Course Syllabus

Welcome to this introductory course on Alzheimer's disease.  As one of the most feared and misunderstood types of dementia affecting the elderly today, understanding Alzheimer's and how it affects the brain is important not only for every individual, but for those diagnosed with the disease, and their caregivers. In this course, students will learn about some of the risk factors and perceived causes of Alzheimer's disease.  Students will learn the most common warning signs of Alzheimer's and differentiating between Alzheimer's symptoms and normal aging processes.

By the end of this course, students will also understand how Alzheimer's disease is diagnosed and classified or staged, with differing symptoms affecting the lifestyle, environment and challenges placed on caregivers. Home safety and the security of loved ones is of primary importance for someone with Alzheimer's disease, and this course covers the basics of how you can adapt the home to create a safe environment for a loved one. Future considerations regarding care, legal and financial planning are also introduced in this course, as are tips and suggestions on dealing with certain behaviors common to Alzheimer's disease including anxiety, confusion and aggression.

No course on Alzheimer's would be complete without addressing caregivers.  Caregiving is an extremely rewarding experience, but may also precipitate a number of challenges and stress. Taking care of the caregivers, and different approaches and expectations of care based on culture will be discussed.

Knowing what to expect during the latter stages of the Alzheimer's disease process and suggestions of things to remember when providing care for someone diagnosed with Alzheimer's will round out this course.  We hope this course will alleviate some of the fear and uncertainty regarding Alzheimer's and provide guidance, understanding and suggestions for compassionate approaches to caregiving and support that you can offer to loved ones or friends diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.