Learning Journal 18

I recently checked out and have been reading through a book entitled "Alzheimer's Disease: Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Care." I have come across a lot of information in my research about Alzheimer's disease, and about the neurobiology of it all, which as fascinating as that is, does not necessarily apply to my project. However, the last few chapters in this book deal with the social and behavioral aspects of Alzheimer's and how families deal with it. I have found this to be much more helpful in my preparation for my project as it gives ideas as to how care can best be applied to patients. This will give me a reference point for my studies in Tonga.

According to this book, Alzheimer's has many "deleterious effects of the family memebrs of patients. As the patients deteriorate, they become less and less aware of their disabilities. Families continue to suffer the effects fo the illness....and as many as 80% of caregivers of dementia patients have been reported to be suffering from chronic fatigue, depression, or anger." (Khachaturian 278). This information is relevant because it will allow me to witness how the family members/caregivers are getting along with the disease. I will most likely use just participant observation with possible gentle questions to determine this.

Something that has occured to me, however, is that there is a possiblity that finding Alzheimer's patients may be difficult of the islands as they may be scarce or the disease may have gone undetected. If I make it to Tonga and fail miserably at finding any person or persons with Alzheimer's, I have decided that I will do a similar study only in how Tongan families care for the elderly instead. As I am sure that old people do exist in Tonga.