Final Exodus
Your Life. Your Terms. Your Plan.
Final Exodus
Your Life. Your Terms. Your Plan.
Your Life. Your Terms. Your Plan.
Your Life. Your Terms. Your Plan.
“When memory begins to fade, the wishes we expressed while we could still speak for ourselves can continue to guide those we love.”
~ Final Exodus
Dementia is not a single disease. It is a general term for changes in memory, thinking, communication, and other cognitive abilities that become significant enough to interfere with daily life.
Dementia can result from a number of diseases and conditions. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause, accounting for approximately 60–70% of cases. Other forms include vascular dementia, Lewy body dementia, and frontotemporal dementia.
Dementia may also occur in association with other neurological or medical conditions, including Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease, HIV, multiple sclerosis, and harmful alcohol use. More than one type of dementia may occur at the same time, sometimes referred to as mixed dementia.
There is currently no cure for dementia, although treatment, care, and support can help manage symptoms and maintain quality of life.
For information about different types of dementia, visit: Alzheimer’s Association — Types and Differential Diagnosis of Dementia
A diagnosis of dementia can create an important opportunity to think about the future while the person can still participate fully in decisions about their care.
Advance planning may include:
Early planning can help preserve a person’s voice as circumstances change and can give those who may someday make decisions on their behalf a clearer understanding of the person’s wishes.
A Dementia Directive is a specialized document that communicates your wishes for medical care if you develop dementia and can no longer speak for yourself. It can help your family and health care agent make decisions that reflect your values and preferences.
Although a Dementia Directive is not itself a legally recognized advance directive in California, it can provide valuable guidance, reduce uncertainty for those making decisions on your behalf, and support choices consistent with your wishes as your condition progresses.
If you choose to complete a Dementia Directive, keep it with your advance directive and share copies with your health care agent, physician, and health care organization so it can be included in your electronic medical record.
People respond to a dementia diagnosis in very different ways. Some focus on treatment, relationships, meaningful activities, and planning for increasing levels of support. Some establish limits on medical interventions they would want as the disease progresses. Others may wish to explore additional end-of-life choices that could be available to them while they retain decision-making capacity.
These are deeply personal decisions. Final Exodus provides information to help individuals understand their options, consider what matters most to them, and communicate their wishes while they are able to do so.
If you have been diagnosed with dementia and still have decision-making capacity, this can be an important time to document your wishes and discuss them with the people you trust.
Final Exodus provides an Early Dementia Directive specifically for people who have received a dementia diagnosis. It allows you to record preferences for future care and provide additional guidance to your health care agent, loved ones, and care team.
Extensive recent medical research clearly indicates that with a good lifestyle you can prevent developing Alzheimer’s disease. What life style changes? (As many as you can do; the more, the better.)
This list is taken from a class on prevention given at the San Diego Community Colleges in the fall of 2022. You can get similar information from this YouTube video: Ten tips to prevent Alzheimer's, Melissa Batchelor. There are others.