Alzheimer's: What will a new year bring?

As 2010 dawns, millions of families who have loved ones with Alzheimer's, dementia or memory loss have to wonder: What will the new year bring for mom, dad, spouses, siblings, friends …

What will it bring for any of us?

Nobody knows. But with something as complicated as Alzheimer's, you can't predict 12 minutes from now, let alone 12 months.

However, families can be sadly assured that they'll discover a lot of rude awakenings as the disease progresses. One of the biggies is what their insurance and Medicare will and will NOT cover, specifically for Alzheimer's medications, assisted living and skilled nursing care. It's brutal to hear again and again, "Sorry, not covered."

That's one of many reasons why those families that are still in denial about the facts of this disease and how it's affecting them may actually need some rude awakenings … so that they can confront this challenge with open eyes. I don't say that to be cruel, rather to educate those who don't fully comprehend the unpredictability of Alzheimer's.

Commit to memory today the need to remember tomorrow.