- With Mayo Clinic health education outreach coordinator
Angela Lunde
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Angela Lunde
Angela Lunde is a dementia education specialist in the education core of Mayo Clinic's Alzheimer's Disease Research Center at the Abigail Van Buren Alzheimer's Disease Research Clinic in Rochester, Minn.
Angela Lunde
The transfer of information about dementias, as well as understanding the need for participation in clinical trials, is an essential component of the education core.
Angela is a member of the Alzheimer's Association board of directors and co-chair of the annual Minnesota Dementia Conference. She is a member of the Dementia Behavior Assessment and Response Team (D-BART), a multidisciplinary outreach service assisting professional and family caregivers in understanding and managing difficult behaviors often present in dementia. She facilitates several support groups, including Memory Club, an early-stage education and support series, and more recently, helped to develop and now deliver Healthy Action to Benefit Independence and Thinking (HABIT), a 10-day cognitive rehab and wellness program for people with mild cognitive impairment.
Angela takes a personal interest in understanding the complex changes that take place within relationships and among families when dementia is present. She is particularly interested in providing innovative and accessible ways for people with dementia and their families to receive information and participate in valuable programs that promote well-being.
"Amid a devastating disease, there are tools, therapies, programs and ways to cope, and it is vital that families are connected to these resources," she says.
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Alzheimer's blog
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Feb. 12, 2008
Early-onset Alzheimer's: There is help
By Angela Lunde
Recently, there has been some discussion about early-onset Alzheimer's disease. Having early-onset Alzheimer's disease means that symptoms develop before the age of 65. Of all the people with Alzheimer's disease, only 5 percent to 10 percent develop symptoms before age 65.
Early-onset Alzheimer's has been known to develop between ages 30 and 40, but that's exceedingly rare. It is more common to see someone in their 50s who has the disease. I have had the opportunity to meet many individuals with early-onset Alzheimer's disease and their care partners. Their stories are different than those who have symptoms in their 70, 80 and 90's.
Often persons with early-onset Alzheimer's disease are actively in the work force at the time of their diagnosis, in fact, it is often 'on the job' where clues surface that something is wrong. Those impacted with early Alzheimer's disease and their care partners may experience financial challenges, changes in their relationship, as well as isolation from friends and activities. They may still have children living at home and face an uncertain future.
Yet, for those recently diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's disease, there is life after a diagnosis! With a diagnosis of early-onset Alzheimer's there is now some peace of mind in knowing the cause of the changes in thinking and performance.
There are medications that can slow the progression, information is available from groups such as the Alzheimer's Association (check out Safe Return) and there are support groups across the country for persons with the disease and their care partners.
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