Abstract
Despite recent breakthroughs in the field of Alzheimer's disease (AD) research, there remains no cure for this progressive, degenerative brain impairment, which has become "the disease of the next century." Given the fact that women are much more likely to be cast in the role of caregiver for a spouse or parent, more education about the disease is needed to equip these women with the tools that can reduce the burden that round-the-clock caregiving brings. Review of the literature reveals that very little research has examined the degree of awareness that women, and men, have about the full scope and magnitude of the caregiving experience. In the words of a caregiver whose husband of 16 years died after being afflicted with Alzheimer's for 14 of those years, "Little does one know what lies ahead when the diagnosis is 'probable Alzheimer's'—chilling words, to be sure." This article examines awareness in three groups of college students, many of whom, if present trends continue, will be future caregivers.