Alzheimer's disease is a chronic illness; its course may range from a few years up to 20 years. Symptoms are progressive, which means that each stage of the illness will require different levels of care. Moreover, each person is affected differently at each stage. In final stages, the person with Alzheimer's requires complete care - 24 hours a day, seven days a week. No single person can manage all this care all the time.

Fortunately, there is help. A vast network of social, medical and continuing-care services is available to help the person with Alzheimer's - and their caregiver(s) - get the best care possible at each step along this difficult journey. The important thing is to be able to access and use this network to best advantage.

In this section, we will help you understand the range of services and programs that are available to help make this journey less difficult. You will find information on: