Category: Richard Taylor

They Are Glad They Caught It Early: Am I?

An essay by Richard Taylor, Ph.D. I have talked with dozens of people in their 30s and 40s who have been diagnosed with early-onset (defined as anyone under the age 65 who is diagnosed), early-stage (the first of a three-stage description of the disease) Alzheimer’s disease. I was 58 when I was officially diagnosed. After hearing the diagnosis, I cried every day for three weeks. My neurologist told me that 95% of the people he diagnoses with Alzheimer’s are not ever tested. The patients, most of whom are in their mid-to-late 70s, would not be able…

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What Is It Like to Have Alzheimer’s Disease?

Retired psychologist Richard Taylor, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s at age 58. What is it like to drive your car from Houston to Anchorage? The answer depends on many things: the type of care you will drive, the age of the car, how well you maintained it, where you are in your trip, if others are helping you with the drive, if you have accepted the fact you must drive to Anchorage, whether or not you are afraid of arriving in Anchorage. What is it like to have Alzheimer’s? This, too, depends on many things: Do you have an existing group…

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