Q. Many older people, noticing they have trouble remembering things, are petrified that they may be developing Alzheimer's. Are their fears warranted?
A. One of about every 20 patients I see at Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center could be described as an Alzheimer's-phobic. My rule of thumb is that the person who thinks he or she has Alzheimer's doesn't. Almost invariably, the Alzheimer's patient is brought in by a family member. Either the patient is not aware of the problem or just can't get it together to make an appointment with a doctor.
Q. But why do so many older people seem...
To continue reading:
or
Log-In
