Good communication can decrease or even prevent many behavior problems. The number one tip to remember is to treat your loved one as an adult. An individual with a disease, not a diseased individual. He has an entire history of life that stays with him throughout this journey. He will continue to have many of the same characteristics he had before.

You can get a list of private duty agencies to provide in-home care or a list can be obtained from your Area Agency on Aging, Department on Aging, Social and Rehabilitation Services, or Alzheimer's Association. These agencies provide you with the people you need. They have sitters, homemakers and aides who all perform specific duties. If a nurse or skilled care is what you need, a home care agency provides that.

One of the Veteran Administration's best-kept secrets, which is an excellent potential source of funds for long-term care (either at home or in an assisted living facility) are veteran's benefits for a non-service connected disability. Most VA benefits and pensions are based on a disability which was incurred during a veteran's wartime service.

There is another benefit, however - a pension program - available for individuals who are disabled due to the issues of old age, such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, multiple sclerosis, and other physical disabilities.