Organizing a Series of Education and Support Conferences for Caregivers of Individuals With Frontotemporal Dementia and Primary Progressive Aphasia.

Abstract

Frontotemporal dementia and primary progressive aphasia are relatively rare dementias, with average age of onset in the 40s to 60s, and cause initial degeneration in behavior and language, respectively. Caregivers of diagnosed individuals report that there is little information available about these diseases. In response to this need, we designed and implemented a 3-part series of conferences aimed to educate and provide support to these caregivers. This article introduces the reader to the 2 disorders, highlights the need for specialized resources, and describes the execution of the conferences. The need for similar resources to be offered in other regions is discussed.