading, and resource organizations at the national and state levels. The Nelsons, who as members of the philosophy department of the University of Tennessee teach bioethics, concentrate on the stresses of decision-making by the spouse and/or children of an Alzheimer's patient no longer able to participate in the process. Unfortunately, their style is somewhat pedantic, and they are occasionally judgmental concerning the ethical questions facing the caregivers in their hypothetical scenarios. One wishes they had been less analytical and more sympathetic. Still, families may find that their dispassionate tone is just what is needed to help sort out the multitude of feelings generated by trying to decide what a loved one would have wanted. Of the two titles, Cutler and Sramek's is the preferable purchase for health collections because of its good overview of the disease and its inclusion of up-to-date treatments.?Jodith Janes, Cleveland Clinic Fdn., Lakewood, Ohio
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.
