Reality of Alzheimer’s Alzheimer's is described as a type of dementia that causes problems with memory, thinking and behavior. Victims lose the whole essence of who they are and slowly deteriorate while remaining powerless, as do their loved ones. Tragically more than 5.3 million people fall victim to Alzheimer's disease and it is the 6th leading cause of death in the United States (alz.org). Yet, it still cannot be cured, slowed, or prevented. The disease is often seen as a result of old age and not taken seriously. Typically, by the time the victim is diagnosed, the disease has already progressed beyond return. Learning about this incurable disease, that is too often brushed aside, is extremely important. Alzheimer's disease is found at …show more content…
Then when she begins to get unusually forgetful, she is diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's. Alice takes the news very hard as does her family. They all have different methods of coping. Her husband, John is in denial, and some of her kids begin to treat her only as a victim. While Lydia, her daughter, takes action and treats Alice like person not a patient. Alice used to believe she only had worth in her academic career, so she has to repair relationships with her family and find her pace in this new world. Alice has to reevaluate her life while clinging to be the person she used to be. At one point, Alice plans and unsuccessfully attempts suicide. She eventually learns to live in the moment, because that is all she can do. This novel captures the tragic reality of Alzheimer's disease and its effects on the victim and those around them. The author uses gives the characters a huge role in presenting the social issue. The novel is told in Alice’s perspective, so the readers get to see an authentic representation of the disease from the one most affected by it. Alice is fairly young, 50 years old, and has a career requiring mental sharpness. The diagnosis is devastating to her, and she begins to