Understanding Younger-Onset Alzheimer's Disease

2.0 Continuing Education Credit Hours

Category: 200 Intermediate Concepts

Nearly 5.4 million Americans are living with Alzheimer's disease. While most individuals are diagnosed after the age of 65, 4-10% have a form of the disease called Younger-Onset Alzheimer's disease (YOAD), also known as Early-Onset Alzheimer's. In this module you will learn about the prevalence, risk factors and symptoms of the disease, as well as the impact on individuals, families, caregivers and the support system.

Author

Allison Gibson, PhD, MSW

Allison Gibson, PhD, MSW completed her PhD at the Ohio State University’s College of Social Work.  Allison also received her MSW and BSW from The Ohio State University.  Her practice experience and scholarship focus on social work practice with Alzheimer’s families; coping strategies and resiliency, caregiving, and issues at end of life.

Allison has published in such journals as the American Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias and the Journal of Teaching in Social Work. She is a reviewer for the Journal for Social Work Education and the Journal of Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment. Allison has presented her work in a wide range of national and local forums. In 2012 she was recognized as one of the “100 Buckeyes You Should Know” by the OSU Alumni Association, and was selected as an Albert Schweitzer Fellow in 2011.  She is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Social Work at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, South Carolina.

Objectives

  1. Understand the disease, its prevalence, risk factors, and symptoms associated with younger-onset Alzheimer's disease.
  2. Understand how younger-onset Alzheimer's disease impacts individual and family relationships, roles, and supportive service needs.
  3. Explore the needs of caregivers for persons with younger-onset Alzheimer's disease.
  4. Discuss ways that we can help improve services and supports for individuals with younger-onset Alzheimer's disease and their family members.

Online Module

When completing the on-line module you will be presented with learning objectives, brief cases, questions for reflection (not scored), and interactive lessons with hyperlinks to engage you along the way. Once you complete the lessons, you will be presented with the Post Test (which requires a score of 100%) and then the Module Evaluation, followed by the opportunity to print your Continuing Education Certificate. Modules remain available for your future reference once you have completed them.