7 of the Best Books on Alzheimer's Disease

Written by Josh Horsman

1. Mayo Clinic Guide to Alzheimer’s Disease: The Essential Resource for Treatment, Coping and Caregiving
From world-renowned academic medical center the Mayo Clinic, this book is a comprehensive resource for caregivers and medical staff. It explains the effects Alzheimer’s has on the brain in plain and simple terms that can be understood easily by non medical professionals. There is also an exhaustive list of signs, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment options. The book provides practical advice on caregiving, patient safety, behavior management and treatment.

2. The Forgetting: Alzheimer’s: Portrait of an Epidemic - David Shenk
Written by journalist David Shenk, this book traces the history of Alzheimer’s Disease starting from the earliest identification right up to the present day. Through this chronological view, it’s easy to understand how far we’ve come in terms of understanding identifying and treating Alzheimer’s, but also how much room remains for researching new ways to treat the condition.

3. The 36-Hour Day: A Family Guide to Caring for People Who Have Alzheimer Disease, Related Dementias, and Memory Loss - Nancy Mace
The 36-hour day is now in its 6th edition and has been called an essential guide for caregivers and family members of those living with Alzheimer’s. These people face numerous challenges in their daily lives and this guide provides practical tips for caregivers on helping them to overcome these. Simultaneously, the guide also provides advice for caregivers and family members in supporting their own emotional needs, recognising the daily toll Alzheimer’s takes on the caregiver as well as the patient.

4. The Alzheimer’s Action Plan -  P. Murali Doraiswamy, Lisa P. Gwyther, Tina Adler
Combining the knowledge of a world-leading physician and a social worker, this book is described as taking a “clear, compassionate and empowering” approach to providing all the essential information for Alzheimer’s patients and caregivers. Covering everything from how to be sure of a diagnosis, to treatment options, clinical trials and dealing with the  psychological effects, this book has practical and reassuring advice that should prove exactly what you need to read at such a difficult time. If you have a question about life with Alzheimer’s, chances are the answer is in this book.

5. The Alzheimer's Prevention Food Guide: A Quick Nutritional Reference to Foods That Nourish and Protect the Brain From Alzheimer's Disease - Sue Stillman Linja, Seanne Safaii-Waite
This nutritional guide offers a preventative approach to Alzheimer’s Disease. Building on cutting-edge research into the links between diet and health, the book reveals the healthiest foods from around the world that can boost your brain. As well as explaining the nutritional science, it also provides welcome practical advice in the form of meal plans to help you build a brain healthy diet and significantly reduce your risk of Dementia in later life. Definitely a must-have companion for your cooking.

6. Surviving Alzheimer's: Practical Tips and Soul-Saving Wisdom for Caregivers - Paula Spencer Scott
Paula Spencer Scott’s own personal experiences of Dementia in her family inspired her to write this inspirational guide to caring for a loved-one with Alzheimer’s. Spencer Scott compiles the wisdom and expertise of 12 top dementia therapists, doctors, and caregiving experts to provide a tremendously insightful resource for caregivers. It contains practical tips, advice and answers on just about any aspect of Alzheimer's care, form understanding the ‘language of Alzheimer’s to dealing with personality changes and even diffusing the tension Alzheimer’s can cause between family members.

7. Alzheimer's Disease Decoded: The History, Present, And Future Of Alzheimer's Disease And Dementia - Ronald Sahyouni, Jefferson Chen, Aradhana Verma
Rather than focussing caregiving or living with Alzheimer’s, as most books in the category do, this book instead presents a purely scientific look at the disease. It takes a global approach, looking at the prevalence of Alzheimer’s globally and providing a fantastic depth of insightful supporting data. As the title suggests, the book also discusses the future of Alzheimer’s, discussing up-to-date cutting-edge research and pioneering techniques which could shape the future treatment and care of those living with Alzheimer’s. The book’s scientific approach means it will appeal to anyone looking to gain a greater insight into one of the modern world’s most significant global health challenges. It is also a great read for those living with Alzheimer’s and caregivers who want to better understand what is going on in their brains.