Next Steps for Social and Behavioral Research Related to Alzheimer's Disease

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Recent biological and genetic studies focused on the causes and treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD) have provided findings that are encouraging. These findings have raised the hopes of family members, as well as those of the research community, that the cause and/or treatment of AD will emerge in the near future. Despite these hopes, however, families and the research community acknowledge the reality that, for thousands, these discoveries will come too late. Even as they continue to hope, families must contend with the difficult tasks of caring for persons with AD. This care can be intensive, extensive, and exhausting. Because families deal with the day-to-day reality of caring for persons who are progressively deteriorating, there is a need to focus on the social and behavioral aspects of AD.