Book excerpt: If the word "Alzheimer's" has become part of your vocabulary, you're probably looking for answers. What can I expect? How do I deal with this disease? Hold on for a no-holds-barred look at what it's like to live day to day with Alzheimer's disease. Other books and Internet websites provide signs, symptoms, and checklists. The Real Alzheimer's tells it like it really is in 21 candid interviews with caregivers, family members, practitioners, and the patients themselves. These emotionally compelling true stories of ordinary people coping with the different facets of Alzheimer's disease cover a variety of situations: husbands or wives caring for their partners, children caring for their parents, and practitioners caring for their patients. You'll hear from a cross-section of society: high income and low, well-educated and street-wise. You'll witness the beginning, middle, late, and end stages of this devastating disease. You'll meet caregivers dealing with their struggles alone, those paying for in-home care, and those who have placed their loved one in a nursing home. With awareness comes understanding and acceptance. The Real Alzheimer's is filled with the often poignant, sometimes funny, occasionally earthy, and always thought-provoking experiences and advice of those who are personally dealing with Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia. Here you'll find an honest and heartfelt look at what to expect when the diagnosis of Alzheimer's becomes a reality, and the best way to handle the challenges that lie ahead.