Alzheimer’s Disease: Mitigating Educational Loopholes Perpetuated by Denial

Unlike numerous illnesses—from the sniffles to the deadliest of all cancers—that force affected individuals to confront symptoms, the unique nature of Alzheimer’s disease enables those affected to evade reality. Despite the emotional outlet that denial often provides, family caregivers and patients have a critical responsibility to actively educate themselves regarding the disease. Disease education, in order to be effective, must address the fundamental causes and prevalence of ignorance among families.

A vast amount of educational resources—a worldwide web, academic journals, magazines, newspapers, television, radio—lie at the fingertips of patients and family members, providing information to bolster their foundation of support. Often ignorant of the disease’s presence, however, family caregivers and patients remain passive in their initial search for information. By the time patients decide to address concerns regarding their health with a physician, tensions have often already extended roots throughout the family dynamic. Brushing denial aside, the mesh of loopholes within the disease’s extensive educational realm begins to emerge, exacerbated by inaccurate portrayals of the disease throughout popular media. Employing certain educational strategies can effectively minimize the impact of flaws in Alzheimer’s disease awareness. Although a medical cure for the disease currently lies out of our reach, patients and caregivers must continue to expect and demand the hope that a quality education offers.